The play opened in New York City, New York, USA on 19 November 1919 and had 223 performances. Writer George Scarborough filed a lawsuit against M-G-M over alterations in his play, but the outcome of the suit has not been determined.
Robert Z. Leonard took over as director for about 10 days when Clarence Brown (I) fell ill with the flu.
Special lighting techniques were employed to make Chinatown look gaudy by day and drab at night.
400 Chinese extras went on strike after filming had started, until they were served the kind of food they liked.
Anna May Wong (I) was very eager to play Lian Wha, but was turned down -- by her own account, because the producers considered her "too Chinese to play a Chinese".
