Considerable censorship difficulties arose because of sexual discussions and innuendos, although the Hays Office eventually approved the film for release. However, the film was banned by the Legion of Decency and was refused a certificate for re-release by censor Joseph Breen in 1934 when the Production Code was more rigorously enforced.
Writer Ben Hecht and producer-director Ernst Lubitsch retained only one line from the original play by Noël Coward: "For the good of our immortal souls!"
The tenth most popular movie at the U.S. box office for 1933.
In the film, "Gilda" is pronounced with a soft "G" ("Jilda") probably because Noel Coward is British, and he both wrote and starred in the play. The British are more strict than Americans in following the soft-G rules where G is soft when followed by E, I, or Y.
Ernst Lubitsch originally wanted to cast Ronald Colman and Leslie Howard as the male leads, but Colman wanted too much money and Howard wanted to avoid being compared to the original Broadway cast. Lubitsch then asked Douglas Fairbanks Jr. to play George, and he accepted, but he contracted pneumonia just before filming was to start and he was replaced by Gary Cooper. Lubitsch then cast Fredric March as Tom.