 Frank Capra (qv) had been loaned to MGM to work on a film called  "Soviet," in exchange for $50,000 and Robert Montgomery (I) (qv)s  participation in this picture; Capra also hoped to get  Marie Dressler (qv)s services from MGM. After "Soviet" was  cancelled as a project, Columbia was unable to get either  James Cagney (qv) from Warner Bros. or William Powell (I) (qv)  from MGM for the role of Dave the Dude; they also tried to get  W.C. Fields (qv) from Paramount to play Judge Blake, but again  could not make a deal.