 Louis B. Mayer (qv), head of MGM, originally was against the idea  of Myrna Loy (qv) being cast in this picture but director  W.S. Van Dyke (qv) wanted to use the stars of the movie  _Manhattan Melodrama (1934)_ (qv), William Powell (I) (qv) and  Myrna Loy (qv). Mayer said that Powell was OK for the part since  he had already played detectives in other films. Loy eventually got  the part and made new image for herself.