Trivia / Destry Rides Again

• Career Resurrection: The film marked Marlene Dietrich's return to Paramount after a string of flops.
• Completely Different Title: In Sweden, the film was called "Ingen ängel", meaning "No Angel".
• Deleted Scene: In the original script, there was a scene in the movie showing Frenchy putting her winnings from a wild night of gambling below her dress neckline. The censors initially approved her comment. Patting her chest, she exclaims, "There's gold in them thar hills." After the preview audience roared at the line, the censors ordered it to be removed.
• Harpo Does Something Funny: According to her grandson Peter Riva interviewed for the Icons Radio Hour, Marlene Dietrich's fight scene was unchoreographed. She and Una Merkel agreed to do it impromptu with the only rule being no closed fists. They used feet, pulled hair, and Marlene had bruises for weeks afterwards. but the director got everything in one take.
• No Stunt Double: Marlene Dietrich and Una Merkel did their fight scene themselves. Merkel recalled:
  Neither of us knew what we were doing. We just plunged in and punched and slapped and kicked for all we were worth. They never did call in the stunt girls. Marlene stepped on my feet with her French heels. The toenails never grew back. She was stronger than me. She was very powerful and I was very thin. Luckily, I have a remarkable constitution. I was bruised from head to foot when it was over. I looked like an old peach, green with brown spots. And I felt like one too. At the end of the scene Jimmy Stewart came in and dumped a whole bucket of water over us. He did it in long shot. Then he had to do it over for close-ups. Then Life Magazine wanted pictures so they did it over again. He dumped water on us for hours.
• Romance on the Set: James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich had an affair which lasted for the duration of filming. She later claimed that she had to have an abortion after Stewart made her pregnant.
• What Could Have Been:
  • The role of Tom Destry was originally intended for Gary Cooper, but he wanted more money than the producers were willing to pay him.
  • The producers suggested either Paulette Goddard or Hedy Lamarr for the role of Frenchy, as they thought that Marlene Dietrich was box office poison. The director refused and cast her anyway.
• Working Title: The Man from Montana.

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