The film was an adaptation of the Western novel "Two-Gun Man" (1929) by Stewart Edward White (1873-1946). White was famous for novels featuring outdoors adventures. He often interviewed veterans of the Old West to collect authentic details for his works.
The film was the first all-talking, all-color Western ever released.
The film sparked protest in New York City, as the Latinos of the 1930s felt insulted by its depiction of Mexicans as liars and womanizers. The New York City police attacked the protesters and killed protest leader Gonzalo González.