 Roach felt that since his product was currently being released through MGM, he would be able to borrow existing sets used in "The Big House" to keep costs down.MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer agreed to the idea, on the proviso that the duo appear in a film for MGM in the near future.Infuriated, Roach turned down the offer, and hired set designer Frank Durloff to build an exact replica of the needed prison sets.