The 13 Aug 1921 Moving Picture World announced that Famous Players-Lasky Corp. had purchased screen rights to the popular 1920 novel, Miss Lulu Bett, by Zona Gale, which was later dramatized by Gale and received an extended run on Broadway. The forthcoming feature film would be directed by William C. de Mille. According to the 31 Dec 1921 Moving Picture World, the stage play was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for best play in 1920, and was currently on tour.
       The Paramount picture was expected to begin filming at once at the Lasky Studios in Hollywood, CA, as reported in the 27 Aug 1921 Motion Picture News. Mildred Harris had been cast in the title role. However, the 10 Sep 1921 Moving Picture World announced that Harris was no longer participating in the film, as she was engaged with another “big special” for Paramount. Lois Wilson was hired to take her place. The Dec 1921 issue of Picture-Play claimed that Mildred Harris was replaced because she was “too beautiful” to be believable as the “awkward and unattractive” girl that characterized the first part of the story.
       The 10 Sep 1921 Motion Picture News confirmed that production had begun. On 22 Oct 1921, Moving Picture World announced that cutting and assembling had been completed by William C. de Mille. According to the 3 Dec 1921 Moving Picture World, publishing company D. Appleton and Co. issued a new print of Gale's novel featuring cover art by Paramount Pictures advertising manager A. M. Botsford, to coincide with the film's release.
       High praise was given to the picture by several critics. The 31 Dec 1921 Moving Picture World deemed the film “excellent,” and, “interestingly realistic.” The 31 Dec 1921 Motion Picture News review exclaimed that William C. de Mille was “in a class by himself” when it came to visualizing “the simple, human document,” and asserted that Miss Lulu Bett was “one of the finest adaptations in the history of the photoplay.”