The film is based on the French novel Memoirs d’un médecin by Alexandre Dumas.

As described in a film magazine,[1] Madame Jeanne Du Barry (Bara) becomes the reigning favorite of Louis XV (Clary) and enjoys this distinction until the sudden death of the king.

Jeanne is made to suffer through the revolution and pays the ultimate price on the guillotine.

The Chicago Board of Censors required a cut of Madame Du Barry lying on the guillotine and the closeup of the blade.

Many of Theda Bara's films were destroyed in the 1937 Fox Studios vault fire.