Based on the novel Blaze Derringer, by Eugene P. Lyle, Jr., the scenario was written by John Emerson and Anita Loos who also wrote the film's intertitles.

[4] The website Obscure Hollywood notes, "An unfortunate element of The Americano is the presence of a stereotypical black man, an example of the casual racism of the time.

This character, Hartod Armitage White (even his name is a joke), aka Whitey, is first seen hiding from the soldiers who have wrecked the office of Blaze's American mining company.

His cowardice, servile demeanor, shuffling walk, and speech pattern (as written in the subtitles) are all part of the stereotype.

The impersonation is obvious, another accepted element of public portrayals of African Americans.."[5] Although Fairbanks was receiving $15,000 per week during production of The Americano, making him the third highest-paid actor after Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin, he considered himself underpaid given his films made millions for the studio.