For the 1947 re-release, the name of Alan Ladd who was a virtually unknown supporting player at the time of the film's 1939 production, was moved to top billing and prominently displayed on all the advertising; most contemporary DVD copies were struck from re-release prints, and so his revisionist top billing credit remains.
New York, Monday, November 13, 1939: Reversing a previous decision, the New York State Censor Board on Friday (November 10, 1939) passed "Hitler - Beast of Berlin" under the changed title of "Beasts of Berlin," with what was termed as a slight revision also being made within the film. Original rejection of the film by the New York (state) censors was on the ground that the film was "inhuman, sacrilegious and tended to incite crime." Producers Distributing Corporation, distributor of the film, is still battling to get a MPPDA (Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, later changed to MPPA)code seal before opening the picture in New York. It is understood that the Hays office was withholding the seal, due to the film's original title - "Hitler - Beast of Berlin."
Producer Ben Judell bet the farm on this film. His desire for sensationalism to generate profits blew up in his face. He spent 1939 organizing Producer's Distributing Corporation (what would be a precursor to a Judell-less PRC) around this film, it's first release, but thanks to various pro-German censorship boards, especially in big markets, he was unable to get it inside critically important theaters. Unable to generate cash flow from this film, his dream to create a new independent studio died and creditors forced him out.
Richmond, Virginia, Thursday, November 9, 1939: The Virginia State Board of Censorship has given its approval of the film, "Hitler - Beast of Berlin," to be shown in this state. The decision was made after three days of deliberation and after the board had screened it twice. New York City, Thursday, November 9, 1939: "Hitler - Beast of Berlin," controversial film being distributed by Producers Distributing Corporation, has been passed by the National Board of Review and given a Mature-Audience rating, it was learned yesterday. Hollywood, California, Thursday, Noverber 9, 1939: "Hitler - Beast of Berlin," has been booked by the Wilmer & Vincent circuit in the following Pennsylvania cities: Altoona, Johnstown, Harrisburg, Easton, Reading, Allentown, and in Norfork and Richmond, Virginia. Detroit, Michigan, Thursday, November 9, 1939: Police Sergeant Charles W. Snyder, Detroit police censor, has okayed "Hitler - Beast of Berlin" for exhibition in Detroit.
This film represents one of a small handful of American films which featured the word Hitler or Hitler's, and both referencing Adolf Hitler, in their titles and were ones made around the time of the Second World War. These World War II movies include Hitler's Children; Hitler's Madman aka Hitler's Hangman; Hitler--Dead or Alive; The Hitler Gang aka Hitler & co.; the documentary short, Hitler Lives; The Strange Death of Adolf Hitler; Hitler's Women aka Women in Bondage; the comic short, The Devil with Hitler and Hitler - Beast of Berlin.