Embassy Films simultaneously filmed this movie in English and German using the original Bertolt Brecht lyrics and several of the same principals.
The original German version is 34 minutes longer than the English version, featuring more songs.
A third version of this same film was released for European theatres and was also shown on U.S. TV.
There is no commercial soundtrack recording of this version but see the release on the World Records label for a studio cast version.
The US version contains a mix of Blitzstein and Bentley's texts. "Mack the Knife", "Solomon Song", the first part of the 2nd finale, and the "Mack the Knife" reprise as the finale were Blitzstein. In other words, when Sammy Davis, Jr. was on screen, Blitzstein's lyrics were used. The rest were Bentley.
