“The film, intended by William Randolph Hearst as a tribute to newly elected Franklin Delano Roosevelt, called for the establishment of a benevolent dictatorship to solve the economic crisis facing America. When Hays saw the film he was dumbfounded. […] The next day Hays ordered (the film) back to the studio for political reorientation. Despite the fact that more than $30,000 was spent on retakes, Gabriel Over the White House played to American audiences with most of its original message intact” (Gregory D.Black in Film History Vol.3, 1989).
The other changings were made to soften the extremely isolationistic and anti-European contents. Nevertheless, the film still keeps most of its contents that are unusually critical towards the American establishment and the President himself.