Censorship in Hollywood

1. A brief history of film censorship in the US Censorship in Hollywood

2. The Motion Picture Production Code • Established in the 1930 as a response to growing concern about film content and celebrity scandal throughout the giddy 1920s • An initiative of the film studios, who were keen to avoid government censorship • Often referred to as the Hays Code, after William Hays • Code enforced, in practice at least, between 1934 and 1954 • Progressively eroded after 1954, abandoned in 68

3. Examples from the Motion Picture Production Code

4. The Code: General Principals • No picture shall be produced which will lower the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience shall never be thrown to the side of crime, wrong-doing, evil or sin. • Correct standards of life, subject only to the requirements of drama and entertainment, shall be presented. • Law, natural or human, shall not be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be created for its violation.

5. The Code: Particular Applications The code recognised 12 areas of particular interest: • Crimes against the law • Sex • Vulgarity • Obscenity • Profanity • Costume • Dances • Religion • Location (special subjects) • National feelings • Titles • Repellent subjects

6. I. Crimes against the law “These shall never be presented in such a way as to throw sympathy with the crime as against law and justice or to inspire others with a desire for imitation.” “Revenge in modern times shall not be justified.” “Methods of crime should not be explicitly presented.” “The use of liquor in American life, when not required by the plot or for proper characterization, will not be shown.”

7. II. Sex “The sanctity of the institution of marriage and the home shall be upheld.” “Excessive and lustful kissing, lustful embraces, suggestive postures and gestures are not to be shown.” “The subject of abortion shall be discouraged, shall never be more than suggested, and when referred to shall be condemned.” “White slavery shall not be treated.” “Miscegenation (sex relationship between the white and black races) is forbidden.”

8. III. Vulgarity “The treatment of low, disgusting, unpleasant, though not necessarily evil, subjects should be guided always by the dictates of good taste and a proper regard for the sensibilities of the audience.” IV. Obscenity “Obscenity in word, gesture, reference, song, joke or by suggestion (even when likely to be understood only by part of the audience) is forbidden.”

9. V. Profanity “Pointed profanity and every other profane or vulgar expression, however used, is forbidden.” List of examples given: Alley cat (applied to a woman); bat (applied to a woman); broad (applied to a woman); Bronx cheer (the sound); chippie; cocotte; God, Lord, Jesus, Christ (unless used reverently); cripes; fanny; fairy (in a vulgar sense); finger (the); fire, cries of; Gawd; goose (in a vulgar sense); “hold your hat” or “hats”; hot (applied to a woman); “in your hat”; louse; lousy; Madam (relating to prostitution); nance, nerts; nuts (except when meaning crazy); pansy; razzberry (the sound); slut (applied to a woman); SOB.; son-of-a; tart; toilet gags; tom cat (applied to a man); traveling salesman and farmer’s daughter jokes; whore; damn; hell (excepting when the use of said last two words shall be essential and required for portrayal, in proper historical context, of any scene or dialogue based upon historical fact or folklore, or for the presentation in proper literary context of a Biblical, or other religious quotation, or a quotation from a literary work provided that no such use shall he permitted which is intrinsically objectionable or offends good taste).

10. VI. Costume “Complete nudity is never permitted. This includes nudity in fact or in silhouette, or any licentious notice thereof by other characters in the pictures.” “Undressing scenes should be avoided, and never used save where essential to the plot.”

11. VII. Dances “Dances suggesting or representing sexual actions or indecent passion are forbidden.” “Dances which emphasize indecent movements are to be regarded as obscene.”

12. VIII. Religion “No film or episode may throw ridicule on any religious faith.” “Ministers of religion in their character as ministers of religion should not be used as comic characters or as villains.” IX. Locations “The treatment of bedrooms must be governed by good taste and delicacy.”

13. X. National Feelings “The use of the flag shall be consistently respectful.” “The history, institutions, prominent people and citizenry of all nations shall be represented fairly.” “No picture shall be produced that tends to incite bigotry or hatred among peoples of differing races, religions, or national origins. The use of such offensive words as Chink, Dago, Frog, Hunkie, Kike, Nigger, Spic, Wop, Yid should be avoided.”

14. XI. Titles “Salacious, indecent, or obscene titles shall not be used.”

15. XII. Repellent Subjects “The following subjects must be treated within the careful limits of good taste. • Actual hangings or electrocutions as punishments for crime • Third-degree methods • Brutality and possible gruesomeness • Branding of people or animals • Apparent cruelty to children or animals • The sale of a woman, or a woman selling her virtue • Surgical operations and childbirth

16. The Legion of Decency • An organised attempt by the Roman Catholic church to combat the immorality of Hollywood • Founded in 1933, had considerable power until 1952 • Had no regulatory power, but had considerable sway in society when calling for boycotts, at least pre-war • In 1952, The Miracle, and Italian film by Rosselini, outraged the Legion, and was banned in NYC • But Supreme Court ruled in favour of The Miracle, thus challenging religious-based film censorship

17. References - http://www.und.edu/instruct/cjacobs/ProductionCode.htm - http://productioncode.dhwritings.com -