Question

W3T2 Censorship in film has played an important role in commercial movie making. Do you think the film you watched for this week’s first discussion question would have been allowed to release with the same exact content under the Hays Code? Why or why not? Be explicit and support your claim with verbiage from the Hays Code itself.

Answer 1

The Motion Picture Production Code was also known as The Hays Code. It was adopted in 1930, but it was applied in 1934. It was the combination of rules that governed American cinema and shaped in many ways for over 30 years. It was at the time of the Golden age of Hollywood.

Restrictions of the Hays Code is given below:

• In moral act and Crime could not show in a positive manner.

• Only the right standards of life could be present.

o One strange repercussion of this rule: some directors avoided taking on films that centred on poverty, as it could have conflicted with the Code.

• respected of law was necessary.

• Nudity and sexuality could not be portrayed.

• The mocking of religion was not allowed.   

• Use of drugs and alcoholism was not allowed except in few conditions.

• All detailed about criminal activities were not allowed.

• Blasphemy was not allowed etc.

Hence, the Hays code shaped and developed the American cinema in many manners.