1940: How to Break the Hays Code in As Many Ways as Possible in One Photo

In 1930, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), responding to public concern about perceived immoral behaviors and lifestyles presented in the nascent motion picture business, issued a code of conduct. It asked Postmaster General William H. Hayes to write the document. The MPAA adopted what came to be called the Hays Code, but began enforcing it only in 1934.

This effort squashed some movies that had been pushing the boundaries of public propriety. But by the 1950s, Hollywood began resisting the code, especially as movies that broke its regulations earned a lot of money at the box office.

This photo from Life magazine dates to (I think) 1940. It pokes fun at the code by trying to violate as many provisions as possible.

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The code itself, by the way, makes for interesting reading. Many of the requirements, such as those against the use of liquor and miscegenation, would be popularly seen today as either excessively puritanical or morally repellent.

But much of the code holds up as well as, such as the prohibitions against filming animal cruelty or actual human deaths. And despite the claims of the Life photo, I don't see gambling forbidden by the code.

Perhaps popular history has distorted the actual text.

-via Super Punch


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I still contend the best comedy was written when censorship was in force. My favorite line is from a WC Fields/Mae West movie. WC spots Mae's big diamond ring and exclaims, "oh my goodness." Mae responds, "goodness had nothing to do with it."
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Like any irreversible step, suicide should be thought through with a clear mind and surely not in a hurry. In case you think about suicide you should really thoroughly contemplate every little detail of it without any precipitance and you should really take you time, at least 10 to 20 years or even longer... the worst that could happen is that a natural cause of death strikes first...
Unfortunately, people considering suicide are usually in a very emotional state and are very impatient neither having the longanimity nor the wisdom to wait for the grim reaper, whom noone escaped yet.
As i think that his tattoos may reach much more young people that the above arguments, i can only say that i am happy for each young person not taking the final step...
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