In 1930, responding to public pressure, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) drafted a set of codes in order to regulate the movie industry.  It was drafted by William Harrison Hays and was known as either ”the Production Codes” or the ”Hays Code.”

Between 1930-34, the MPAA had no effective way of enforcing the Code, but then started enforcing it in 1934. An amendment to the code established the Production Code Administration, and required all films to obtain a certificate of approval before being released. 

 Adherence to the Code was almost always mostly voluntary, but then in the mid-50s, some producers started openly challenging it.  The challenges continued through the 1960s until it was abandoned in 1967 and replaced with the MPAA rating codes that are pretty much in use in the US today:.

In 1940 Life Magazine ran a photo listing the ”big 10” no-nos:

 Thou shalt not:

1.     Law defeated

2.     Inside of thigh

3.     Lace lingerie

4.     Dead man

5.     Narcotics

6.     Drinking

7.     Exposed bosom

8.     Gambling

9.     Pointing gun

10. Tommy gun (machine gun)

The magazine added that ”U.S. producers, knowing that things banned by the Code can help sell tickets, have been subtly getting around the Code for years.”

 You can read the entire code here if you’re that enthusiastic.  British filmmakers who wanted to show their films in the US also had to abide by the code, so some of the films we will see this term fall under it. 

Keep this in mind when we watch Romeo and Juliet, which came out a few years after the Code went out of power.

 

 Today’s MPAA rating system:

  * Rated G – GENERAL AUDIENCES: All ages admitted.

  * Rated PG – PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED: Some material may not be suitable for children.

   * Rated PG-13 – PARENTS STRONGLY CAUTIONED: Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

   * Rated R – RESTRICTED: Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.