Bring back the Hays Code!

Yes, I’m a Hays Code advocate. Judge me if you will.

The Motion Picture Production Code, informally known as the Hays Code, was named after its creator, Will H. Hays, and presented in 1930. It was the first attempt to introduce film censorship in the United States, and was fully enforced beginning July 1st, 1934. It remained in effect until the mid-1960's.

I will not deny that there were instances in which the Hays Code went too far. For example, the banning of interracial relationships. It also prohibited showing a married couple in bed together, instead requiring the use of twin beds, as seen in so many old films.

It banned things like “excessive and lustful kissing” (hold up; were the censors asleep while Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman were carrying on in Hitchcock’s *Notorious? [See footnote that appears at the bottom immediately following the end of the article.]), “pointed profanity”, and “scenes of actual childbirth.” Actually, the litany goes on and on, and you can find a complete list of the “Don’ts and Be Carefuls” here.

Believe it or not, a number of things in Frank Capra’s classic It’s a Wonderful Life were deemed unacceptable by censors at the time. The Hays Code prohibited the use of the words “impotent” and “jerk”, and the phrase “Nuts to you!” (Never mind that, while the Hays code demanded that criminals be punished for their crimes, Potter was never wheeled to the slammer for pocketing a certain $8,000!)

All that aside, I am of the mind that films were of a higher standard and quality under the rigid production laws. Films never contained the rampant and unnecessary nudity and foul language that is so prevalent today. There was no gratuitous or overly graphic violence. The Code also encouraged filmmakers to be creative, rather than explicit, in getting their point across concerning other more scandalous doings.

Throughout the 1950’s and ‘60’s, the influence of the Code was greater seen in television than film. Slowly, the high moral standard in film-making was declining, but television was still very strict in what it would allow. If you remember those fun old episodes of shows such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, perhaps this explains the consistent endings in which Hitch would assure you that the murderer was indeed caught and brought to justice. The Code simply could not allow otherwise.

When the Hays Code went out in the mid-60’s, the rating system came in. Nowadays films are tailored for a specific audience. G-rated films are for the kiddies, R-rated films are for the grown-ups, with PG and PG-13 ratings in between. But back under the Hays Code, it was assumed, often correctly, that adults and children could, and would, enjoy the same movies. One size fit all. And that size was merely a good story with a few talented actors. What, I ask you, is wrong with that?

Let’s go back to a time when movies had good taste and morality, and were appropriate and enjoyable for all ages. Bring back the Hays Code!

*Alfred Hitchcock was remarkably clever when it came to filming this legendary scene from Notorious. What he did was have Grant and Bergman break off their kissing every three seconds, which was the censors’ limit, and then have them continue a moment later, thus, the kiss is actually two and one half minutes in length!