The Hays Code: Censorship in Old Hollywood

In the 1920s, the relatively new film industry faced condemnation from members of the public—especially religious leaders—for being “too immoral”. Films of the time were daring and provocative, exploring sensitive topics like troubled relationships, crime, and innuendo. Some challenged social norms, portraying gay and interracial relationships and centering strong female characters. Others used shock value to draw viewers into theaters.

The industry itself was also being rocked with scandal. The widely publicised trial of actor Roscoe Arbuckle, accused in the death of actress Virginia Rappe, brought nationwide attention to the less glamorous side of Hollywood. Multiple high profile actors and directors died from troubling circumstances in the same few years.

Both the content of motion pictures and the environment within the film industry culminated in it being deemed morally questionable, particularly by conservatives. They began to push for films to be sanitized and scrubbed of their insidious content. Through the mid ‘20s, copious amounts of local and state level film censorship bills gained traction across the country. Since the studios didn’t want to deal with the hassle of navigating varying regional laws, they decided they needed to regulate production themselves.

The heads of the major studios formed the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) to carry out the task and clean up their image. Appointed to the role of president was William H. Hays, a politician and respected leader in the Presbyterian church.

William H. Hays Source: Wikimedia Commons

It’s important to note that in this time American cinema was dominated by the “Big Five” studios: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, RKO Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, and Paramount Pictures. They had an oligopoly over the industry, eventually producing over 90% of American movies. So when they agreed to codes and censorship boards, the shift affected almost the entire industry and gave filmmakers pretty much no other option but to comply.

With his new position, Hays attempted to create guidelines for films. He published a variety of materials to advise filmmakers on acceptable content, including a list of “Don’ts and Be Carefuls” in 1927. However, Hays’ efforts were largely ignored due to a lack of enforcement, and films remained uncensored and risqué.

In 1930, the MPPDA introduced the Motion Picture Production Code, commonly referred to as the Hays Code after its president at the time. The code was a set of guidelines for self-censorship. Unlike previous attempts, it was actually endorsed by studio executives. In spite of that, it still wasn’t truly enforced.

This changed with the adoption of a new amendment in 1930 that created the Production Code Administration. Headed by Joseph Breen, the PCA required all films made after its formation to get a certificate of approval before being shown in American theaters. If theaters didn’t comply and showed a film without approval, they would face heavy fines.

The PCA approval seal Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

In its own words, the Hays Code aimed to stop films from “lowering the moral standards of those who [saw them]”. It forbade lots of language and behavior from being depicted in motion pictures, including but not limited to: indeceny, violent, or morally questionable in the eyes of the PCA. This encompassed things like inappropriate language, excessive violence, romantic or sexual encounters, challenges to religion, drug-related content, childbirth, and racial issues considered controversial.

With the enforcement of the Hays Code, films were forced to become more “chaste” and conservative. Films often had to skirt around the serious issues being addressed in other media of the time. They couldn’t include the bold or suggestive scenes that they had in the pre-code years, nor could they openly challenge societal norms with the medium (not directly, at least). Gone were the confident, independent women featured in ‘20s films. Instead, emphasis was placed on women fulfilling their “traditional gender roles” and being subservient. Behind the camera, female directors and crew members were pushed out of the industry.

The portrayal of diverse experiences was also severely limited, particularly the representation of marginalized groups. The Hays Code used the banning of “sexual perversion” to prevent explicit depiction of the LGBTQ+ community on screen. From this arose queercoding, the practice of attributing stereotypically queer traits to characters in order to imply their gender or sexuality, without stating it outright. When such topics were allowed to be included, they had to be shown in a condemning manner. Consequently, the “Bury your Gays” trope—where queer characters die tragically and unhappily at the end of the story–would become pervasive in narratives about LGBTQ+ characters, and would continue to dominate media long after the code ended.

The banning of miscegenation (relationships between people of different races) restricted the already limited roles of people of color within the film industry. Similarly to gay relationships, interracial relationships also had to end with tragedy and heartbreak when they were shown.

In spite of all this, filmmakers found ways to get around the Hays Code. They may not have been able to openly convey the messages they wanted to, but they used subtext and implication to get their points across. Lots of films from the era pushed boundaries and limitations, bringing poignant stories to the screen. For example, Dorothy Arzner (one of the only female directors in Hollywood at the time) stretched the code with her 1940 feminist film Dance, Girl, Dance. The movie, centering around a ballerina who went to work in a burlesque show, questioned the male gaze and brought attention to women’s agency. Other filmmakers used innovative techniques to get around the confines of the code. In 1946’s Notorious, Alfred Hitchcock got around the 3-second kiss rule by having his characters kiss quickly then break contact repeatedly in a scene that lasted a few minutes.

A scene from Dance, Girl, Dance Source: Midwest Film Journal

The code continued through the ‘40s and ‘50s, but its influence began to wane. By the ‘60s, the Hays Code had virtually lost its power over Hollywood. Faced with a changing audience as well as competition from both television and foreign films, the major studios realized that they would need to change their method. Combined, these factors led to the introduction of the Motion Picture Association of America rating system in 1968. The MPAA rating system had ratings based on audiences (e.g., general, mature, and restricted), and officially brought an end to the Hays Code.

While the era of the Hays Code is now long behind us, many aspects of it may seem eerily familiar to the modern day. The arguments used to support the implementation of the code, such as “preserving traditional American values” or “saving the youth”, are extremely similar to those used to justify banning books or limiting the free press in 2025.

The censorship of creative media is a dangerous path, especially under the guise of immorality. It’s vital to recognize the ways in which “fighting immorality” can be used to rationalize the removal of free speech and the exclusion of various groups. If there’s anything the Hays Code taught us, it’s that free creative expression is crucial in allowing the media to thrive and letting the diverse perspectives of storytellers be heard.

Sources

NAVA TABATA

Editor at The City Voice

Nava is currently a senior at City. She has been writing for The City Voice since her sophomore year and now serves as an editor. Although she enjoys covering a wide range of subjects, her favorite topics to write about are history and ecology. Outside of the newspaper, you can usually find her playing violin in City’s pit orchestra, volunteering at her local library, or going on walks to observe the antics of her neighborhood squirrels.