What was the Hayes code?

Answer 1

In 1922, the former Postmaster General Will H. Hays was appointed the President of the Motion Picture Produces and Distributors of America (MPPDA). The Hays Code (The Motion Picture Production Code of 1930) was formed. It was "A Code to Govern the Making of Talking, Synchronized and Silent Motion Pictures. Formulated and formally adopted by The Association of Motion Picture Producers, Inc. and The Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, Inc. in March 1930. "

Certain subjects were absolutely taboo: Homosexuality, rape as a plot device, drug abuse, prostititution. Interestingly anything resembling comedy regarding ministers of religion was totally off-base.

There was a good deal of oversight. Some pictures used cuts (omitted material and then thought-jumps to conclusions, which often baffled audiences. Examples included Riders on the storm, which sounded like a Western. There is a gap between the gathering of off-duty soldiers in the Paris hotel (actually a brothel) and the intimation that one of the girls is, well, in an occupation banned by the code.)