The Hollywood Production Code

The Hollywood Production Code, also known as the Hays Code, was a set of industry guidelines established in the 1930s to regulate the content of movies. Its goal was to ensure films promoted moral values and avoided offensive material, such as excessive violence, sexual content, and profanity. The code aimed to censor or restrict portrayals deemed inappropriate, shaping Hollywood’s storytelling for several decades. It was enforced voluntarily by studios until replaced by the MPAA film rating system in the late 1960s, which allowed more creative freedom while advising audiences of content suitability.