Censorship, The Graduate, Movie Ratings Film module 11

Censorship

What is Censorship?

• Censorship is when an individual or group tells another individual or group what they can or cannot read, watch, or listen to.

Censorship in Movies

• Censorship has existed in filmmaking from the beginning and continues to occur with new art forms.

Early Censorship

• The Kiss (1896): An Edison picture filmed at the Black Maria, considered the first censored film.
• Became the most banned film in history.

The 1920s

• The Roaring 20s: Believed that Hollywood promoted sin through images of:
  • Prostitution
  • Drinking/drunkenness
  • Drug use (cocaine)

Opposition to Hollywood

• Organized opposition to the film industry came from:
  • Church Groups (Clergy)
  • The Government (Law Enforcement)
  • Women’s Groups

State Censorship Rules

• By 1921, 37 states had their own censorship rules.
  • Examples: No women smoking in films, no pregnant women in films.

Production Code Administration (PCA)

• Established in 1922 by movie moguls to self-regulate the movie business and gain public trust.
• Aimed to keep the public attending movies (ticket sales are king).
• The Production Code Administration (PCA) was established by the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) in 1934 to enforce the Motion Picture Production Code.
• The PCA required all filmmakers to submit their films for approval before release.

Key Figures

• Will Hays: US Postmaster General and Presbyterian Elder, president of the MPPDA (1922-1945).
  • MPPDA later became the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and adopted the Production Code.
• Joe Breen: Catholic Publisher and enforcer of the new rules starting in 1934 (stricter than Hays).

Structure of Censorship

• A group of old white males controlled censorship in Hollywood.
• Scripts needed approval, and completed films were screened.
• Films were rejected if they broke the rules.

PCA Rules Examples

• A kiss could only last three seconds.
• During intimate moments, one foot must be kept on the floor at all times.
• Actors must sleep in separate beds, even if married off-screen.
• Criminals must be punished.
• No nudity!

Production Code Origins and Impact

• Written by a Catholic Publisher and a Presbyterian Elder.
• The PCA dictated the content of American motion pictures for the next twenty years.

Impact of the PCA

• PCA increased movie attendance because people felt safe.

Censored Films: King Kong

• King Kong (1933): One of the most banned films of the 1930s due to:
  • Graphic violence
  • Suggestions of bestiality

Censored Films: Betty Boop

• Betty Boop had to be fully clothed.

The Miracle (1948)

• Directed by Roberto Rossellini.
• A woman meets a stranger, a fisherman, and becomes pregnant but believes he is Jesus.
• Deemed blasphemy and banned by New York state in 1950.

Legal Fight and The Miracle Decision

• The distributor fought back, leading to a U.S. Supreme Court case in 1952.
• The film won under the First Amendment.
• The Miracle Decision helped break the PCA and caused its collapse.

Transition to the Modern Rating System

Bonnie & Clyde (1967)

• Directed by Arthur Penn.
• Considered one of the first films of the “New Hollywood Era” due to:
  • Graphic violence.
• The film follows the exploits of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow as they embark on a crime spree across the central United States during the 1930s.
• Bonnie, a bored small-town waitress, meets Clyde, a charming criminal, and the two quickly become infatuated with each other.
• They form a gang with other outlaws, including Clyde's brother Buck and his wife Blanche, and together they rob banks, steal cars, and engage in shootouts with law enforcement.
• Influenced by the French New Wave.
• Dede Allen's editing techniques, borrowed from the French New Wave, contributed to its success.
• Congress held hearings on the movie business because of "Bonnie & Clyde."

Films Ratings Board: Establishment (1968)

• The film industry decided to self-regulate again with the Films Ratings Board.
• Initially headed by Jack Valenti.
• Established to stop Congress from enacting censorship laws.
• The motion picture industry would self-regulate to avoid federal oversight or censorship laws.

Challenges with the Film Ratings Board

• Did the Film Ratings Board always get it right?
  • The answer is no.

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

• Directed by John Schlesinger.
• Became the first film in history to receive an X rating but also won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
• Received the X rating because it focused on promiscuity and homosexuality.
• The film is notable for its innovative storytelling techniques, including flashbacks and dream sequences, as well as its candid portrayal of taboo subjects such as homosexuality and prostitution.
• It was also one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to receive an X rating (later changed to an R rating), reflecting its mature themes and explicit content.

The Graduate (1967)

• Directed by Mike Nichols.
• A story of a love triangle involving an older woman and a younger man.
• On the AFI (American Film Institute's) list of best films of all time.
• It was a blockbuster, with people waiting in line for hours to see it.
• Played in some theaters for almost a year.
• Mike Nichols, influenced by the French New Wave movement and filmmakers.
• When you screen The Graduate, see if you can pick up on his use of the New Wave techniques.
• Mrs. Robinson, played by Ann Bancroft.
• Mrs. Robinson is the origin of the term Cougar.
• Anne Bancroft was 36 years old, Dustin Hoffman was 30.
• The characters they were playing were supposed to be 42 and 21. Robert Redford was almost cast.
• Has a fantastic soundtrack written by Simon and Garfunkel.
• “Mrs. Robinson” was the number one song in June 1968 on the Billboard charts.
• Deals with themes of:
  • Rebellion against what is expected by elders
  • Uncertainty about the future
  • Coming of age
  • Loneliness
  • Desire
• Very much a timeless film.