Sin on the Silver Screen:The Story of Hollywood Censorship Part 1/3 • Rule Makers and Rule Breakers

Prostitution and drug use. Glorified gangsters. Savage monsters and unpunished villains. During the mid-20th century, many Hollywood moviemakers defiantly ignored the strict “Production Code” guidelines created in 1930, which were supposed to keep movies morally “clean.” In this three-week series, hosted by documentarian Steven C. Smith, we’ll hear the fascinating story of how Hollywood censorship began, in the wake of Jazz Age scandals, and find out what brought the era to an end.
After viewing highlights from classic movies that ignored the Production Code, we’ll see a complete feature that is now considered one of the most Code-flouting (and fun) films of the time: 1932’s Three on a Match, co-starring Bette Davis-a movie that packs adultery, drug addiction, kidnapping, and other cinematic sins into just 63 minutes!