Have you ever wondered why married couples in old movies had twin beds and romantic scenes faded out? The answer is the Motion Picture Production Code, also called the Hays Code, passed in 1930 and enacted in 1934. This code introduced industry moral guidelines that were applied to most American movies through 1968.
Before 1934, films had few limits on what they include. Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars appeared in movies with little or no censorship. Imagine Joan Blondell in a bathtub or Norma Shearer in very provocative poses. The most famous was Mae West, who chose jail over bail, following her arrest for lewdness.