Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Hays' Gaze



It's a fault of the MPAA's
They assault with contemptuous gaze
Their refined master-cutter
With his mind in the gutter
Is exalted, untempted Will Hays.

David Cairns

Will Hays was the first president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) (1922–45), running what came to be called the Hays Office, enforcing what became known as the Hays Code. In the postwar period, this organization would be renamed the Motion Picture Association of America , or MPAA.

2 comments:

MarkBraun said...

I'm always learning more about the Hayes commisson's assault on film of the period. Hoping that, with great restoration, some gems get a second look. Mostly at boobs, but still, a second look. :)

surly hack said...

Writing these limericks I've been reading a bit more, too. Hays himself was a shill for the industry, and was happy to look the other way. It wasn't until the Catholics organized the Legion of Decency and Hays brought in Breen that the Code was enforced. And Breen himself has been defended as something less than a two-faced prude.