The Hays Code shaped American movies for decades by setting strict moral standards for what could be shown on screen. Following these rules was essential for almost every major studio during that era.
This quiz covers the history of the code, from its beginning in the 1930s until its eventual decline and replacement in 1968. You will see questions about specific films that challenged the rules, key administrators, and the impact of the Catholic Legion of Decency.
If you like film history, you should check out our Golden Age of Hollywood trivia, browse more New Hollywood 1960s-70s facts, or look through our Film Noir collection.
What organization, led by Will H. Hays, established the primary set of industry moral guidelines in the 1930s?
Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America
Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America
National Board of Censorship
National Board of Censorship
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
What was the primary motivation for Hollywood studios to adopt the self-regulatory production code?
To reduce the cost of film production
To reduce the cost of film production
To promote artistic freedom for directors
To promote artistic freedom for directors
To avoid potential government-mandated censorship laws
To avoid potential government-mandated censorship laws
To increase the salaries of film stars
To increase the salaries of film stars
What strictly enforced rule applied to the portrayal of married couples in Hollywood films for several decades?
Married couples could not be shown in the same bed together
Married couples could not be shown in the same bed together
A wedding ring had to be visible at all times
A wedding ring had to be visible at all times
Couples were forbidden from kissing on screen
Couples were forbidden from kissing on screen
Characters could never mention the word marriage
Characters could never mention the word marriage
Which of the following was a key principle of the Motion Picture Production Code regarding the depiction of crime?
Criminals were always depicted as unintelligent
Criminals were always depicted as unintelligent
Profanity was limited to certain situations
Profanity was limited to certain situations
Sympathy for criminals or criminal activity was forbidden
Sympathy for criminals or criminal activity was forbidden
All acts of violence were completely forbidden
All acts of violence were completely forbidden
How did the limitations of the Code fundamentally change the aesthetic of Hollywood storytelling?
It encouraged the use of explicit language in romantic dramas
It encouraged the use of explicit language in romantic dramas
It had no significant impact on filmmaking
It had no significant impact on filmmaking
It forced filmmakers to rely on subtext, suggestion, and symbolism to convey mature themes
It forced filmmakers to rely on subtext, suggestion, and symbolism to convey mature themes
It made films more realistic and gritty
It made films more realistic and gritty
In which year was the Motion Picture Production Code officially adopted by the industry?
1945
1945
1930
1930
1968
1968
1958
1958
Under the strictest interpretations of the code, what was the rule regarding on-screen dancing that was considered ‘suggestive’?
It was strictly forbidden for all couples, regardless of marital status
It was strictly forbidden for all couples, regardless of marital status
It was allowed if they were married in the film
It was allowed if they were married in the film
It was allowed if the characters were children
It was allowed if the characters were children
It was permitted only if they were sitting down
It was permitted only if they were sitting down
Which film, featuring Mae West, significantly contributed to the push for stricter enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code in 1934?
‘She Done Him Wrong’
‘She Done Him Wrong’
‘It Happened One Night’
‘It Happened One Night’
‘Frankenstein’
‘Frankenstein’
‘The Public Enemy’
‘The Public Enemy’
Who became the head of the Production Code Administration in 1934 and was known for being a strict enforcer of the rules?
Darryl F. Zanuck
Darryl F. Zanuck
Joseph Breen
Joseph Breen
Louis B. Mayer
Louis B. Mayer
Jack Warner
Jack Warner
Which 1953 film was famously released without the industry seal of approval, challenging the power of the code?
‘It Happened One Night’
‘It Happened One Night’
‘Casablanca’
‘Casablanca’
‘The Moon Is Blue’
‘The Moon Is Blue’
‘Gone with the Wind’
‘Gone with the Wind’
What major 1952 legal development began the decline of the Hays Code’s authority?
The studios went bankrupt due to the code’s restrictions
The studios went bankrupt due to the code’s restrictions
Will H. Hays retired and the position was abolished
Will H. Hays retired and the position was abolished
The Supreme Court ruling in Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson declared films were protected by free speech under the First Amendment
The Supreme Court ruling in Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson declared films were protected by free speech under the First Amendment
The invention of home television made the code irrelevant
The invention of home television made the code irrelevant
Why did the film ‘The Moon Is Blue’ cause a massive controversy regarding its rating and distribution?
It used the word ‘virgin’ in a comedy context, which was forbidden
It used the word ‘virgin’ in a comedy context, which was forbidden
The actors involved were banned by the studio heads
The actors involved were banned by the studio heads
The director’s daughter refused to follow the rules
The director’s daughter refused to follow the rules
The film showed a married couple in the same bed
The film showed a married couple in the same bed
Which 1955 drama directed by Otto Preminger challenged the code by depicting drug addiction?
‘Spartacus’
‘Spartacus’
‘The Man with the Golden Arm’
‘The Man with the Golden Arm’
‘Psycho’
‘Psycho’
‘Some Like It Hot’
‘Some Like It Hot’
What was the Catholic Legion of Decency’s role in the enforcement of the code?
The public stopped buying movie tickets altogether
The public stopped buying movie tickets altogether
The Catholic Legion of Decency pressured theaters to boycott uncertified films
The Catholic Legion of Decency pressured theaters to boycott uncertified films
It was explicitly banned by a presidential executive order
It was explicitly banned by a presidential executive order
The Screen Actors Guild held a massive strike against the studio heads
The Screen Actors Guild held a massive strike against the studio heads
What effectively replaced the Hays Code in 1968?
The creation of the internet movie database
The creation of the internet movie database
The total ban of all films from international production companies
The total ban of all films from international production companies
The introduction of the MPAA film rating system (G, M, R, X)
The introduction of the MPAA film rating system (G, M, R, X)
The requirement that all scripts be reviewed by the US Senate
The requirement that all scripts be reviewed by the US Senate
Which 1934 film famously used a wall of blankets, known as the ‘Walls of Jericho,’ to separate a couple in a single room?
‘The Philadelphia Story’
‘The Philadelphia Story’
‘Bringing Up Baby’
‘Bringing Up Baby’
‘Rebecca’
‘Rebecca’
‘It Happened One Night’
‘It Happened One Night’
What part of ‘Gone with the Wind’ forced the producers to pay a $5,000 fine for violating the code?
The portrayal of soldiers without full uniforms
The portrayal of soldiers without full uniforms
The depiction of a burning city
The depiction of a burning city
The use of alcohol in wedding toasts
The use of alcohol in wedding toasts
The use of ‘Damn’ in a famous final line
The use of ‘Damn’ in a famous final line
How did the 1968 rating system fundamentally differ from the original Hays Code?
It shifted the focus from censorship to informing audiences, allowing adult content with specific ratings
It shifted the focus from censorship to informing audiences, allowing adult content with specific ratings
It allowed directors to film scenes in any location they chose
It allowed directors to film scenes in any location they chose
It required all filmmakers to belong to the same union
It required all filmmakers to belong to the same union
It made it illegal to produce any film without government funding
It made it illegal to produce any film without government funding
What plot point in the 1959 film ‘Anatomy of a Murder’ challenged the sexual content restrictions of the code?
The portrayal of an angry protest against the government
The portrayal of an angry protest against the government
The scene showing a woman wearing pants in public
The scene showing a woman wearing pants in public
The explicit mention of ‘the clap’ (gonorrhea)
The explicit mention of ‘the clap’ (gonorrhea)
The depiction of interracial marriage
The depiction of interracial marriage
Which director notoriously pushed the boundaries of the code with his 1959 comedy ‘Some Like It Hot’?
Frank Capra
Frank Capra
Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder
Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
John Ford
John Ford
What major cultural shift in the late 1950s contributed to the obsolescence of the code?
Prohibition in the United States ended, making the code’s rules on alcohol obsolete
Prohibition in the United States ended, making the code’s rules on alcohol obsolete
The rise of television presented new competition and necessitated more mature content to attract audiences
The rise of television presented new competition and necessitated more mature content to attract audiences
The Supreme Court ruled that marriage rules were unconstitutional
The Supreme Court ruled that marriage rules were unconstitutional
The code expired due to a mandatory 25-year sunset clause
The code expired due to a mandatory 25-year sunset clause
Which organization, having previously administered the Production Code, introduced the voluntary film rating system in the post-code era?
The Hollywood Writers Union
The Hollywood Writers Union
The United Artists Guild
The United Artists Guild
The International Film Archive
The International Film Archive
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)
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