The Censorship Papers: Movie Censorship Letters from the Hays Office, 1934-1968

Writer-producer of the TV special American Censored, Gardner here presents letters by arbiters in the Hollywood Hayes Office about their censorship of films from 1934 through 1968. The board was set up in response to ""morality'' complaints by religious leaders as well as certain segments of the public, and movie moguls were quick to comply with rules that would earn the Seal of Approval, for without the imprimatur, a film was boycotted. Such epics as Rebecca, A Streetcar Named Desire and Rear Window were revised by direction of the Hayes Office. American movies were also altered to comply with standards in countries where they were imported. The author sheds light on conditions obtaining before the present rating system was adopted, but even readers strongly opposed to censorship may yearn for what Gardner recalls as the ``screen in a gentler time,'' compared with ``today's scenes of fornication, adultery, incest, rape, cannibalism, necrophilia,'' etc. Author tour. (November)