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. 34
The
PLAIN TRUTH
The Old Movie Code: Based on the
TEN COMMANDMENTS
F
OLLOWING
are excerpts taken
from tbe Motion Picture Pro–
duction Code adopted by Tbe Asso–
ciation of Motion Picture Producers,
Inc. (California), and The Motion
Picture Association of America, Inc.
(New York), in Marcb, 1930.
Mankind has always recognized
the importance of entertainment and
its value in rebuilding the bodies and
souls of human beings. But it has
always recognized that entertainment
can be of a character either
HELPFUL
or
HARMFUL
to the human race, and
in consequence has clearly dis–
tinguisbed between:
a. Entertainment wbid1 tends to im–
prove the race, or at Jeast m re·
create and rebuild human beings
with the realities of life; and
b. Entertainment which tends to de–
grade human beings, or to lower
tbeir staodards of life and living.
Hence the
MORAL IMPORTANCE
of
entertainment is something which
has been universally recognized.
1t
enters intimately into the lives of
men and women and affects them
closely; it occupies tbeir minds and
affections during leisure hours; and
ultimately toucbes the wbole of their
lives. A man may be judged by bis
standard of entertainment as easily as
by tbe standard of bis work.
So correct entertaioment raises the
whole standard of a nation.
Wrong entertaioment lowers tbe
whole living conditions and moral
ideals of a race....
The motion picture, because of its
importance as entertainment and be–
cause of the trust placed in it by the
peoples of tbe world, has special
MORAL OBLIGATIONS....
their children." Another MPAA publi–
cation explains further, "Tbese ratings
are applied for a public with a broad
spectrum of attitudes, beliefs and hang–
ups. It would be impossible for any sys–
tem, however well-administered, to
please everyone ... and be correct for
children."
Jack Valenti, president of the
MPAA, made the following statement
concerning the underlying philosophy
of the present rating system:
• No picture shall be produced
which will lower the moral standards
of those wbo see it. Hence the sym–
patby of the audience sbould never
be thrown to tbe side of crime,
wrong-doing, evil or sin....
• Correct standards of life shall, as
far as possible, be presented .
A wide knowledge of life and of
living is made possible through the
film. When right standards a.re con–
sistently presented, the motion pic–
ture exercises the most powerful
influences.
It
builds character, devel–
ops right ideals, inculcates correct
principies, and all this in attractive
story form.
If
motion pictures consistently
hold up for admiration higb types of
cbaracters and present stories tbat
will affect lives for the better, they
can become the most powerful natu–
ral force for the improvement of
mankind.
Law, natural or human, shall not
be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be
created for its violation....
• (RIMES AGArNST THE LAW
These shall never be presented in
such a way as to throw sympathy
with tbe crin1e as against law and
justice or to inspire others with a
desire for imitation....
• SEX
The sanctity of the institution of
marriage and tbe home shall be
upheld....
(Following sections prescribed
principies to judge matters con–
cerning: III. vulgarity, IV. obscenity,
V. profanity, VI. costume, VII.
dances, VIII. religion, IX. bedroom
scenes, X. the flag, and special regu–
lations on bistory, prominent people,
brutality, etc.)
"The voluntary
film
rating system
has but one objective:
tO
inform
parents about the contetlts of a movie.
No more, or less. The rating board
makes no auempt to define what pic–
tures will be harmful to dlildren,
because we don't know and neither
does anyone
in
the social or medica!
sciences know with certainry. There
is simply no verifiable scientific evi·
dence that gives proof of such harm.
Thus, the ratings, in the absence of
substantiative proof of harm, try to
tell parents about the content of a
film, and the parents then must make
the decisions about the youngster's
movie-going....
February
1972
"Because the rating board is com–
posed of human beings operating in
a dimly, gauzily marked, subjective
area where there are no immutable
formulas and where opi nions vary
widely, they will make euors from
time to time. But theo who among
us is so divinely gifted that he is pos·
sessed of that ultimate wisdom that
reveals what is truly r igbt and plainly
wrong? We do the best we can, know–
ing we wíll err, and understanding
that one parent will find our judg–
ments accurate and anocher wiJl de–
clare them to be a false promise."
Valenti clearly points out the reason
wby the present Code is as it is. Movie–
makers and movie-goers alike have
accepted
no
dearly defined guide as to
wbat is right and wrong.
What Guide Can We Use?
What can we use as a standard to
give us tbis "ultimate wisdom" to help
us decide what constitutes a constructive
movie? In the 1930's the Code at least
claimed to foltow tbe Ten Command–
ments. We ask: Why not follow tbat
code today?
Is there anyone wbo disagrees with:
"Thou shalt not kill" or "Thou shalt
not steal" or "Tbou shalt not covet thy
neighbor's house, nor thy neigbbor's
wife"? Is anyone against the ninth com–
mandment: "Thou sbalt not bear false
witness against tby neighbor"?
Perhaps we can best understand the
importance of these laws if we apply
them to ourselves. We do not want our
neighbor to covet our property
oc
wife;
we do
no~
want to be lied to; we do
not want to bave our property stolen;
we do not want our families murdered.
Can anyone question the wisdom of
these laws wbicb, if kept, would so
carefully protect us?
Let's take the Ten Commandments
one step furtber.
If
it is good
NOT
to
kili, steal, hate, commit adultery, is it
healtby for humans to vicatiously expe–
rience these acts tbrough rootion pic–
tures?
If
it is wrong for children to see
the contents of an "R" or "X" movie, is
it not wrong for an
adtdt
to see the
same?
In an age with no moral guides, witb
confusion as to what is or is not harm–
ful, we need sorne standard to guide us.
Using the Ten Commandments as a
guide for our movie viewing once again
would put us back on the road to sanity
in motion pictures. O