Talk with Will H. Hays

Will H. Hays, born William Harrison Hays on November 5, 1879, in Sullivan, Indiana, and dying on March 7, 1954, was a prominent figure in the history of American cinema. Before his involvement in the film industry, Hays served as the chairman of the Republican National Committee (1918-1921) and later as the Postmaster General under President Warren G. Harding from 1921 to 1922.

His most significant contribution to the film industry began in 1922 when he was appointed as the first president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA), later renamed the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). In this role, Hays was pivotal in establishing codes of practices for the film industry during a time when movies were becoming increasingly influential yet were also coming under scrutiny for content considered indecent or morally questionable.

To address concerns about the morality of movies and to prevent external regulation, Hays introduced the Hays Code, officially known as the Motion Picture Production Code, in 1930. It wasn't enforced rigorously until 1934, under the administration of Joseph I. Breen. The Hays Code imposed strict guidelines on the treatment of sex, crime, religion, and violence in film, shaping the content of Hollywood movies until the 1960s when the code was replaced by the current age-based rating system.

Hays' work through the Code sought to reassure the public about the moral content of films, essentially leading to a self-regulatory framework for the film industry that has evolved into modern cinematic content rating systems. His legacy is a complex blend of censorship and foundational groundwork for film industry self-regulation.

After Will H. Hays, Joseph I. Breen is significant in the history of film censorship. Breen was appointed as the head of the Production Code Administration (PCA) in 1934, the agency responsible for enforcing the Hollywood Production Code, which was established during Hays' tenure as the president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA). Breen's strict enforcement of the Code continued to shape the content of films well into the 1950s until the decline of the Code and the eventual rise of the modern rating system.

Will H. Hays served an important role in American politics primarily through his position as the Postmaster General of the United States under President Warren G. Harding from 1921 to 1922. Before his tenure as Postmaster General, Hays had been a significant political figure in the Republican Party. He served as the Chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1918 to 1921, where he played a crucial role in Harding's successful presidential campaign of 1920.

Hays' political influence extended beyond these positions. He was adept at managing party affairs and was known for his organizational skills and ability to garner support for the party's agenda. His political career, however, took a different direction when he left public office to manage the public relations of the burgeoning film industry, where he introduced significant changes in the form of the Hays Code to address concerns about morality in films.

Will H. Hays believed in film censorship primarily because he saw it as a way to protect the film industry from external pressures and to maintain social morality. When Hays became the President of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) in 1922, the film industry was facing significant threats from government regulation and public outcry against the perceived immorality and indecency in films. These concerns were heightened by various scandals involving Hollywood personalities at the time.

Hays, coming from a background as a Presbyterian elder and the former Postmaster General under President Warren G. Harding, held a strong conviction for moral standards. He advocated for self-regulation within the motion picture industry as a means to ward off governmental intrusion, which he believed would be more draconian and harmful to the creativity and economics of filmmaking.

To implement this ideology, Hays introduced the Hays Code, officially known as the Motion Picture Production Code, in 1930. The code outlined specific guidelines on what was acceptable in terms of morality and decency in films. The implementation of the Hays Code was a way to standardize content, reassure the public, and restore the image of the film industry. This system of self-regulation was seen as a preventive measure to help boost public confidence in films and ensure the survival and prosperity of the industry without falling into censorship by external entities.

Will H. Hays, primarily known for his role in shaping the American film industry through the Hays Code, did not directly involve himself in international cinema production or creation. His influence, however, was felt internationally as the Hays Code (officially the Motion Picture Production Code) set content standards that many international filmmakers considered when distributing their films in the United States, one of the biggest markets. The code governed the propriety of content shown in American cinemas from 1934 to 1968. Thus, while Hays' direct involvement in international cinema was minimal, the regulations he championed indirectly affected global film standards and practices, influencing what content could be successfully exported and shown in the U.S.

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