FILM JOURNAL 01: Red Headed Woman 1932 vs Hays Code
Movie: Red Headed Woman
Directed by: Jack Conway
Distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Release date: June 25, 1932 (United States)
In early 1900s, American movies had lots of freedom. Topics such as appreciating sexuality were popular and accepted. However, after the Motion Picture Production Code (also called MPPC or Hays Code) was officially enforced in 1934, films must satisfy the MPPC censorship in order to release successfully. As a result, the production of vice films (sex films) was discouraged and greatly reduced.
Red Headed Woman released in 1932 was one of the popular pre-Code movies. The female protagonist Lillian ‘Lil’ Andrews (Jean Harlow) was a bad girl. She destroyed her boss' marriage so that she can marry her boss Bill Legendre Jr. (Chester Morris). The selfish girl, Lil, who was drunk, went to Bill's house angrily and said that Bill had broke his promise. This make his wife angry because her husband kept having relationship with this girl secretly. After Lil and Bill got married, Lil had affairs with a few men at the same time. After Bill knowing the disloyalty of Lil and decided to go back to his ex-wife, Lil shot him. However, despite the bad behaviors of Lil such as using sex to attract his married boss and other men in order to get better social status and wealth, drink heavily when unhappy, and even shoot husband due to angry, she was not punished and even accompanied by a richer old man at the end.
In early 1930s, many studios including MGM, the distributer of Red Headed Woman, had accepted the MPPC, which stated that sound pictures should have a commonly understandable and commonly acceptable guide in order to maintain the social and community values. Using the MPPC standard, the Red Headed Woman violated a few codes as below.
The Red Headed Woman is a romantic comedy. It started by showing the specific characteristics of Lil whose main interest is rich gentlemen, Lil started to develop intimate relationship with her married rich boss Bill, Bill divorced and married Lil but found that Lil had multiple affairs and went back to his ex-wife, finally Lil get away safely without charging of murder or receiving punishment, and even accompanied with another rich old man at the end. The romantic relationship between Lil and Bill was based only on sex and money that is generally unacceptable in real world. So, it is a comedy telling story through a short unrealistic romance relationship.
Directed by: Jack Conway
Distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Release date: June 25, 1932 (United States)
In early 1900s, American movies had lots of freedom. Topics such as appreciating sexuality were popular and accepted. However, after the Motion Picture Production Code (also called MPPC or Hays Code) was officially enforced in 1934, films must satisfy the MPPC censorship in order to release successfully. As a result, the production of vice films (sex films) was discouraged and greatly reduced.
Red Headed Woman released in 1932 was one of the popular pre-Code movies. The female protagonist Lillian ‘Lil’ Andrews (Jean Harlow) was a bad girl. She destroyed her boss' marriage so that she can marry her boss Bill Legendre Jr. (Chester Morris). The selfish girl, Lil, who was drunk, went to Bill's house angrily and said that Bill had broke his promise. This make his wife angry because her husband kept having relationship with this girl secretly. After Lil and Bill got married, Lil had affairs with a few men at the same time. After Bill knowing the disloyalty of Lil and decided to go back to his ex-wife, Lil shot him. However, despite the bad behaviors of Lil such as using sex to attract his married boss and other men in order to get better social status and wealth, drink heavily when unhappy, and even shoot husband due to angry, she was not punished and even accompanied by a richer old man at the end.
In early 1930s, many studios including MGM, the distributer of Red Headed Woman, had accepted the MPPC, which stated that sound pictures should have a commonly understandable and commonly acceptable guide in order to maintain the social and community values. Using the MPPC standard, the Red Headed Woman violated a few codes as below.
(Crimes against the law, #4) The use of liquor in American life, when not required by the plot or for proper characterization, will not be shown.The scene that Lil drank heavily because Bill did not call her as promised, and she even went to his house yelling after drunk. This scene violates above Hays Code because heavy drinking is generally an unacceptable way to handle unhappiness.
(Sex) The sanctity of the institution of marriage and the home shall be upheld. Pictures shall not infer that low forms of sex relationship are the accepted or common thing.Bill divorced and married Lil because Lil was sexier and more beautiful. This lowers the value of marriage and home. So, it violates the Hays Code. On the other hand, Lil had pre-marital sex with a few men are low forms of sex relationship that should be banned according to the Hays Code because low forms of sex are not acceptable in general.
(Sex - Seduction or rape) They are never the proper subject for comedy.Lil showcased her beauty and always dressed in deep V-neck, low-cut, and see-through clothes in order to seduce the rich men for wealth advancement. This is improper per above Hays Code because using sex to exchange for something is not a commonly accepted value.
The Red Headed Woman is a romantic comedy. It started by showing the specific characteristics of Lil whose main interest is rich gentlemen, Lil started to develop intimate relationship with her married rich boss Bill, Bill divorced and married Lil but found that Lil had multiple affairs and went back to his ex-wife, finally Lil get away safely without charging of murder or receiving punishment, and even accompanied with another rich old man at the end. The romantic relationship between Lil and Bill was based only on sex and money that is generally unacceptable in real world. So, it is a comedy telling story through a short unrealistic romance relationship.
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