Legion of Decency

The Legion of Decency was an American organization formed in 1934 by Roman Catholic prelates. It created its own film-rating system and advocated for boycotts of films deemed offensive. This action significantly pressured Hollywood studios, which were already vulnerable due to the Great Depression. In response, the Hays Office established the Production Code Administration (PCA) to enforce the Motion Picture Production Code, a set of guidelines regulating the moral content of films from 1934 to 1968. The Code prohibited profanity, obscenity, and graphic depictions of violence, criminality, substance use, and controversial social issues, aiming to uphold traditional values and prevent the lowering of moral standards through cinema.12