Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema

Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema

Watch Movie
2007
1h 10m
4.3(5 votes)
Documentary

Overview

Before the G, PG and R ratings system there was the Production Code, and before that there was, well, nothing. This eye-opening documentary examines the rampant sexuality of early Hollywood through movie clips and reminiscences by stars of the era. Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Marlene Dietrich and others relate tales of the artistic freedom that led to the draconian Production Code, which governed content from 1934 to 1968. Diane Lane narrates.

Links & Resources

IMDbView

Social & External

IMDb

Production Companies

Playboy Enterprises

Cast & Crew

57 members
Acting

Diane Lane

Narrator (voice)

Diane Lane
Acting

Chris Basinger

Self

No Image
Acting

Jeanine Basinger

Self

Jeanine Basinger
Acting

Cari Beauchamp

Self

No Image
Acting

Leatrice Joy Gilbert

Self

Leatrice Joy Gilbert
Production

A.C. Lyles

Self

A.C. Lyles
Acting

Bob Mitchell

Self

No Image
Acting

Barry Paris

Self

No Image
Acting

Maria Riva

Self

Maria Riva
Writing

Michael Schlesinger

Self

No Image
Writing

Budd Schulberg

Self

Budd Schulberg
Acting

Kevin Thomas

Self

No Image
Acting

Mark Viera

Self

Mark Viera
Acting

Marc Wanamaker

Self

Marc Wanamaker
Acting

William Wellman Jr.

Self

William Wellman Jr.
Costume & Make-Up

Michael Westmore

Self

Michael Westmore
Acting

Holly Madison

Model: Special Shoot

Holly Madison
Acting

Betsy Moore

Silent Movie Theatre Actor

No Image
Acting

Paul Tucci

Silent Movie Theatre Actor

No Image
Acting

Roscoe Arbuckle

Self (archive footage)

Roscoe Arbuckle
Acting

Theda Bara

Self (archive footage)

Theda Bara
Acting

Clara Bow

Self (archive footage)

Clara Bow
Acting

Louise Brooks

Self (archive footage)

Louise Brooks
Acting

Charlie Chaplin

Self (archive footage)

Charlie Chaplin
Acting

Joan Crawford

Self (archive footage)

Joan Crawford
Acting

Bebe Daniels

Self (archive footage)

Bebe Daniels
Acting

Bette Davis

Self (archive footage)

Bette Davis
Directing

Cecil B. DeMille

Self (archive footage)

Cecil B. DeMille
Acting

Marlene Dietrich

Self (archive footage)

Marlene Dietrich
Acting

Douglas Fairbanks

Self (archive footage)

Douglas Fairbanks
Acting

Greta Garbo

Self (archive footage)

Greta Garbo
Acting

John Gilbert

Self (archive footage)

John Gilbert
Acting

Cary Grant

Self (archive footage)

Cary Grant
Directing

D.W. Griffith

Self (archive footage)

D.W. Griffith
Acting

Texas Guinan

Self (archive footage)

Texas Guinan
Acting

Ann Harding

Self (archive footage)

Ann Harding
Acting

Jean Harlow

Self (archive footage)

Jean Harlow
Acting

Sessue Hayakawa

Self (archive footage)

Sessue Hayakawa
Acting

William H. Hays

Self (archive footage)

William H. Hays
Production

William Randolph Hearst

Self (archive footage)

No Image
Acting

Leslie Howard

Self (archive footage)

Leslie Howard
Acting

Myrna Loy

Self (archive footage)

Myrna Loy
Acting

Mary Miles Minter

Self (archive footage)

Mary Miles Minter
Acting

Colleen Moore

Self (archive footage)

Colleen Moore
Acting

Owen Moore

Self (archive footage)

Owen Moore
Acting

Pola Negri

Self (archive footage)

Pola Negri
Acting

Mabel Normand

Self (archive footage)

Mabel Normand
Acting

Mary Pickford

Self (voice) (archive footage)

Mary Pickford
Acting

Edna Purviance

Self (archive footage)

Edna Purviance
Acting

Virginia Rappe

Self (archive footage)

Virginia Rappe
Acting

Theodore Roosevelt

Self (archive footage)

Theodore Roosevelt
Acting

Barbara Stanwyck

Self (archive footage)

Barbara Stanwyck
Acting

Gloria Swanson

Self (voice) (archive footage)

Gloria Swanson
Acting

Rudolph Valentino

Self (archive footage)

Rudolph Valentino
Acting

Fannie Ward

Self (archive footage)

Fannie Ward
Acting

Mae West

Self (archive footage)

Mae West
Acting

Woodrow Wilson

Self (archive footage)

Woodrow Wilson

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