Sin and Censorship: The Catholic Church and the Motion Picture Industry Book

The scope and influence that Catholic censors had in the "golden years" of Hollywood is almost unbelievable to contemporary fans of cinema, who are largely unaware of the origins of movie ratings and morality codes. While debate about sex and violence in the media continues, nothing in our more secular age rivals the Legion of Decency and the powerful censors of the Catholic Church, who dictated the standards of content to Hollywood throughout the 1930s and '40s. In this well-researched and sensitive account of censorship and morality, Frank Walsh recounts how the Catholic Church gained influence in the picture biz, from early efforts to restrict military health films about venereal disease to approving the casting of Frank Sinatra as a priest in Miracle of the Bells. Moguls from de Mille to David Selznick were forced to edit, rewrite, and delay release of their films. This is a fascinating history of the church's early role in Hollywood that doesn't downplay serious moral concerns but lays out an even, detailed account of the Catholic censors' enormous influence on many American cinema classics.Read More