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

Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema

1 hour 10 minutes
2007-05-23
4.9

Watch Trailer

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.

Cast

Diane Lane

Diane Lane

Narrator (voice)

Chris Basinger

Chris Basinger

Self

Jeanine Basinger

Jeanine Basinger

Self

Cari Beauchamp

Cari Beauchamp

Self

Leatrice Joy Gilbert

Leatrice Joy Gilbert

Self

A.C. Lyles

A.C. Lyles

Self

Bob Mitchell

Bob Mitchell

Self

Barry Paris

Barry Paris

Self

Maria Riva

Maria Riva

Self

Michael Schlesinger

Michael Schlesinger

Self

Budd Schulberg

Budd Schulberg

Self

Kevin Thomas

Kevin Thomas

Self

Mark Viera

Mark Viera

Self

Marc Wanamaker

Marc Wanamaker

Self

William Wellman Jr.

William Wellman Jr.

Self

Michael Westmore

Michael Westmore

Self

Holly Madison

Holly Madison

Model: Special Shoot

Betsy Moore

Betsy Moore

Silent Movie Theatre Actor

Paul Tucci

Paul Tucci

Silent Movie Theatre Actor

Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

Self (archive footage)

Theda Bara

Theda Bara

Self (archive footage)

Clara Bow

Clara Bow

Self (archive footage)

Louise Brooks

Louise Brooks

Self (archive footage)

Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin

Self (archive footage)

Joan Crawford

Joan Crawford

Self (archive footage)

Bebe Daniels

Bebe Daniels

Self (archive footage)

Bette Davis

Bette Davis

Self (archive footage)

Cecil B. DeMille

Cecil B. DeMille

Self (archive footage)

Marlene Dietrich

Marlene Dietrich

Self (archive footage)

Douglas Fairbanks

Douglas Fairbanks

Self (archive footage)

Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo

Self (archive footage)

John Gilbert

John Gilbert

Self (archive footage)

Cary Grant

Cary Grant

Self (archive footage)

D.W. Griffith

D.W. Griffith

Self (archive footage)

Texas Guinan

Texas Guinan

Self (archive footage)

Ann Harding

Ann Harding

Self (archive footage)

Jean Harlow

Jean Harlow

Self (archive footage)

Sessue Hayakawa

Sessue Hayakawa

Self (archive footage)

William H. Hays

William H. Hays

Self (archive footage)

William Randolph Hearst

William Randolph Hearst

Self (archive footage)

Leslie Howard

Leslie Howard

Self (archive footage)

Myrna Loy

Myrna Loy

Self (archive footage)

Mary Miles Minter

Mary Miles Minter

Self (archive footage)

Colleen Moore

Colleen Moore

Self (archive footage)

Owen Moore

Owen Moore

Self (archive footage)

Pola Negri

Pola Negri

Self (archive footage)

Mabel Normand

Mabel Normand

Self (archive footage)

Mary Pickford

Mary Pickford

Self (voice) (archive footage)

Edna Purviance

Edna Purviance

Self (archive footage)

Virginia Rappe

Virginia Rappe

Self (archive footage)

Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt

Self (archive footage)

Barbara Stanwyck

Barbara Stanwyck

Self (archive footage)

Gloria Swanson

Gloria Swanson

Self (voice) (archive footage)

Rudolph Valentino

Rudolph Valentino

Self (archive footage)

Fannie Ward

Fannie Ward

Self (archive footage)

Mae West

Mae West

Self (archive footage)

Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson

Self (archive footage)

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