Production Policies in Hollywood and The Catholic Church

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To what extent was the Catholic Church the leading establishment to alter production policies in Hollywood during the great depression
A. Plan of Investigation
The research question that will be evaluated is, to what extent was the Catholic Church the leading establishment to alter production policies in Hollywood during the great depression? While the Great Depression was a time of grief, it was additionally an era of new opportunities. The institution of Hollywood and the Catholic Church were two separate entities during the Great Depression. The two institutions disagreed on how society should conduct itself, through the means of entertainment. However, arguably, the Catholic Church wasn’t the only organization that altered the ethics of Hollywood. The time period that will be evaluated will be from the late 1920s to the late 1930s, seeing how Hollywood was reformed during that time period. The research question should be sufficiently answered by finding in depth information through articles and studies on the two separate entities, and other possible influences during this particular era. Also, by analyzing the effects of the institution’s individual contributions on society itself, there will be added evidence to the research question.

B. Summary of Evidence

In 1929, America experienced a stock market crash that led the country into what is historically known as the Great Depression. Many industries across America experienced alterations in order to fit the social and economic changes that America was undergoing as a nation. Specific industries included Hollywood and the film industry. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the movies that Americans enjoyed viewing were considered immoral at the time. This was f...

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...ny other groups tried to conduct boycotts or general protests, however the WTCU and the Legion of Decency conducted boycotts that caught the attention of William Hays, and forced him to alter the ways of cinema. The Production Code offers insight into the situation of society during the Great Depression and the values that Americans upheld, even in a time of crisis. Both establishments pushed for a change that they wanted to see in society, because the society that they saw was one of many immoral ideas and actions. Since films at this time were the main focus of entertainment, and entertainment was the main focus of society, they believed that the film industry was the place to start the alterations. As noted, both the Catholic Church and the WTCU were the leading influences in altering Hollywood, and therefore they altered society during the Great Depression era.

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