Fact of the day

From what I can remember reading, there were issues very early on with moving films as to what was appropriate, and what wasn't. Almost immediately, less savory film-makers started shooting stuff that was pornographic, often leading to very awkward situations involving kids seeing women stripping on the screen, scream, and fights breaking out in theaters. That's what led to there being an entire group of Censors in Hollywood, because of upset parents and other people demanding more decency in film.

Sadly, even having Censors keeping a close eye on TV and movies wasn't enough. There were situations in the later decades where people had to decide for themselves if a movie was appropriate enough for kids or not. It was common for kids to be be let loose by their parents and sent to the movies with their friends, or alone for the afternoon, which was one reason the Censors were so prudish with their films in the earlier days of Hollywood. They wanted even the grown-up films to still be clean enough kids could watch without being exposed to things like sex, gratuitous violence, and bad language.

I'm actually not sure what led to the first Film Ratings system, but it was a step up from the censors. I'm guessing it came around just when the Studio System was being dissolved, as were the Censors. You also had a new generation of people starting to work in Hollywood that were following the Sexual Revolution and wanting to capitalize on stuff that was less prudish than it was in previous decades. A ratings system would help alert movie-goers as to which films were appropriate for kids without having to ask too many questions. The system has been modified since then, as well as the standards as to what makes a movie one rating or another.