Let's Misbehave! Hollywood before the Hays Code 1930 - 1934

The early sound film era was a time of exceptional freedom and openness towards societal realities in Hollywood history. In July 1934, it came to an abrupt end with the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code (Hays Code) that had been adopted in 1930 but had been largely ignored by the studios. In fact, many pre-code films did the exact opposite of what the guidelines recommended. They focused largely on sexuality, freer forms of relationship, prohibition, crime and urban worlds featuring stage shows and "gold-diggers". They were about daily life in an America mired in depression, a lack of hope and crime; about drinking alcohol and about emancipated women and masters of survival. Moreover, they were told in an insolent, unembellished tone that eschewed respect, recording and incorporating the rhythms of the big city with their dynamic montage, flippant dialogue, precipitated action and elliptic narration. Thanks to the support of the Capital Cultural Fund in Berlin we are dedicating an extensive program comprising 30 films to this extraordinary era of US cinema from 19th June to 31st July.