The Rules
Onscreen sexuality, feminism, nudity, biracial relationships, non-hetero characters, or even pregnancy were all prohibited under this code, which was named after MPPDA president Will H. Hays. By the end of the film, villains had to be punished, and husband and wife characters had to sleep in different beds.
It Ain’t Real
Furthermore, the “happy ending” has become the standard way to end a film. The silent film era’s European ways, in which characters attired and acted as they pleased, faced real stakes, as well as pondered life’s dark truths, were long gone.