The National Legion of Decency was an organization dedicated to identifying and combating objectionable content, from the point of view of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, in motion pictures. For the first quarter-century or so of its existence, the legion wielded great power in the American motion picture industry.
The Legion was founded in 1933 by Archbishop of Cincinnati John T. McNicholas as the Catholic Legion of Decency (CLOD) in response to an address given by apostolic delegate Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani at the Catholic Charities Convention in New York City. Cicognani warned against the "massacre of innocence of youth" and urged a campaign for "the purification of the cinema."
An important aspect of the studio system was the Production Code, which was implemented in 1934 in response to pressure from the Legion of Decency and public protest against the graphic violence and sexual suggestiveness of some sound films (the urban gangster films, for example, and the films of Mae West). The Legion had been established in 1933 by the American bishops of the Roman Catholic.
The Legion's ratings were applied to movies made in the United States (which were subject to the Production Code until 1967) as well as those imported from other countries. Beginning in 1968, the ratings were applied in addition to any rating assigned by the MPAA film rating system.
Legion-organized boycotts made a C rating harmful to a film's distribution and profitability. Accordingly, for the majority of years that the rating was applied, most condemned films were made outside of the United States, where their producers didn't have as much to fear from the condemnation. Of the 53 movies the Legion had placed on its condemned list by 1943, only Howard Hughes' The Outlaw came from a major US studio, and it had not been approved by the Production Code or distributed widely.1933
Blood Money
Design for Living
Extase -- One of the first foreign films to be condemned.
Grandeur and Decadence -- One of the first foreign films to be condemned.
Queen Christina
The Worst Woman in Paris
1934
Finishing SchoolThe Life of Vergie Winters
Madame DuBarry
Men in White
One More River
Riptide
The Scarlet Empress
1937
Damaged Goods 1940Strange Cargo -- Initially condemned, the studio released a cut version.
This Thing Called Love
1941
No Greater Sin -- Not approved by the Production Code.Two-Faced Woman
Volpone
1942
White Cargo
1943
The Outlaw
1945
Mom and Dad1947
Black Narcissus
Forever Amber
1948
Three Daring Daughters
1950
Bitter Rice (initial American release[1])
1951
MThe M
1953
The Moon is Blue -- The first studio-produced film to deliberately bypass Production Code approval. Also the first condemned studio film to turn a PROFIT]
1954 The French Line
1955
Rififi -- Initially condemned, was re-released with changes for B rating.
I Am A Camera
1956
And God Created WomanBaby Doll -- The first film to be approved by the Production Code but condemned by the Legion of Decency.
The Seven Year Itch -- Had to cut scenes from the original play to be approved by Legion of Decency 1957
Love in the Afternoon -- Initially condemned, the studio changed the ending.
1959
Some Like it Hot- Shakespeare-Wow1960
Breathless
Never on Sunday
Psycho- Duh
Spartacus- what naked men
1961
A Cold Wind in AugustJules and Jim
Viridiana
1962
Boccaccio '70
1963
8½1964
Kiss Me, StupidFrom Russia With Love- A bond Film
Of Human Bondage
1965
The Pawnbroker1966
BlowupMasculin, féminin
Torn Curtain
1967
Hurry SundownA Fistful of Dollars-Clint Eastwood
Reflections in a Golden Eye
1968
Rosemary's Baby- Duh
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Odd Couple- wonder what that was about
1969
I Am Curious (Yellow)1971
A Clockwork Orange -wowThe Last Picture Show
Billy Jack- why
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1973
Last Tango in Paris- what didn't like the dancing
The Wicker Man- pagan film
High Plains Drifter- Clint Eastwood
1975
Rocky Horror Picture Show- Gee this is a surpriseLemora
1976
The Outlaw Josey Wales- Clint EastwoodCarrie
The Omen- Gee
1978
Grease- John TravoltaDawn of the Dead
1979
All That Jazz-Really1980
American Gigolo- GeeDressed to Kill
Friday the 13th
Little Darlings
Used Cars
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