Nudity
whether in glimpses, through clothes, in silhouette or in the distance was
strictly banned by the 1930 Motion Picture Production Code. According to the
code nudity in any form was “immoral” and should be completely avoided. Despite
this, Pre-code films are full of it. Instead of straight “in fact” nudity,
directors became sneaky but attempting to make the nudity tantalisingly quick
or part of the plot. Several actresses, like Jean Harlow and Norma Shearer
created screen legends based on what they or didn’t wear. Thankfully, this
clever film making has been preserved and audiences today can view scenes that
Joseph Breen and code makers would later ban from cinemas for over fifty years.
Let’s take a look at the methods this generation of Hollywood directors,
writers, cinematographers and actors used to bypass the code:
