The Hays Code
How Did it Cause the Movie, A Streetcar Named Desire, to be Changed From the Play

Abstract
This paper will address changes from the play, A Streetcar Named Desire, that were made in the production of the movie due to the regulations of the Hays Code. Specific changes will be discussed. The conclusion of the paper will address if the changes still allowed the movie to effectively convey the original theme of the play.

The Hays Code
How Did it Cause the Movie, A Streetcar Named Desire, to be Changed From the Play In the early 1900’s, movie producers began shocking audiences by portraying themes that were socially unacceptable to discuss in public at that time. Films of this era were not censored, but state and local boards made the determination of whether a film could be shown or not. If they deemed a film as “inappropriate”, they simply banned it. The film The Birth of a Nation was a catalyst to changes in this. This film was banned in the state of Ohio. The company that handled the distribution of this film sued the state claiming it was a violation of the due process clause and the First Amendment. This suit went to the United States Supreme Court as the case Mutual Film Corporation v. Industrial Commission of Ohio (1915). In simple terms, the court ruled that films did not carry the same protections as books and other types of speech. (The Hays Code) This led to the creation of The Production Code of 1930, by Will H. Hays. This code became known as the Hays Code. This code, along with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), is what governs the ratings of movies today. The code spells out what is acceptable and unacceptable. The Code has three general principles along with detailed particular applications. The three general principles are as follows:
1. No picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin.
2. Correct standards of life, subject only to the requirements of drama and entertainment, shall be presented.
3. Law, natural or human, shall not be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be created for its violation.

The play A Streetcar Named Desire had many themes and context that were not acceptable for the big screen. In the play, Blanche’s former love was shown to be a homosexual. She describes the circumstances of finding him with his male lover and how she tried to accept it at first. Then while out she broke down and called him a monster. He follows this by going out and shooting himself. Per the Code, homosexuality was a topic that could not be shown on the screen. So this was left out. In the movie, Blanche did not describe why she had called him a monster. The film left it up to the audience to fill in the particulars as to why. Towards the end of the story, Stanley and Blanche have a fight. This fight leads to Blanche breaking a bottle as a weapon and Stanley attacking her. The play clearly shows that Stanley raped her. “Stanely: Oh! So you want some rough-house! All right, let's have some rough-house! [He springs toward her, overturning the table. She cries out and strikes at him with the bottle top but he catches her wrist.] Stanley: Tiger--tiger! Drop the bottle top! Drop it! We've had this date with each other from the beginning! [She moans. The bottle top falls. She sinks to her knees. He picks up her inert figure and carries her to the bed. The hot trumpet and drums from the Four Deuces sound loudly.]” (Williams, 1947) Rape definitely could not be shown on the screen. So the movie did not mention it. In the movie, the fight scene still happens. But at the end, all the viewers see is the mirror break and Blanche slumped over. Stella does make comments later on that could lead the viewers to believe that Blanche was raped, but the movie does not say this.
In spite of the alterations, discuss whether the film effectively conveys the original theme in the play. Due to the outlines of the Hays Code, the movie A Streetcar Named Desire, had to be adapted from the play to be able to be shown on the screen. Even though most of the scenes that were changed were emotionally impactful to the audience in the play, they did not change the overall theme when left out in the film. The ending was a different matter. In both the play and the film, Stella sees Stanley for who he really is. In the play, Stella decides that she has to live with all that she knows and stays with Stanley. Due to the Hays Code, the kind of behavior that Stanley exhibits cannot be portrayed as acceptable. For the ending of the film, Stella makes the decision to leave Stanley and never return. Even though there were not many changes between the play and the film, due to the Hays Code the ending of the film was drastically different than the play.

References The Hays Code (aka The Production Code of 1930). Excelsior College.
Williams, T. (1947). A streetcar named Desire. New York: Signet.
A Streetcar named Desire [Motion picture]. (1951). Warner Brothers.