This photo is even more interesting than it appears at first glance.
In 1934 the MPAA passed the Hays Code, largely to avoid governmental regulation. The code prohibited certain plot lines and imagery from films and in publicity materials produced by the MPAA. Among others, there was to be no cleavage, no lace underthings, no drugs or drinking, no corpses, and no one shown getting away with a crime.
A.L. Shafer, the head of photography at Columbia, took a photo that intentionally incorporated all of the 10 banned items into one image.
The photograph was clandestinely passed around among photographers and publicists in Hollywood as a method of symbolic protest to the Hays Code.
Okay, love the photo anyway, but absolutely love its pedigree! B
ReplyDeleteJen's blog is a good source of interesting stuff.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome!
ReplyDeleteLucky you heading to London!
They're experiencing a force cold snap. I'm sure it will warm up in a couple of days - keeping my fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteA great, classic photograph.
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