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Condemned by Catholic Censors: How ‘Design for Living’ Pushed Hollywood to Enforce the Hays Code
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"Immorality may be fun, but it isn't fun enough to take the place of one hundred percent virtue and three square meals a day."
What was it about Design for Living—the film by Ernst Lubitsch, Ben Hecht, and Noël Coward—that sent critics and the Catholic Legion of Decency into an uproar? This pre-Code classic tackled themes of polyamory, infidelity, and sexuality with a wit and sophistication that became known as The Lubitsch Touch. But its bold approach was too much for Catholic censors, who saw it as a moral threat.
Shortly after, the infamous Hays Code transitioned from loose guidelines to rigid Hollywood law, enforced by anti-Semitic Catholic crusader (and official enemy of this podcast) Joseph Breen.
Fast forward to the 1950s: a new generation of French film critics rediscovered Lubitsch’s work, cementing its place in cinema history. By the 1960s, with the Hays Code collapsing, countercultural college students embraced these once-"Condemned" films, reassessing their impact.
With President Donald Trump hinting that he wants to send Mel Gibson (another famously problematic Catholic) to be an "Ambassador" to Hollywood, it’s worth asking: Should religious groups or governments have the power to censor artists? Join us as we dive into Design for Living and the battle over artistic freedom.
Please check out the latest episode of Morally Offensive, and, as always "Go and Sin No More".
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