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Post by snsurone on Feb 4, 2021 21:37:32 GMT
During the height of the Production Code, there was a clause in the contracts of actors, directors, writers, etc. that held them up to the strictest form of upright behavior.
I believe this was instituted in the 1920's following the Fatty Arbuckle rape trial and the murder of director William Desmond Taylor.
I don't know of anyone in the movie industry who was suspended or fired over violations of the morals clause, but I do remember that William Talman was fired from his job as Hamilton Burger on PERRY MASON over conduct that was deemed obscene.
A letter-writing committee, spearheaded by star Raymond Burr was successful in getting Talman rehired.
Today, the studio system is a thing of the past, and individuals are hired on a per-picture basis.
So...is there still a "morals clause" in their contracts and can they still get the axe for "scandalous" behavior?
If there isn't--considering the antics of some of these hard-partying "celebrities"--perhaps such a clause should be reinstated.
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Post by Isapop on Feb 4, 2021 22:11:02 GMT
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Post by snsurone on Feb 5, 2021 8:54:57 GMT
Very interesting article, Isapop.
In this age of social media, nothing is sacred any more.
That's why I have nothing to do with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
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Post by paislene on Feb 5, 2021 10:30:10 GMT
I don't know about the technicalities of moral clauses , but there still seems
to be a moral code adhered to in Hollywood . There have been a number of black-
listed producer/directors in recent years -
Harvey Weinstein
Roman Polanski
Bill Cosby
and
Woody Allen ,Luc Besson and Lars Von Trier seem to be on the out .
(I know there are others but only gossip thru' online movie sites)
Recently , actors Johnny Depp , Armie Hammer and Shia LaBeouf have lost
movie roles due to antisocial behaviour . There are many others as well .
Stephen Collins is blacklisted and Lori Loughlin seems to be on the out .
ps. I know Disney still have a moral clause , because a number of male and female actors
have had their contracts terminated or they have been fired or blacklisted for antagonistic
or bad behaviour in the last few years .
And I'm pretty certain that some of the other major studios still have a moral clause in contracts
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Post by Rufus-T on Feb 5, 2021 17:47:04 GMT
Interesting point of view. Cancel culture and political correctness are the new moral code. That is what costed Kevin Hart's Oscar hosting gig.
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Post by marshamae on Feb 5, 2021 18:43:51 GMT
Nothing new. Hosting, awards are all feel good moments that are sensitive to atmosphere. If people are appalled by someone’s off set behavior, the feel good atmosphere will not prevail. Until the 200o’s an openly LGTBQ performer coukd not be considered for these jobs. Now it’s openly abusive bosses , accused pedophiles and hom9phobics, anti Semitic and racist performers. Cancel schmansel.
In the old days I believe the morals clause was used by studios to ensure that the public behavior of stars was acceptable, would not panic the horses. So as Gone With the wind was ramping up, Clark Gable was “encouraged “ to régularise his relations with soon to be ex wife Ria and marry current mate Carole Lombard. Aside from the payment Ria demanded ( Clark was a notorious tightwad) it was a recognition of a fait accompli. Likewise Vivian Leigh and Laurence Olivier were encouraged to divorce spouses number one so they could marry. Living in sin in a bungalow would have been frowned on. This mattered because of the massive stupendous outpouring of ad copy about to be published about the stars.
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Post by Prime etc. on Feb 7, 2021 2:19:49 GMT
The real big problem is the lack of media ownership variety. The lack of diversity in the ownership of media is what has devastated western cultural production and hurt artists a lot. Ignoring the fact that artists can be impulsive and weird and self-destructive, I do not think Hollywood is motivated by "the customer is always right" slogan, and certainly the history of abuse of artists (especially on the child side of age) by Hollywood indicates they are not all that empathetic.
And these morality clauses--it makes me think of Shostakovich having to jump through hurdles just to express ideas in his music.
Even some things like Schwarzenegger having an affair with his maid--you know, it sounds theatrical--like stagey and scripted. And I am sure most people would frown on the behavior-yet did it hurt his career? So I am sure these morality clauses are not motivated by "the customer is always right" it is motivated by political message spread and control.
Clint Eastwood could have damaged his tongue from the way he avoided indicating whether he supported Trump. Jon Voight did, and how's his career going? Who is working for?
Ironically the patron saint of actors was a Roman thespian who converted to Christianity on stage in front of an anti-Christian emperor and he was crucified shortly thereafter.
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Post by marshamae on Feb 7, 2021 2:24:34 GMT
Not sure about some of your other points but Heartily agree that more varied ownership of media would be good. It is happening to some degree on the internet. Minority points of view, niche audiences never had it so good.
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Post by Prime etc. on Feb 7, 2021 3:23:43 GMT
Minority points of view, niche audiences never had it so good. Except there's no business structure to nurture it. Because if something becomes popular, they pull the plug. It has happened a few times where someone did something popular and then they disagreed with the ideology and eliminated it. It's underground even though it's the internet.
There is such control on ideas. I lament that there is no professional level artistic apparatus yet to counter the corporate. There is no desire by them to encourage a new generation of artists for the culture--not unless they fit the role of apparatchik.
There is such hostility to the public-especially the traditional audience for western movies.
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