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Maxirad
Guest
If the National Legion of Decency gave a movie a “C” raring, were Catholics in the United States obligated to avoid seeing that movie?
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Mattapoisett64
Guest
That’s certainly what we were told in the dim, distant '50’s - under pain of mortal sin. Of course, several such films that I recall being “Condemned” have been on TV recently, which is quite a reflection on where the culture is today.
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Maxirad
Guest
Um, was the “C” rating truly enforceable? If so, when did it stop being enforceable? The “B” and “C” ratings were ultimately consolidated into one “O” rating.
A sentence in this article reads: “Classifications are assigned by lay professionals, not bishops, and individual film ratings have no authoritative or disciplinary status.”
A sentence in this article reads: “Classifications are assigned by lay professionals, not bishops, and individual film ratings have no authoritative or disciplinary status.”
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PaulfromIowa
Guest
The Legion of Decency was a brilliant idea. It pulled the motion picture industry, and other show business with it, out of the filth and brought it into the mainstream. That is why the smarter studios supported it. It is a shame that it faded away.
Was seeing a condemned movie always a sin? Probably not.
Was seeing a condemned movie always a sin? Probably not.
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JimG
Guest
It wasn’t a sin to see a C (condemned) movie. But Catholics were asked at one Mass each year to take a pledge not to attend objectionable movies as rated by the Legion of Decency.
It wasn’t enforced in any way. Except that in those days, Hollywood did not want to risk losing a sizeable portion of their potential audience, so they tried to make films that would get ratings at least above a C. So Hollywood producers themselves were the enforcers.
However, the media content has declined over the years and audiences have become accustomed to being immersed in violence and immorality, so very few even pay attention any more. When nearly everything is morally objectionable, the ratings sort of lose their point.
It wasn’t enforced in any way. Except that in those days, Hollywood did not want to risk losing a sizeable portion of their potential audience, so they tried to make films that would get ratings at least above a C. So Hollywood producers themselves were the enforcers.
However, the media content has declined over the years and audiences have become accustomed to being immersed in violence and immorality, so very few even pay attention any more. When nearly everything is morally objectionable, the ratings sort of lose their point.
Tis_Bearself
Patron
From what my mom told me, back in the 40s and 50s, the parish priest would announce from the pulpit that such-and-such popular film had been Condemned and therefore it was a grave sin (possibly he even said “mortal sin”) to go see that movie.
I doubt it was enforceable unless Father happened to see you going into the movie house, but in those days, what the priest said was taken very seriously.
By the late 1960s, very few people including the priests were bothering to pay attention to Legion of Decency ratings any more., especially since quite a few people didn’t really go out to movies unless it was to take the kids to a Disney film, since they could watch TV at home for free.
I doubt it was enforceable unless Father happened to see you going into the movie house, but in those days, what the priest said was taken very seriously.
By the late 1960s, very few people including the priests were bothering to pay attention to Legion of Decency ratings any more., especially since quite a few people didn’t really go out to movies unless it was to take the kids to a Disney film, since they could watch TV at home for free.
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Arkansan
Guest
The US Bishops did not impose a legal obligation, though they had the authority to do so:
“As an agency of the American Hierarchy the Legion of Decency re-
views and classifies entertainment motion pictures. These classifications
are not legislative but normative, for through the Legion’s ratings the
American Bishops desire to provide Catholics with prudent guidance in
their choice of motion picture fare.”
“We earnestly desire that Christians be not only warned with care, as frequently as possible, on this topic, but that they fulfil the grave obligation of acquainting themselves with the decisions issued by Ecclesiastical Authority on matters connected with Motion Pictures, and of faithfully obeying them.”
http://w2.vatican.va/content/pius-x...ts/hf_p-xii_enc_08091957_miranda-prorsus.html
“As an agency of the American Hierarchy the Legion of Decency re-
views and classifies entertainment motion pictures. These classifications
are not legislative but normative, for through the Legion’s ratings the
American Bishops desire to provide Catholics with prudent guidance in
their choice of motion picture fare.”
“We earnestly desire that Christians be not only warned with care, as frequently as possible, on this topic, but that they fulfil the grave obligation of acquainting themselves with the decisions issued by Ecclesiastical Authority on matters connected with Motion Pictures, and of faithfully obeying them.”
http://w2.vatican.va/content/pius-x...ts/hf_p-xii_enc_08091957_miranda-prorsus.html
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edwest211
Guest
The Catholic Legion of Decency was founded in 1933 to help guide and instruct the faithful regarding the motion picture. It was regarded as being more influential than words since literacy was not required to watch. Also, moving images with actual human beings and real or realistic sets, engaged the mind more fully. The Church reached out to Hollywood in a spirit of cooperation and reminded them of their obligation to the general public - to avoid the lowering of standards generally, and moral standards in particular. As other groups agreed with the Church, the name changed to the National Legion of Decency or simply, Legion of Decency. Hollywood had made certain promises in apparent agreement with what the Church was telling them but did not consistently do what they had agreed to, so some films were Condemned officially.
The Legion faded in the early 1970s as radicals and dissidents inside and outside the Church began a great attack.
https://www.amazon.com/Cross-Cinema-National-Catholic-1933-1970/dp/0275941930
The Legion faded in the early 1970s as radicals and dissidents inside and outside the Church began a great attack.
https://www.amazon.com/Cross-Cinema-National-Catholic-1933-1970/dp/0275941930
C
commenter
Guest
Most of the condemned movies were foreign films, not all that accessible in most of the US. The Legion of Decency had its impact on preventing Hollywood from making bad movies in the first place.
There is a lot of nonsense about how the laity had very little influence prior to Vatican II. The reality is that the Legion involved the laity heavily. Not only in terms of rating movies after they were made, but in Hollywood there was a semi organized movement, sometimes called the “Catholic Mafia”.
Actors, directors, producers, and others often declined to participate in movies that went against Judeo Christian values, not only because they feared boycotts at the theater, but because it went against the values of those particular artists.
If anyone had tried to open an abortion clinic before Vatican II, if had been legal, it would have been shut down by the local Catholic laity if people knew about it.
Landlords would refuse to rent, vendors would refuse to supply, there would have been 100 people in front of the doors.
Since Vatican II there is far more talk about the lay apostolate, but far less action by the laity in the real world. We are now in the era when most laity are passive.
There is a lot of nonsense about how the laity had very little influence prior to Vatican II. The reality is that the Legion involved the laity heavily. Not only in terms of rating movies after they were made, but in Hollywood there was a semi organized movement, sometimes called the “Catholic Mafia”.
Actors, directors, producers, and others often declined to participate in movies that went against Judeo Christian values, not only because they feared boycotts at the theater, but because it went against the values of those particular artists.
If anyone had tried to open an abortion clinic before Vatican II, if had been legal, it would have been shut down by the local Catholic laity if people knew about it.
Landlords would refuse to rent, vendors would refuse to supply, there would have been 100 people in front of the doors.
Since Vatican II there is far more talk about the lay apostolate, but far less action by the laity in the real world. We are now in the era when most laity are passive.
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