Transformation of the Hays Code in American Cinema: From Origin to Complete Abandonment

The article examines the stages and reasons for the emergence, development, and gradual abandonment of the American Motion Picture Production Code, commonly known as the Hays Code. The paper is focused on the mechanism of censorship and restrictive measures in American film industry of the 20th century from the point of view of the cultural policy of the state, covering not only the analysis of national American cinema, including the niche genre of film noir, but also an assessment of the influence of European films on the US film market. The work also addresses the question of the necessity of censorship in film through the case study of the Hays Code, while exploring an alternative system of restrictive measures, namely the introduction of a rating system, which has prevailed in American cinema following the abandonment of the Hays Code.