The Music Man and the Hays Code

[+ FreshFluff]

One of the major tenets of the code was that wrongdoing should nor be depicted in a sympathetic manner. In practice, this usually meant that wrongdoers were punished at a level appropriate to the “crime.” Yet Harold Hill gets off relatively easily for his serial con artistry. His redemption requires serious suspension of disbelief, and does anyone really believe he won’t skip town sooner rather than later?

 

Am I off on this, or were the censors lenient on wrongdoing that didn’t appear on the “never show” or “be careful” list?

[jeezifonly]

Curly kills Judd Frye, but gets the girl, a farm AND a brand new state... ?

 

No real rhyme or reason around Hays aside from sexuality (tramps and Nancy’s) and the reefer.

[+ FreshFluff]

Curly kills Judd Frye, but gets the girl, a farm AND a brand new state... ?

 

No real rhyme or reason around Hays aside from sexuality (tramps and Nancy’s) and the reefer.

 

I think the scene in Oklahoma makes it clear that Jud’s death isn’t Curly’s fault. Jud is the one who repeatedly tried to kill Curly, who merely defends himself. Not Curly’s fault that Jud has a glass jaw and stabs himself.

[jeezifonly]

I think the scene in Oklahoma makes it clear that Jud’s death isn’t Curly’s fault. Jud is the one who repeatedly tried to kill Curly, who merely defends himself. Not Curly’s fault that Jud has a glass jaw and stabs himself.

Yes, but as everyone knows, Judd lies in peaceful repose under the daisies in the dell, and there’s a good chance Laurie and Curly lose everything in another decade in the dust bowl or a tornado!

Seriously Hays didn’t care. Had there been so much as a HINT of sexual tension between Curly and Judd, the film would’ve been outlawed. Laurie gets away with huffing poppers, but had Ali Hakim given her a joint...

[+ WilliamM]

One of the major tenets of the code was that wrongdoing should nor be depicted in a sympathetic manner. In practice, this usually meant that wrongdoers were punished at a level appropriate to the “crime.” Yet Harold Hill gets off relatively easily for his serial con artistry. His redemption requires serious suspension of disbelief, and does anyone really believe he won’t skip town sooner rather than later?

 

Am I off on this, or were the censors lenient on wrongdoing that didn’t appear on the “never show” or “be careful” list?

 

"The Music Man" was a hit Broadway show before a film. Both with Robert Preston. Hollywood initially wanted Cary Grant for the film.

Edited November 11, 2020 by WilliamM

[+ WilliamM]

I regard only seeing Robert Preston in person once. He sang something from another musical at a charity concert with Mary Martin.

 

The Music Man and Peter Pan!

Edited November 11, 2020 by WilliamM

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

One of the major tenets of the code was that wrongdoing should nor be depicted in a sympathetic manner. In practice, this usually meant that wrongdoers were punished at a level appropriate to the “crime.” Yet Harold Hill gets off relatively easily for his serial con artistry. His redemption requires serious suspension of disbelief, and does anyone really believe he won’t skip town sooner rather than later?

 

Am I off on this, or were the censors lenient on wrongdoing that didn’t appear on the “never show” or “be careful” list?

Very interesting question. The Music Man is unquestionably my favorite musical play turned into motion picture. I did notice several dialogue changes when Disney did a remake in the 2000's...not for criminal morals, but for dialogue related to country of origin and sexual innuendo.

 

I think the fact that all the River Citizens became proud of their children under Professor Herold Hill's care was enough to satisfy the code's requirement that it wasn't really a crime, but rather an unintentional gift to the town's people

[jeezifonly]

Very interesting question. The Music Man is unquestionably my favorite musical play turned into motion picture. I did notice several dialogue changes when Disney did a remake in the 2000's...not for morals, but for dialogue related to country of origin and sexual innuendo.

 

I think the fact that all the River Citizens became proud of their children under Professor Herold Hill's care was enough to satisfy the code's requirement that it wasn't really a crime, but rather an unintentional gift to the town's people

Shirley Jones was hiding her pregnancy from the production. Robert Preston was first to know when Hill and Marion were in a closeup shot of the embrace on the footbridge, and baby Patrick kicked him...

 

I do believe a knocked-up single librarian would indeed have been against The Code

[+ FreshFluff]

Very interesting question. The Music Man is unquestionably my favorite musical play turned into motion picture. I did notice several dialogue changes when Disney did a remake in the 2000's...not for criminal morals, but for dialogue related to country of origin and sexual innuendo.

 

I think the fact that all the River Citizens became proud of their children under Professor Herold Hill's care was enough to satisfy the code's requirement that it wasn't really a crime, but rather an unintentional gift to the town's people

 

This is what I figured. Also, the con was an attempt to do something worthwhile— keep schoolboys busy after school and keep them out of trouble

[KrisParr]

Was the “rusty trombone” invented for “The Music Man” or just a bi-product? Inquiring minds ...

[jeezifonly]

This is what I figured. Also, the con was an attempt to do something worthwhile— keep schoolboys busy after school and keep them out of trouble

And there must have been at least one of the kids throughout the Midwest of 1911 who, thanks to Professor Hill, got enough of an interest in music to make it a college major, then profession, and may have bought a house (or two) in Queens by playing 8/wk in the orchestra pit of Oklahoma! for all five years of its original run. (Do you see what I did there???)

[jeezifonly]

Was the “rusty trombone” invented for “The Music Man” or just a bi-product? Inquiring minds ...

Good Q!! Invented, but not named ... it wasn’t named before ‘76.

The Dirty Sanchez though... Zanita Shinn had her scandalous diaries of her time in El Paso published in the early forties, and well, Ye Gods!!

[+ WilliamM]

And there must have been at least one of the kids throughout the Midwest of 1911 who, thanks to Professor Hill, got enough of an interest in music to make it a college major, then profession, and may have bought a house (or two) in Queens by playing 8/wk in the orchestra pit of Oklahoma! for all five years of its original run. (Do you see what I did there???)

 

If you had written The Unsinkable Molly Brown, I would have understand, Another musical by Mr. Willson.

[jeezifonly]

If you had written The Unsinkable Molly Brown, I would have understand, Another musical by Mr. Willson.

I was using a callback to my earlier reference to how the Production Code also overlooked bad stuff in Oklahoma - scroll back. Molly Brown would have been so... obvious... ?

[+ WilliamM]

I was using a callback to my earlier reference to how the Production Code also overlooked bad stuff in Oklahoma - scroll back. Molly Brown would have been so... obvious... ?

I saw Molly Brown with Tammy Grimes in Boston as part of the national tour. But that was a long time ago

Edited November 12, 2020 by WilliamM