Hays Production Code's Impact on Vertigo

In 1930, the Hay's Production Code was introduced into the film industry to regulate films that were produced. It regulated several different aspects of movie scenes containing crimes against the law, vulgarity, sex, obscenity, profanity, costume, dances, religion, locations, national feelings, titles and repellent subjects. (History of the Motion Picture Rating System) When scenes in films dealt with crimes committed against the law, the Hays Production Code stated that the crimes could never be presented in such a way to throw sympathy with the crime as against law and justice or to inspire others with a desire for imitation. The code goes into specific detail on several different crimes and how they shouldn't be shown in the films. This includes murder, which takes place in Vertigo. It states that the technique of murder can't be presented in a way that will inspire imitation, brutal killings are not to be detailed, and revenge in modern times shall not be justified. ("Motion Picture Production Code of 1930")

The murder in Vertigo followed the requirements of the code, which helped the movie to be more effective. It made Hitchcock think about how it would affect the audience with how it was presented. He couldn't have the killing performed in a way that people could imitate in real life. He first portrayed the killing as a suicide that was caused by some "spirit" that was inside of her (Kim Novak). Later on in the movie, he again recreated the scene, showing how the real murder was committed. By doing this, he was able to work around the laws set forth by the code. He created a murder that was so far out that it wouldn't inspire people to try to imitate it and avoided a brutal killing. In the code, it also stated that revenge wouldn't be justified. ("Motion Picture Production Code of 1930") Hitchcock completely avoided a revenge murder, although the implications were there that it could happen at the time when Scotty takes her up the tower rehashing the original crime. He avoids revenge by having her jump from the tower and commit suicide when the lady comes up to find out what is causing all the noise. Hitchcock obviously had to spend some time to create a murder that would stick into the minds of the audience without breaking any of the rules laid out in the Hays Production Code.

Another thing Hitchcock had to deal with when making Vertigo were the different areas when Scotty and Madeleine came close and shown the attraction they had for each other. The code states that adultery must not be explicitly treated, justified, or presented attractively in films. It also discusses scenes of passion and regulates what are in them by saying that excessive and lustful kissing, lustful embraces, suggestive postures and gestures, are not to be shown. ("Motion Picture Production Code of 1930") Hitchcock avoids both of these, although they are very critical to the plot of the story. First of all, Hitchcock sets up a plot where adultery is a big part of it. Scotty falls in love with Madeleine and vice versa, even though Madeleine is already supposedly married to the man who hired Scotty. Hitchcock is able to do this by later showing that the woman Scotty fell in love with was a poser, so it wasn't really committing adultery. In the scenes where they embraced each other, Hitchcock kept it simple and used quick embraces between the two. He also threw in an awkward scene between the two when Scotty removed her clothes and hung them up to dry, but he was able to do it in a way to throw implications of what he'd done into the scene, but never actually relate it to sexual ideas through dialogue. Hitchcock's ability to continually work around the code without taking anything away from the plot allowed the movie to still have a huge impact on the audience.

The code also talks about vulgarity, obscenity and profanity, which Hitchcock avoids without a problem with this film. The code regulates vulgarity by stating that the treatment of low, disgusting, unpleasant, though not necessarily evil, subjects should always be subject to the dictates of good taste and a regard for the sensibilities of the audience. About obscenity, it states that obscenity in word, gesture, reference, song, joke, or by suggestion is forbidden. The code simply states that pointed profanity (including words such as God, Lord, Jesus, Christ - unless used reverently) or other profane or vulgar expressions are forbidden. ("Motion Picture Production Code of 1930") He is still able to get the same effect from the audience by using the actors/actresses reactions to portray the mood, rather than profanity, obscene gestures and vulgarity.

The costume in Vertigo also meets the code's restrictions/regulations. The code states that complete nudity is never permitted, undressing scenes should be avoided, indecent or undue exposure