Citation: Vaughn, Stephen, The Devil's Advocate Will H. Hays and the Campaign to Make Movies Respectable. Indiana Magazine of History 101.2 (2005): 66 pars. 2 Dec. 2008 .  

This article explains how William Hays attempted to find a common ground between tradition and modernity in the movie industry. After various sex scandals in Hollywood, the image of Hollywood was becoming tarnished as people began to think these behaviors would corrupt the "weak minded" in America. As a result, the MPPDA hired Hays to clean up the film industry. His code integrated ideas from the 10 commandments and applied them to all aspects of film.

While Hays tried to make the film industry more moral and upstanding, his code hindered the creativity of many people in the movie industry, including Howard Hughes. The Oulaw had many scenes that ended up on the cutting room floor due to the code. Hughes fought tirelessly against the MPPDA and Hays to keep certain scenes because he pleaded that without them, the film would not portray the same meaning. Because of the severe restrictions, Hughes had to come up with a special bra for Jane Russell to wear to prevent too much cleavage being shown in addition to the rape scene being re-shot.