In 1965, the Catholic Legion of Decency closed its doors; the following year, the Hays Code was scrapped. This program looks at the cinematic milestones which prompted these events and the age of freewheeling film artistry that ensued, despite attempts at censorship issuing from the highest political level. Shedding light on the release of The Pawnbroker and director Sidney Lumet’s historic confrontation with the Legion, the program showcases the forging of the MPAA rating system and the eventual association of the “X” classification with pornography—notwithstanding the artistic triumphs of Midnight Cowboy and A Clockwork Orange. The impact of AIDS, the struggle against child pornography, and the creation of the NC-17 rating are also illuminated. (62 minutes)