Gone with the Wind (Will H. Hays personal copy) by Mitchell, Margaret - 1936

New York: Macmillan, 1936. From the estate of Will H. Hays, with his name stamped bottom edge front endpage. (I have a number of signed and inscribed copies from the Hays estate available). Hays managed Warren G. Hardings successful campaign for the Presidency of the U.S. and was subsequently appointed Postmaster General. After a year in that position, he resigned to become most famously known as the first President of Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA), which under his guidance published a blacklist of actors and workers studios should not hire, inserted moral clauses into actors' contracts, and published an informal list of suggested guidelines for film producers. When the Catholic Church formed its Legion of Decency and threatened nationwide boycotts of movies, Hays installed a more formal production code, called the Hays Code( later simply "The Code"), which became the virtual law of Hollywood until the 1960s. Under it, all portrayals of nudity and overtly sexual behavior were banned (even between consenting adults). Even the aftermath of sexual activity, pregnancy and the resulting childbirth, wasn't allowed. It was the reason why, in "Gone with the Wind ", when Melanie Hamilton Wilkes was giving birth, she and Scarlett and Prissy were literally shown only as shadows on a wall. A fascinating and UNIQUE piece of Hollywood history ! Very Good, Hays has glued front and rear panels of dustjacket to front pastedown and front endpage. Cloth is rubbed, lightly soiled, and red discoloration bottom edge rear panel, still, a Very Good copy.. 8th Printing. Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket.