Jason Joy, letter to Irving Thalberg, November 27, 1931 (reel 4).

Before production on a film began, production companies would often send numerous synopses to the PCA to be approved. This letter from Jason Joy, head of the Studio Relations Committee at the time, acknowledges receipt of a synopsis from Thalberg, who was with MGM Studios. Joy’s enthusiasm for the plot of Grand Hotel is rather typical, since his position as head of the SRC meant that he saw himself as a collaborator with the studios and the directors, rather than a censor. In his letter to Thalberg, he goes as far to say that he felt that Grand Hotel was “one of the most important picture prospects of the year”, but had reservations about one specific scene that he was glad to work on early on in the pre-production stages. This scene includes the character of the Baron “dragging in the figure of a nude woman”, and was a departure from the original play. While he praised plans for the adaptation of the film, Joy brought up qualms against this scene, stating that “There is nothing upon which our enemies seize so readily as upon a situation like this when apparently the only excuse for the nakedness is the alleged box office pull. The more scenes there are of this character, the harder it becomes for the industry to defend itself”. The “enemies” he mentions are unclear – are they the state and city censors that Joy wishes to separate himself from? Or perhaps other nations abroad who would have issues with the scene and refuse to import it? Joy’s wording demonstrates his wish to be an ally to the production companies while revealing the subtle motivation for having a Production Code to begin with – perhaps out of fear. While the tone of this short letter can be interpreted as approval and Joy seen as an ally in the production process, it still establishes the setting of boundaries on the part of the PCA