A HerStory straight from the Women's History Resource Center Archives:
Through Better Films Committees, club women encouraged movies they believed would educate, inspire, and strengthen family life while questioning films they felt relied on sensationalism.
Ecstasy, a film showing at the State Theatre in Marion, starring Hedy Lamarr, illustrates the kinds of films that sparked those conversations. Promoted as "Suppressed...but Uncensored!" and "Adults Only," the film became famous for challenging social norms surrounding sexuality. While many moviegoers were curious, organizations like the Marion Women's Club were asking a different question: What role should entertainment play in shaping society?
Though opinions have changed over time, these early discussions helped lay the foundation for the movie rating systems and conversations about media responsibility that continue today.
