During the Great Depression of the 1930s and 1940s, Hollywood faced censorship due to several scandals involving inappropriate content in its films. One cause of censorship was movie studios copyrighting each other's film titles, leading to legal battles. In response, morality groups like the Catholic Legion of Decency and censors implemented a strict production code to ensure films promoted wholesome, Christian values and proper social behavior. This production code, along with pressure from churches and other morality groups, aimed to clean up Hollywood's image and prevent further government regulation over the movie industry's content during this turbulent time period.