The First Amendment
The first amendment to the united states constitution protects freedom of religion, speech, the press, and the right to peaceful protest. Since the creation of the constitution in 1787, the first amendment has protected journalists, authors, and artist's rights to express their thoughts and opinions freely. At the rise of the motion picture industry, that same protection was not extended to filmmakers. In a court case in 1915, Mutual Film Corporation vs. Industrial Commission of Ohio, the Supreme Court ruled that the protection granted by the first amendment did not extend to movies.
To try and limit the increasing amount of government censorship this ruling created, the MPAA or Motion Picture Association of America was formed. It enacted the Hays code, restricting what could and could not be shown in movies. In 1951, United Stated vs. Paramount Pictures ruled that a state may not censor a film based on sacrilege. Furthermore, it revoked it's previous ruling that films were not protected under freedom of speech.
To try and limit the increasing amount of government censorship this ruling created, the MPAA or Motion Picture Association of America was formed. It enacted the Hays code, restricting what could and could not be shown in movies. In 1951, United Stated vs. Paramount Pictures ruled that a state may not censor a film based on sacrilege. Furthermore, it revoked it's previous ruling that films were not protected under freedom of speech.