The Z Word

The use of profanity in films has often been controversial but has increased significantly in recent decades. The Hays Code banned the use of profanity outright, but the Motion Picture Association established a system of ratings in 1968 to use as a guide for a wider range of permissible content. In 1970, M*A*S*H became the first mainstream American film under the system to use the word fuck. The word fuck is repeatedly used in the 2005 documentary film of the same name and is thought to be the vulgar term most used in film. The Motion Picture Association film rating system assigns a PG-13 rating if the film contains the word used once and not in the context of sex. The R rating is normally required if the film contains more than two nonsexual utterances or if the word is used once in a nonsexual context, and another time in a sexual context. However, there are exceptions to the rule. Censors have been more lenient about the word in films that portray historical events. The ratings system is voluntary and there is no legal requirement that filmmakers submit every film.