Was sleeping in separate beds really a thing?

[Thundercrack85]

I've been watching a few old movies (sci fi films from the 50's), and several of the married couples in the various movies are shown sleeping in separate beds.

Now, I thought about putting this in the film section, but then I realized it may be an actual thing.

Was this really a thing? Censorship gone nuts cause the actors aren't married? Anyone know?

 

[Marvolo]

I know an older couple who sleep in separate beds.

 

[C. Lee]

It was because of the Hays Commission to stop film immorality in the early 30's. They had all kinds of rules.

Separate beds for married couples.
If there were two people of opposite sexes on a bed, one had to have at least one foot on the ground at all time.
Couples could only kiss for a few seconds...I forget how long it was, but after 3 or 4 or so seconds they had to separate.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well, there was goldilocks and the three bears...

Maybe it's not just a tv trope.

 

[TheBat812]

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100706090902AAHRQsm

 

[Thundercrack85]

It was because of the Hays Commission to stop film immorality in the early 30's. They had all kinds of rules.

Separate beds for married couples.
If there were two people of opposite sexes on a bed, one had to have at least one foot on the ground at all time.
Couples could only kiss for a few seconds...I forget how long it was, but after 3 or 4 or so seconds they had to separate.

I've heard of that, but I never knew it was that strict.

 

[TheBat812]

Americans always have been, and still are prudes. All that religious background keeps us socially behind the rest of the world.

 

[C. Lee]

I believe another one was....you couldn't say a woman was pregnant or show her in advanced pregnancy or simulating giving birth. You could say she was "with child" or "going to have a baby" and things like that. And they always had the baby off screen...no pushing the little bugger out scenes.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Still what I'm reading suggests it wasn't uncommon in real life.

Then again, since divorce was so taboo in the 50's, and as we now know, people divorce like crazy, I guess that kind of makes sense.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Americans always have been, and still are prudes. All that religious background keeps us socially behind the rest of the world.

It's not a uniquely American trope.

 

[C. Lee]

It's not a uniquely American trope.

But America bashing is the in thing....

 

[Teelie]

Americans always have been, and still are prudes. All that religious background keeps us socially behind the rest of the world.

That's quite the global myth but it keeps getting perpetuated. Ironically no one seems to realize the U.S. is like the porn capital of the world when they throw that claim out. It's claiming all of some country is a stereotype and just too simplistic and ignoring any complexity of its people.

And while there is a large religious minority who likes to try running the country, they're just louder and more ardent than the majority.

Anyways the Hays Commission page is quite the read on early attempts to legislate morality in movies.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well it does pop up in European fairy tales... and the Bible.

I do recall seeing it in old English shows as well.

Though with Fawlty Towers, that was probably just a Fawlty thing.

 

[zeroapoc]

No. Nothing was ever like 50's television. Not even the 50's.

 

[Thundercrack85]

That's quite the global myth but it keeps getting perpetuated. Ironically no one seems to realize the U.S. is like the porn capital of the world when they throw that claim out. It's claiming all of some country is a stereotype and just too simplistic and ignoring any complexity of its people.

And while there is a large religious minority who likes to try running the country, they're just louder and more ardent than the majority.

Anyways the Hays Commission page is quite the read on early attempts to legislate morality in movies.

Well I do agree that Americans are, overall more socially conservative, at least compared to Europeans, who really seem to be almost overcompensating (perhaps making up for lost time).

Still, in the 50's, everyone was pretty damn repressed.

This separate beds thing may be a case of truth in television, apparently. Not ubiquitous, but certainly not unheard of, or even uncommon.

 

[zeroapoc]

Americans always have been, and still are prudes. All that religious background keeps us socially behind the rest of the world.

"The rest of the world"? The ENTIRE rest of the world? Really?

 

[zeroapoc]

Still, in the 50's, everyone was pretty damn repressed.

Not really. You're thinking of the 50's the way it's portrayed on old sit-coms. That was never a reality.

 

[Teelie]

It really depends on your frame of reference. Comparing cultures is never an easy straight-across comparison. Look at Japan for instance. They are a very contradictory country if you tried to compare their values to a Western one, European or American.

What is more accepted in one country can be completely wrong in another.

I wasn't around in the 50's but from what I have read the historical accuracy of the movies and television series is far from close to reality.

 

[zeroapoc]

I wasn't around in the 50's but from what I have read the historical accuracy of the movies and television series is far from close to reality.

Great minds.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Not really. You're thinking of the 50's the way it's portrayed on old sit-coms. That was never a reality.

You do understand that there is a correlation between reality and fiction?

Now granted, obviously, toilets existed, and people shared beds, but people considering that inappropriate reflects on... well, the people.

 

[Thundercrack85]

It really depends on your frame of reference. Comparing cultures is never an easy straight-across comparison. Look at Japan for instance. They are a very contradictory country if you tried to compare their values to a Western one, European or American.

What is more accepted in one country can be completely wrong in another.

I wasn't around in the 50's but from what I have read the historical accuracy of the movies and television series is far from close to reality.

Well there was that business with Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl...

 

[Teelie]

Janet Jackson was thanks to a lot of "influence" from the Parents Television Council, one of those conservative religious moral legislator wannabe groups.

 

[Thundercrack85]

The fact that the Parents Television Council has the sway it does, is rather telling.

Though I do think America is actually less socially conservative than it likes to pretend (or perhaps believe). Especially when you look at who downloads the most porn. Utah downloads more than... Europe. Then again, it's Utah so it's not like you can just go buy porn in a store.

 

[zeroapoc]

Especially when you look at who downloads the most porn.

I certainly do my part.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Its still around. Ive heard of couples sleeping in separate rooms because one of them snores too loud.