Public Domain
7th Heaven
1927 · Fox Film Corp. · Dir. Frank Borzage
In 1910s Paris, a sewer worker disillusioned with Christianity feels his prayers have been answered when he chances upon a street waif and they fall in love.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act, all works published before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain in the United States. This classic silent film, directed by Frank Borzage and starring Janet Gaynor, was released on May 6, 1927. Consequently, its copyright expired on January 1, 2023.
While the film was originally registered (LP23985) and renewed by its successor-in-interest (20th Century-Fox Film Corp.) in 1954 (R139626), the current law sets a maximum term of 95 years from publication for works of this era. As that 95-year window has closed, the film is now legally free of copyright restrictions in the U.S. and is widely available through public domain film archives and collectors.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912-1939
- Stanford University Copyright Renewal Database (R139626)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.