Public Domain
A Kiss for Corliss
1949 · United Artists · Dir. Richard Wallace
After a brief encounter with the romantic and thrice divorced Kenneth Marquis, Corliss Archer decides to write in her diary that they are together in order to make her boyfriend Dexter jealous. Corliss' father had also served as attorney representing Kenneth Marquis' ex-wife during his most recent divorce trial. When Corliss and Dexter don't come home one evening until five in the morning, Corliss decides to pretend to have amnesia to avoid the inevitable punishment awaiting her.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
A Kiss for Corliss (1949), also known as 'Almost a Bride', was released by United Artists. Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works published between 1928 and 1963 required a copyright renewal with the Library of Congress in the 28th year of their first term to maintain protection. For a 1949 release, the renewal window occurred in 1976 or 1977.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) reveals no renewal registration for this title. While the predecessor film 'Kiss and Tell' (1945) was renewed, the 1949 sequel was not. As a result of this failure to renew, the film entered the public domain in the United States at the end of its first 28-year term.
The film's public domain status is well-documented in the industry; it is frequently listed in the 'Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain' (Hurst/Baer) and is a staple of public domain home video distributors such as Alpha Video and Mill Creek Entertainment. It is also widely available on the Internet Archive without copyright restriction or takedown history.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (no renewal found for 1949 title)
- Hurst, 'Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1940-1949)'
- Internet Archive, Feature Films Collection
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (1941-1950)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.