Protected
A Lady's Morals
1930 · Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) · Dir. Sidney Franklin
Romantic biography of Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind and her famous affairs.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
A Lady's Morals was released by MGM in 1930. Under US copyright law for works published between 1928 and 1963, a work required a renewal of copyright in its 28th year to avoid entering the public domain. This film underwent a valid initial registration and a timely renewal.
According to the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE), the registration was filed on November 10, 1930 (LP1734). The copyright was successfully renewed by Loew's Inc. (the parent company of MGM) on November 21, 1957 (R203204). Because the renewal was filed correctly within the 28-year window, the copyright was extended. Under the 1976 Copyright Act and subsequent extensions (CTEA), the film is protected for 95 years from its original publication date. Therefore, it will not enter the public domain until January 1, 2026.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (entry R203204)
- Hurst / D. Richard Baer, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1894-1939
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE), Motion Pictures 1912-1939 (LP1734)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.