Shotgun Law
PUBLIC DOMAIN FYI
Fetch!
A Study in Scarlet poster
Public Domain

A Study in Scarlet

1933 · KBS Productions / World Wide Pictures · Dir. Edwin L. Marin

In London, a secret society led by lawyer Thaddeus Merrydew collects the assets of any of its deceased members and divides them among the remaining members. Society members start dropping like flies. Sherlock Holmes is approached by member James Murphy's widow, who is miffed at being left penniless by her husband. When Captain Pyke is shot, Holmes keys in on his mysterious Chinese widow as well as the shady Merrydew. Other members keep dying: Malcom Dearing first, then Mr. Baker. There is also an attempt on the life of young Eileen Forrester, who became a reluctant society member upon the death of her father. Holmes' uncanny observations and insights are put to the test.

Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —

Why this status applies

A Study in Scarlet (1933) entered the public domain in the United States because its copyright was not renewed as required by the Copyright Act of 1909. Under the law at the time, works registered between 1928 and 1963 required a renewal filing with the U.S. Copyright Office during the 28th year of the first term to extend protection for a second term. For a 1933 release, this renewal window would have been in 1960 or 1961. Comprehensive searches of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) show no renewal record for this motion picture. While the film was originally registered for copyright on May 16, 1933 (LP3895) by KBS Productions, Inc., the failure to renew caused the copyright to expire at the end of its first 28-year term in 1961. The film's presence in numerous public domain DVD collections (such as Alpha Video) and its widespread availability on the Internet Archive without takedown claims further confirm its status.
— Cited Sources —

Supporting facts

  • Stanford Copyright Renewal Database
  • U. Penn Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) via archive.org
  • Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939) by Walter E. Hurst
  • AFI Catalog of Feature Films

Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.