Public Domain
A Woman Scorned
1911 · Biograph Company · Dir. D.W. Griffith
Thieves follow a doctor as he takes home a large sum of money. Later, when they break into his house, the doctor's wife and daughter are trapped. One of the thieves has jilted his sweetheart, who tells the doctor of the robbery, and helps him save his family.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'A Woman Scorned' was directed by D.W. Griffith and released by the Biograph Company (also known as the American Mutoscope & Biograph Co.) on December 18, 1911. It features cinematography by G.W. 'Billy' Bitzer.
Under current United States copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain. This applies regardless of whether the copyright was originally renewed or if the original copyright holder still exists. As a 1911 production, the film's maximum potential copyright term expired no later than the end of 1986 (75 years from publication under the laws at that time, though it would have required renewal in 1939 to reach even that date).
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- https://www.loc.gov/item/95521990/
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0001991/
- The Griffith Project, Volume 5: Films Produced in 1911 (British Film Institute)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Note: covers features, but Biograph shorts are cataloged in supplemental LoC records)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.