Public Domain
All Aboard
1917 · Rolin Film Company / Pathé Exchange · Dir. Alfred J. Goulding
In order to get his daughter away from her suitors, her father decides to spirit her away to Bermuda. Our hero, however, stows away on the ship. When discovered, he is credited with catching a crook, thus winning a reward and the girl.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'All Aboard' (1917), directed by Alfred J. Goulding and starring Harold Lloyd, is definitively in the public domain in the United States. Under current US copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have seen their copyright terms expire and have entered the public domain.
This specific film was released on November 25, 1917, as a one-reel comedy. Because its release date precedes the 1928 cutoff, it is no longer eligible for copyright protection regardless of whether it was ever renewed. The film is widely available in public domain collections and through archives like the Internet Archive, reflecting its status as part of the public commons.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Aboard_(1917_film)
- Hurst, Richard Maurice. Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1894-1939.
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Reference for Rolin/Pathé 1917 catalog)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.