Public Domain
An Awful Moment
1908 · Biograph Company · Dir. D.W. Griffith
After a judge (Harry Solter) does his job and sentences a man, a gypsy woman (Marion Leonard) erupts in vehement protests and has to be taken forcefully out of the courtroom. Later the gypsy follows the judge to his home and plots a vicious revenge on his wife (Florence Lawrence).
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'An Awful Moment' was directed by D.W. Griffith and released by the Biograph Company in December 1908. As a motion picture published before January 1, 1928, it has entered the public domain in the United States due to the expiration of its maximum copyright term.
Under the Copyright Act of 1909 and subsequent extensions, works published prior to 1928 have exhausted their 95-year protection window (specifically, the 75-year term for works in their renewal period at the time of the 1976 Act, later extended by the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act). As of January 1, 2024, all works from 1908 are in the public domain regardless of renewal status or original registration.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.