Public Domain
At the Foot of the Flatiron
1903 · American Mutoscope and Biograph Company · Dir. A.E. Weed
It's a very windy day, and the pedestrians passing by the Flatiron Building are having considerable difficulty in keeping their hats from flying off.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
This short film was directed by G.W. Bitzer and produced by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. It captures a scene of pedestrians and wind gusts at the base of the Flatiron Building in New York City. The film was registered for copyright as a 'moving picture' in 1903 (registration number H32160).
Under the current US copyright laws (Copyright Act of 1976 and the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act), all works published or registered for copyright in the United States prior to January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain. Because this work was published and registered in 1903, its copyright term has expired, regardless of whether it was renewed.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress Motion Picture Copyright Descriptions Collection, Class L and Class M, 1912-1959
- Niver, Kemp R. Early Motion Pictures: The Paper Print Collection in the Library of Congress (1985)
- IMDb - At the Foot of the Flatiron (1903)
- American Film Institute (AFI) Catalog of Feature Films (referenced for historical studio context)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.