Public Domain
Betsy Ross
1917 · World Film Corp. · Dir. George Cowl
Revolutionary War heroine Betsy Ross finds herself in competition with her sister for the affections of a British soldier.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Betsy Ross', starring Alice Brady and directed by George Cowl and Travers Vale, was released on September 17, 1917. Because the film was published prior to January 1, 1928, it has entered the public domain in the United States upon the expiration of its maximum possible term of 95 years.
Under current US law (specifically the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998), all works published before 1928 have lost their copyright protection and are now free to use. No search for renewal or registration is necessary for works of this age to confirm public domain status, as the statutory limit for protection has been reached for all works in this category.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912-1939
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (ID: 15302)
- IMDb
- Internet Archive (Film Superlist: 1894-1939)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.