Protected
Born to Kill
1947 · RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. · Dir. Robert Wise
A calculating divorcée risks her chances at wealth and security with a man she doesn't love by getting involved with a hotheaded murderer.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Born to Kill (released in 1947) is a classic film noir directed by Robert Wise. Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works from this era required a renewal filed in the 28th year of their first term to maintain protection. This film was originally registered with the US Copyright Office on May 3, 1947, under the registration number LP986.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress records confirms that the copyright was successfully renewed on February 6, 1975, by RKO General, Inc. under renewal number R597341. Because the copyright was properly maintained, it received the extensions granted by the Copyright Act of 1976 and the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act. Its US copyright is currently set to expire 95 years after its publication date, meaning it will enter the public domain on January 1, 2043.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (Renewal R597341)
- U Penn Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1940-1949 (LP986)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Hurst, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1940-1949
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.