Protected
City That Never Sleeps
1953 · Republic Pictures · Dir. John H. Auer
Chicago cop Johnny Kelly, dissatisfied with his job and marriage, would like to run away with his stripper girlfriend Angel Face, but keeps getting cold feet. During one crowded night, Angel Face decides she's had enough vacillation, and crooked lawyer Biddel has an illegal mission for Johnny that could put him in a financial position to act. But other, conflicting schemes are also in progress...
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
City That Never Sleeps was originally released in 1953 by Republic Pictures. Under the copyright laws applicable to the 1928–1963 era, the film was initially granted a 28-year term of protection, which required a manual renewal during the 28th year to extend the copyright for a second term.
A search of the Copyright Office records and the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database shows that the film was successfully renewed. The original registration was filed by Republic Pictures Corp. on June 12, 1953 (LP2731). The renewal was filed by Republic Pictures Corp. on May 4, 1981, under renewal number RE0000086307. Because the copyright was timely renewed, the film's protection was extended to a total of 95 years from its publication date.
Currently, the rights to the Republic Pictures library (including this title) are owned by Paramount Global (via Melange Pictures/Paramount Pictures). The film remains under US copyright and is scheduled to enter the public domain on January 1, 2049.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (RE86-307)
- U.S. Copyright Office Public Records (Registration LP2731)
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1950-1959 (David Pierce / Milestone)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.