Public Domain
Compliments of the Season
1930 · Vitaphone Corp. / Warner Bros. · Dir. Arthur Hurley
On Christmas Eve, a former thief, recently released from prison, stops a forlorn, destitute, despairing young woman from committing suicide. She's from the country and hasn't been able to find her boyfriend who came to the city earlier. The ex-con suggests having a little party together, but both are flat broke. He realizes there's an obvious solution.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the 1909 Copyright Act, works published between 1928 and 1963 required a formal renewal filing with the U.S. Copyright Office during their 28th year of protection to remain under copyright. 'Compliments of the Season' is a Vitaphone short (Production No. 4264-4265) released by Warner Bros. in 1930.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) reveals no record of a renewal for this specific title. While the original registration was recorded (LP1628, September 22, 1930), the failure to file a renewal in 1957 or 1958 resulted in the film entering the public domain upon the expiration of its first term.
Major reference works, including 'Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894–1939)' by D. Richard Baer, confirm that this Vitaphone short was not renewed. Because it is a U.S. production, it is not eligible for copyright restoration under the URAA. Therefore, the film is in the public domain in the United States.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE): Motion Pictures 1912-1939
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939)
- IMDb: Compliments of the Season (1930)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.