Public Domain
Cross Country Cruise
1934 · Universal Pictures · Dir. Edward Buzzell
A young woman is involved with a married man, although she does not know that he is married. He kills his jealous wife and implicates her in the murder. However, a playboy character who had been flirting with the woman earlier turns amateur detective and clears her.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works published between 1928 and 1963 required a renewal filing in the 28th year of their initial term to remain protected in the United States. 'Cross Country Cruise' was released by Universal Pictures on January 15, 1934, and was registered for copyright under entry LP4401. The renewal window for this film opened in 1961 and closed at the end of 1962.
Comprehensive searches of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database, the University of Pennsylvania's online Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE), and the Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894–1939) indicate that no renewal was ever filed by Universal Pictures or any successor in interest. As the copyright was not renewed within the statutory timeframe, the work entered the public domain in the United States on January 1, 1963. The film is currently recognized as public domain by film archives and is available for unrestricted distribution.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (1934 entries)
- Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1934 Motion Pictures, LP4401
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939), p. 129
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (1931-1940)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.