Public Domain
Fanchon, the Cricket
1915 · Famous Players Film Company · Dir. James Kirkwood
A young wild girl, Fanchon, lives in a forest with her eccentric grandmother who is suspected by the villagers of being a witch. The unkempt Fanchon suffers from her grandmother's sorceress reputation. One day the girl rescues a boy from drowning and they fall in love, but Fanchon won't agree to marry him unless his father asks her. A year later the boy has fallen very ill and it is only the presence of the enchanting Fanchon that helps to restore his health.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the current copyright laws of the United States, all works published or registered before January 1, 1929, have entered the public domain. Fanchon, the Cricket, starring Mary Pickford and Jack Standing, was originally released on May 10, 1915, and was registered for copyright by the Famous Players Film Company on May 13, 1915 (LP5244).
Because the film was published and registered well before the 1929 cutoff, its statutory copyright term has expired. The film entered the public domain 75 years after its publication (under the 1976 Act) or 95 years after publication (under the 1998 Term Extension Act), both of which have now elapsed. It is currently available for viewing and restoration through institutions like the Mary Pickford Foundation and the Cinémathèque Française, reflecting its status as a public domain historical work.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912-1939, page 238
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (1893-1993): Fanchon the Cricket (1915)
- Mary Pickford Foundation: Filmography
- 17 U.S.C. § 304 (Duration of Copyright)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.