Public Domain
From the Submerged
1912 · Essanay Film Manufacturing Company · Dir. Theodore Wharton
A destitute man ready to drown himself is rescued by a caring passing woman. Soon thereafter forgiven by his dying father, he inherits great wealth and becomes engaged to a society woman. When she only laughs at the poor on a slumming trip, he remembers his own past and the woman who saved him.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'From the Submerged' was directed by Theodore Wharton and produced by the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, with an original release date of October 11, 1912. The US copyright status for this work is determined by its date of publication.
Under US copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain. Because 'From the Submerged' was released in 1912, its maximum possible copyright term (which would have been 75 years under the 1976 Act or 95 years under the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act) has long since expired. The film is definitively in the public domain in the United States.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- IMDb: From the Submerged (1912)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (1911-1920)
- Library of Congress: Motion Picture Copyright Descriptions Collection, 1912-1959
- U.S. Copyright Office: Circular 15a (Duration of Copyright)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.