Public Domain
He Who Gets Slapped
1924 · Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer · Dir. Victor Sjöström
After a baron steals his scientific discoveries, runs away with his wife, and slaps him in public, a man joins a Parisian circus sideshow as a clown whose act consists of being slapped repeatedly and becomes infatuated with a showgirl colleague whose father intends to marry her off to the baron.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the current copyright laws of the United States, all works published or registered with the US Copyright Office prior to January 1, 1929, have entered the public domain. This film was released in late 1924 and was the first film produced entirely by the newly formed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio.
Because the film was published more than 95 years ago (specifically in 1924), its statutory copyright term has expired regardless of whether it was properly renewed in the 1950s. It transitioned into the public domain on January 1, 2000.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.