Leap Year

The film 'Leap Year' (also known as 'Skirts') starring Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle was produced in 1921 but its release was delayed due to the Arbuckle scandal, eventually seeing limited distribution starting in 1924. Under the Copyright Act of 1909 and the subsequent Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, all works published in the United States before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of renewal status. Because the film was published and distributed in 1924, its 95-year term of protection expired no later than January 1, 2020. There are no circumstances under current US law that allow a 1924 production to remain under copyright protection in the 21st century. The film is widely available in public domain archives and through various PD distributors.