Public Domain
Love's Prisoner
1919 · Triangle Film Corporation · Dir. John Francis Dillon
A young lady, who "hates the law" rises from the tenements to society. Financial reverses lead her to commit a series of burglaries as "The Bird". She becomes involved with the detective investigating the burglaries. After she confesses and pays for her crimes, they marry.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under US copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of whether their copyright was ever renewed. 'Love's Prisoner' was released in May 1919 by the Triangle Film Corporation and stars Olive Thomas.
Because the film was released in 1919, its maximum term of protection (95 years from publication) would have expired in 1914 regardless of renewal status. However, as it predates the hard cutoff of 1928, it is definitively in the public domain in the United States. No further investigation into renewal records or notice is required for films of this vintage. The film is currently considered a lost film, though some sources suggest a print may exist in the Library of Congress collections.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress, Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912-1939
- American Film Institute (AFI) Catalog of Feature Films
- Progressive Silent Film List (SilentEra.com)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.