Public Domain
Mary and Gretel
1916 · Universal Manufacturing Corp. · Dir. Howard S. Moss
Alice in Wonderland meets the Garden of Eden in this surreal fable of a drunk rabbit, bowling dwarfs, and the two bewildered girls of the title.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Mary and Gretel' was released in 1916 (specifically under the Universal Star Featurette label, directed by John G. Blystone). As the film was published prior to January 1, 1928, it has entered the public domain in the United States by expiration of the maximum possible copyright term.
Under the Copyright Act of 1909 and subsequent extensions leading up to the 1998 Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, works published before 1928 have exhausted their maximum 95-year protection period. No renewal search is necessary for works essentially 100+ years old, as they are legally public domain regardless of previous registration status.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress CCE (1916)
- IMDb (Mary and Gretel, 1916)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- 17 U.S.C. § 304
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.