Public Domain
Moran of the Lady Letty
1922 · Famous Players-Lasky / Paramount Pictures · Dir. George Melford
Wealthy young man Ramon Laredo is abducted and put into service aboard a ship commanded by a none-too-scrupulous smuggler. When the ship encounters the foundering "Lady Letty," some of the Letty's crew is brought aboard, including Letty 'Moran' Sternerson, feisty daughter of the Letty's captain. Moran and Ramon have little use for each other, but when trouble erupts and the smuggler Captain Kitchell turns his evil eye on Moran, it is Ramon who comes to her rescue.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the current copyright laws of the United States, all works published or registered before January 1, 1929, have entered the public domain. Moran of the Lady Letty was released on February 12, 1922, and registered for copyright by Famous Players-Lasky Corp. on February 8, 1922 (LP17537).
Because the film was published prior to 1929, its copyright term has expired regardless of whether it was renewed. In this specific case, the film reached the end of its maximum statutory protection period (95 years) at the end of 2017. As of January 1, 2018, it is legally free of copyright restrictions in the U.S. and may be freely distributed, performed, or adapted.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912–1939
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1894–1939
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (1921-1930)
- 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.