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Mothers of Men poster
Public Domain

Mothers of Men

1917 · Victory Film Company · Dir. Willis Robards

Dorothy Davenport as Clara Madison, a prominent lawyer, wins a judgeship over fellow Attorney Grant Williams, played by Willis L. Robards. Upon winning the prominent position as judge, Ms. Madison finds herself walking a political tight rope with enemies all around doing what they can to cause her down fall. Judge Madison convicts a murderer to death paving the way for her to be easily elected as the first female Governor. As Governor she is faced with a difficult dilemma. She has the power to pardon her husband who has been convicted of a serious crime, but to do so she’d be using her office for her own personal gain. “I must find some way to realize my ideals without sacrificing my husband. I must struggle on somehow for the sake of womanhood!”

Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —

Why this status applies

The film 'Mothers of Men' (also known by its subtitle 'Every Woman's Problem') was released in the United States in 1917, with a wide re-release occurring around 1920-1921. Because the original publication and theatrical release occurred prior to the 1928 cutoff, the work is definitively in the public domain in the United States under current copyright law. According to the rule for works published before January 1, 1928, all such works have seen their maximum copyright terms expire. Even if the copyright had been properly registered (LP11234, filed in 1917) and renewed, the 95-year maximum term for works of this era has lapsed. Consequently, no current entity holds a valid US copyright claim to the motion picture.
— Cited Sources —

Supporting facts

  • Library of Congress CCE (Motion Pictures 1912-1939): LP11234
  • AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1911-1920
  • Copyright Law of the United States, 17 U.S.C. § 304

Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.