Public Domain
Robin Hood
1922 · Douglas Fairbanks Pictures Corp. / United Artists · Dir. Allan Dwan
Amid big-budget medieval pageantry, King Richard goes on the Crusades leaving his brother Prince John as regent, who promptly emerges as a cruel, grasping, treacherous tyrant. Apprised of England's peril by message from his lady-love Marian, the dashing Earl of Huntingdon endangers his life and honor by returning to oppose John, but finds himself and his friends outlawed, with Marian apparently dead. Enter Robin Hood, acrobatic champion of the oppressed, laboring to set things right through swashbuckling feats and cliffhanging perils!
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Robin Hood' (also known as 'Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood'), directed by Allan Dwan and starring Douglas Fairbanks, was released in the United States on October 18, 1922. Under U.S. copyright law, all works published before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of whether they were originally registered or subsequently renewed.
At the time of its release, the maximum duration of copyright protection was 56 years (an initial 28-year term plus a 28-year renewal term). Even if the copyright had been perfectly maintained, it would have expired no later than the end of 1978. Because the film was published prior to the 1928 cutoff established by the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, its status as public domain is definitive.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office, Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912–1939 (L21147; Oct 30, 1922)
- Hurst, Richard Maurice. Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894–1939)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (ID 11728)
- Stanford University Copyright Renewal Database
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.