Public Domain
Ruthless
1948 · Eagle-Lion Films · Dir. Edgar G. Ulmer
Horace Vendig always gets what he wants. Even as a poor youth, he charmed his way into high society by getting the father of his friend, Martha, to foot the bill for his Harvard education. When Vic, another childhood pal, is invited to Horace's mansion for a party, he brings along Mallory Flagg, who happens to bear a striking resemblance to Martha. As Vic and Horace reunite, old resentments rise to the surface.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works published between 1928 and 1963 required a renewal filing with the US Copyright Office during the 28th year of their first term to maintain protection. 'Ruthless', directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and released in 1948 by Eagle-Lion Films (via Producing Artists), was originally registered for copyright on April 11, 1948, under registration number LP1601.
A thorough search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) reveals no renewal record for this title. For a 1948 release, the renewal window would have opened in 1975 and closed in 1976. The failure to renew this copyright caused the film to lapse into the public domain in the United States upon the expiration of its initial 28-year term. The film is widely recognized as public domain by film historians and is frequently distributed by PD specialty labels such as Alpha Video.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (covering 1923–1963 registrations)
- Hurst, Richard Maurice. Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1940-1949)
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE), Motion Pictures 1940-1949
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (1893-1993)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.