Public Domain
Saved from Himself
1911 · Biograph Company · Dir. D.W. Griffith
Joseph Graybill, learning that his friends have been making a lot of money in the stock market, takes a flyer himself. However, when a drop in the shares he has bought wipes him out, he breaks into his employer's safe for money to pay for a margin call. Will the thought of his grey-haired mother and the importunities of his co-worker Mabel Normand stop him or will he descend to a life of crime?
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
This short film, directed by D.W. Griffith for the Biograph Company, was released on December 11, 1911. Under United States copyright law, any work published before January 1, 1928, is now in the public domain regardless of original registration or renewal status.
While this specific title was used for other productions (including a 1915 Edison film), the 1911 Biograph version is the most significant historical match. Given its age of over 112 years, the film has long since exited its maximum copyright term of 75 or 95 years that applied to older works under subsequent copyright extensions.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress, Moving Image Series: Saved from Himself (1911)
- IMDb: Saved from Himself (1911)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Biograph Short Films Records
- 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.