Public Domain
Sex
1920 · J.L. Frothingham Producing Co. / Hodkinson · Dir. Robert Thornby
The daughter of a railroad magnat has to take charge when her father unexpectedly dies. She uses her outdoor survival skills to kidnap a business rival to save the company from a stock market struggle.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Sex', directed by Fred Niblo and starring Louise Glaum, was released in the United States on March 15, 1920. Under the current copyright laws of the United States, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain. This transition occurs regardless of whether the copyright was originally registered or subsequently renewed.
The 1920 release date falls well before the 1928 cutoff for the public domain. Consequently, any copyright protection that may have existed for this motion picture has expired. The film is widely cited in catalogs of silent cinema and is verified as a 1920 production by the American Film Institute (AFI) and the Library of Congress.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- American Film Institute Catalog of Feature Films (AFI Record No. 15309)
- Library of Congress, Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912–1939
- 17 U.S.C. § 304 (Copyright Act of 1976 and subsequent amendments regarding pre-1928 works)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.