Public Domain
Short Cut to Hell
1957 · Paramount Pictures · Dir. James Cagney
A hitman is found out because he was paid off in traceable stolen money. On the run, he kidnaps the girlfriend of the police detective in charge of his pursuit; she tries to convince him to surrender before it's too late.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Short Cut to Hell was released by Paramount Pictures in 1957 and was registered for copyright on September 12, 1957 (LP9007). Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works registered between 1928 and 1963 required a manual renewal filing with the US Copyright Office during the 28th year of the initial term to extend protection to a second term of 67 years.
A 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 1957 registration, the renewal window would have been in 1984 or 1985. While many Paramount films of this era were renewed by the studio or successor entities (such as EMKA/Universal), this specific title—the only film directed by James Cagney—was allowed to lapse into the public domain. Its status is further corroborated by its inclusion in numerous 'public domain' film collections and its frequent appearance on budget home video labels that specialize in lapsed titles.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) 1957, Motion Pictures and Filmstrips, pp. 119
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (no record found for LP9007)
- Hurst, Richard Maurice. 'Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1950-1959'
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Short Cut to Hell (1957)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.