Protected
Sweet Smell of Success
1957 · Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions · Dir. Alexander Mackendrick
New York City newspaper writer J.J. Hunsecker holds considerable sway over public opinion with his Broadway column, but one thing that he can't control is his younger sister, Susan, who is in a relationship with aspiring jazz guitarist Steve Dallas. Hunsecker strongly disapproves of the romance and recruits publicist Sidney Falco to find a way to split the couple, no matter how ruthless the method.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Sweet Smell of Success was released in 1957. Under the laws governing works published between 1928 and 1963, the film required a manual copyright renewal filing in its 28th year to prevent it from entering the public domain.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress records confirms that the copyright was successfully renewed. The original registration was filed on June 27, 1957, under number LP10373 by Norma-Curtleigh Productions (a subsidiary of Hecht-Hill-Lancaster). The renewal was filed on June 24, 1985, under renewal number RE248232 by Hill-Hecht-Lancaster-Sperling Venture.
Because the renewal was filed correctly within the statutory window, the copyright was extended for a second term. Under the 1976 Copyright Act and the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, this protection lasts for a total of 95 years from the date of publication. Therefore, the film will not enter the public domain in the United States until January 1, 2053.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (RE248232)
- U.S. Copyright Office Public Records (LP10373)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1950-1959
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.