Public Domain
The Better Man
1912 · Vitagraph Company of America · Dir. Rollin S. Sturgeon
With a fondness for gambling, Jim Saunders is given to neglecting his wife and child. One night during his absence at the saloon, Miguel Gomez, a Mexican outlaw, for whom $1,000 reward is offered, enters Jim's home and demands food of Mrs. Saunders.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under US copyright law, every work published before January 1, 1928, has reached the end of its maximum possible term of protection and has entered the public domain. This film, directed by Rollin S. Sturgeon and starring Hobart Bosworth, was released by Vitagraph on August 30, 1912.
Because the film was published more than 95 years ago (specifically in 1912), it is definitively part of the public domain in the United States regardless of whether it was originally registered or renewed. There are several films with this title produced between 1912 and 1914 (including a Lubin release in 1912 and a Gaumont release in 1912), but all fall well before the 1928 cutoff.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf
- https://archive.org/details/movingpicturewor13newy/page/894
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (1894-1910, 1911-1920 entries)
- Hurst, Richard Maurice. Film Superlist: 1894-1939
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.