Protected
The Big Clock
1948 · Paramount Pictures · Dir. John Farrow
George Stroud, a crime magazine's crusading editor, has to postpone a vacation with his wife - again - when a glamorous blonde is murdered and he is assigned by his publishing boss to find the killer. As the investigation proceeds to its conclusion, Stroud must try to disrupt his ordinarily brilliant investigative team as they increasingly build evidence that he is the killer.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The Big Clock was released in 1948 by Paramount Pictures. Under the copyright laws applicable to works published between 1928 and 1963, the film was granted an initial 28-year term of protection, which required a manual renewal during the 28th year to extend the copyright into a second term.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries confirms that Paramount Pictures filed a timely renewal for this motion picture. The registration (LP1621) was renewed on February 6, 1975, under renewal number R597657. Because the renewal was successful, the film's protection was extended to a total of 95 years from the date of publication.
Following the acquisition of the pre-1950 Paramount library by MCA/Universal, the rights are currently held by Universal Pictures (NBCUniversal). The film remains under copyright in the United States and is not expected to enter the public domain until January 1, 2044.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (R597657)
- U Penn Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) Motion Pictures 1912-1939; 1940-1949
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (Hurst/Baer)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.