Public Domain
The Bond
1918 · First National / Chaplin Studio · Dir. Charlie Chaplin
A propaganda film created by Charlie Chaplin at his own expense for the Liberty Load Committee to help sell U.S. Liberty Bonds during World War I. The story is a series of sketches humorously illustrating various bonds like the bond of friendship and of marriage and, most important, the Liberty Bond, to K.O. the Kaiser which Charlie does literally.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'The Bond' (1918), featuring Charlie Chaplin, was produced as a propaganda short to promote the sale of Liberty Bonds during World War I. Under the 1909 and 1976 US Copyright Acts, works published before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain through the expiration of their maximum statutory term.
Since this film was released in 1918, it would have required a renewal 28 years later (1946) to remain protected until 1993, at which point it would have received a 20-year extension under the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act. However, any work published prior to 1928 is now considered public domain in the United States regardless of renewal status. As of January 1, 2024, all works from 1928 and earlier are in the public domain.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 15a: Duration of Copyright
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Library of Congress: Chaplin's World War I Propaganda Film
- Internet Archive: The Bond (1918)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.