Public Domain
The Coming of Amos
1925 · Cinema Corporation of America / Producers Distributing Corporation (PDC) · Dir. Paul Sloane
An Australian sheep rancher fulfills his promise to his dying mother by visiting his uncle on the French Riviera. He meets and falls in love with a Russian princess who was forced into a bad marriage to save her family from the Communists.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the current laws of the United States, all works published or registered for copyright prior to January 1, 1929, have entered the public domain due to the expiration of their copyright terms. 'The Coming of Amos' was released on September 6, 1925, and directed by Paul Sloane, featuring Rod La Rocque and Jetta Goudal.
Because the film was published in 1925, it was subject to the Copyright Act of 1909, which provided a maximum term of 56 years (an initial 28-year term followed by a 28-year renewal). Even if the copyright had been perfectly maintained and renewed, it would have expired no later than 95 years after publication. However, the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act only extended the duration of works still under copyright at that time. Works that were published before 1929 are now in the public domain regardless of renewal status.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office, Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912-1939
- Stanford University Copyright Renewal Database
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (The Coming of Amos, 1925)
- Hurst / D. Richard Baer, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1894-1939
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.