Public Domain
The Heart of an Indian
1912 · Bison Motion Pictures / New York Motion Picture Company · Dir. Thomas H. Ince
When Indians attack a white settlement, a brave kidnaps a white baby to give to his wife as a replacement for their dead baby. The white mother goes to the Indian camp to look for her child and is captured by the Indians who plan to torture her. The settlers attack the Indian camp, destroying it completely and killing the braves, while the Indian wife returns the baby to the white woman and allows her to escape. The Indian wife mourns her baby at its grave, unaware of the destruction of the Indian camp.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'The Heart of an Indian' (also released under the title 'The Indian Massacre') was released in early 1912 by Bison Motion Pictures. Under the United States Copyright Act, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of whether they were renewed. This film is 112 years old as of 2024, placing it well before the 1928 cutoff.
Furthermore, the film is widely recognized in archival collections and public domain databases as being free of copyright restrictions. Copies are held by the Library of Congress and other archives, and it is frequently included in public domain compilations of early American silent cinema.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office, Catalog of Copyright Entries (pre-1928 rules)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Early Years)
- Internet Archive: The Heart of an Indian (1912)
- Hurst, 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.