Public Domain
The Hitch-Hiker
1953 · The Filmakers / RKO Radio Pictures · Dir. Ida Lupino
Roy and Gilbert's fishing trip takes a terrifying turn when the hitchhiker they pick up turns out to be a sociopath on the run from the law. He's killed before, and he lets the two know that as soon as they're no longer useful, he'll kill again. The two friends plot an escape, but the hitchhiker's peculiar physical affliction, an eye that never closes even when he sleeps, makes it impossible for them to tell when they can make a break for it.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The Hitch-Hiker was originally registered for US copyright by The Filmakers, Inc. on March 20, 1953 (LP2504), with its copyright coming up for renewal in 1980 or 1981 at the end of its first 28-year term. Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works published before 1964 required a manual renewal filing during the 28th year of the initial term to maintain protection.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the US Copyright Office records confirms that no renewal was filed for this title. The film is widely cited in legal and filmographic literature (including the Film Superlist and David Pierce's Motion Picture Copyrights and Renewals) as having entered the public domain in 1981 due to non-renewal. Because it is in the public domain, it is frequently distributed by low-budget labels and is available for free download on the Internet Archive without takedowns.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) 1953, Volume 7, Part 12-13, Page 24
- Stanford University Copyright Renewal Database (Checked for LP2504)
- Hurst / D. Richard Baer, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1950-1959)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (The Hitch-Hiker, ID 50868)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.