Protected
The Lady Gambles
1949 · Universal Pictures · Dir. Michael Gordon
When Joan Boothe accompanies husband-reporter David to Las Vegas, she begins gambling to pass the time while he is doing a story. Encouraged by the casino manager, she gets hooked on gambling, to the point where she "borrows" David's expense money to pursue her addiction. This finally breaks up their marriage, but David continues trying to help her.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The Lady Gambles was released in 1949 by Universal Pictures. Under the 1909 Copyright Act, works from this era required a renewal filed in the 28th year of their initial term to remain protected. A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress records confirms that Universal Pictures (specifically Universal Pictures Co., Inc.) successfully renewed the copyright for this motion picture.
The original registration was filed on May 23, 1949, under registration number LP2341. The renewal was timely filed on July 19, 1976, under renewal registration number R637375. Because the renewal was properly filed, the copyright was extended for a second term, which is now 95 years from the publication date under the 1976 Act. As a result, the film remains under copyright in the United States until January 1, 2045.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (Search: 'The Lady Gambles')
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures, 1940-1949
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (1893-1993)
- Hurst, D. Richard Baer, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (Reference for LP2341)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.