Name: The Lure of the Gown
Director: D.W. Griffith
Released: 1909

The Lure of the Gown

1909 · Biograph Company · Dir. D.W. Griffith

"Fine feathers make fine birds", and handsome gowns make handsome women. Hence it is when Isabelle appears on the scene clad in a gown that is a masterpiece of the dressmaker's art she easily fascinates the male contingent, among whom is Enrico, the sweetheart of Veronica, a street singer. Enrico is so enraptured at the sight of Isabelle in her resplendent attire that he becomes her abject slave, casting aside the poor, peasant-clad little Italian street singer, who has loved him devotedly. Crushed almost beyond endurance the poor girl stands sobbing at the entrance of the park where the inconsistent lever left her. Her tears attract the attention of a wealthy young couple who happen to pass. In answer to their queries she tells them how contemptibly her sweetheart acted, and all because of the fascinating influence of a gown.

Confidence

100

Why this status applies

The Lure of the Gown is a short drama directed by D.W. Griffith and produced by the Biograph Company. It was released in the United States on March 15, 1909. Under U.S. copyright law, all works published before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of whether they were originally registered or renewed. Because the film was released in 1909, its maximum possible copyright term (which would have been 56 years under the 1909 Act, or later extended by the 1976 Act for works still in their renewal term) has long since expired. The film is definitively in the public domain in the United States due to the expiration of its statutory copyright term.

Why this status applies

Supporting facts