Public Domain
The Pony Express
1925 · Famous Players-Lasky / Paramount Pictures · Dir. James Cruze
The Pony Express is a silent 1925 Western film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by James Cruze and starred his wife Betty Compson along with Ricardo Cortez, Wallace Beery, and George Bancroft.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The Pony Express, directed by James Cruze and released in 1925 by Famous Players-Lasky (Paramount), is in the public domain in the United States. Under current U.S. copyright law, all works published before January 1, 1929, have seen their statutory copyright terms expire, entering the public domain regardless of whether they were originally registered or renewed.
Even if the pre-1929 rule did not apply, the film's copyright status was historically clear: it was originally registered on September 15, 1925 (LP21829), but records show no renewal was filed during the 28th year of its initial term (1952-1953) as required by the Copyright Act of 1909. The film is widely cited in public domain registries, including 'Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain,' and is freely available for distribution and archival use.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office, Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912-1939 (LCCN 53060018)
- Hurst, Richard Maurice, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1894-1939
- Stanford University Copyright Renewal Database (search results for 1925 titles)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (The Pony Express, 1925)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.