Protected
The Scarlet Empress
1934 · Paramount Productions, Inc. · Dir. Josef von Sternberg
During the 18th century, German noblewoman Sophia Frederica, who would later become Catherine the Great, travels to Moscow to marry the dimwitted Grand Duke Peter, the heir to the Russian throne. Their arranged marriage proves to be loveless, and Catherine takes many lovers, including the handsome Count Alexei, and bears a son. When the unstable Peter eventually ascends to the throne, Catherine plots to oust him from power.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The Scarlet Empress (1934), directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Marlene Dietrich, is currently protected by US copyright. Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works from 1934 required a renewal in their 28th year to maintain protection. The film was originally registered by Paramount Productions, Inc. on September 12, 1934, under registration number LP4926.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress CCE confirms that the copyright was successfully renewed by Paramount Pictures Corp. on March 9, 1962, under renewal number R292025. This renewal extended the copyright for a second term, which was later further extended to a total of 95 years from the publication date by the Copyright Act of 1976 and the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998. Consequently, the film will not enter the public domain until January 1, 2030.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (R292025)
- Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912–1939 (LP4926)
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1894-1939 (Hurst/Baer)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.