Public Domain
The Two Paths
1911 · Biograph Company · Dir. D.W. Griffith
Two sisters, Nellie and Florence, support themselves and their mother by sewing. A man accompanying a wealthy client tempts first Nellie and then Florence to leave with him. Nellie rejects him, but Florence goes to his decadent apartment and becomes his mistress. Nellie marries a diligent carpenter and raises a growing family. Eventually the Tempter tosses Florence out, and she dies alone and impoverished.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The Two Paths is a definitive public domain work in the United States due to its publication year. Under US copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have seen their statutory copyright terms expire and have entered the public domain regardless of renewal status.
This specific short film was directed by D.W. Griffith for the Biograph Company and was released on January 2, 1911. The film was originally registered for copyright by the Biograph Co. on January 5, 1911, under registration number J150508. Because the maximum possible protection term for works of this era was 95 years (assuming valid renewal), the copyright would have expired no later than the end of 2006 even if modern extensions were applied. Currently, the 1928 cutoff for the public domain (as of 2023) makes this film's status incontrovertible.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1894-1912
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Short Film Records)
- Hurst, Richard Maurice. Film Superlist: 1894-1939
- Internet Archive: The Two Paths (1911)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.