Public Domain
The Wonderful Chance
1920 · Selznick Pictures Corporation · Dir. George Archainbaud
Upon leaving prison, an ex con vows to go straight, but circumstances force him to return to crime. Meanwhile, a gang of crooks kidnaps a visiting British aristocrat, but the ex-con has an incredible likeness to the Englishman, and his intended hosts take him home to their mansion.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The Wonderful Chance is a silent American drama directed by George Archainbaud and starring Eugene O'Brien. It was released in the United States on September 27, 1920, by Selznick Pictures Corporation. Under US copyright law, all works published before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of registration or renewal status.
As a 1920 release, the film's maximum possible copyright term (including the initial 28-year term and a 67-year renewal extension) expired at the end of 1995. Even if the film had been properly registered and renewed, it became public domain on January 1, 1996. Consequently, no current copyright protections exist for this work in the United States.
Note: generated without live web grounding (the grounded research engine was unavailable). Verify the cited sources independently before relying on this determination.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films: The Wonderful Chance (1920)
- IMDb: The Wonderful Chance (1920)
- Library of Congress, Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912-1939
- U.S. Copyright Office Circular 15a: Duration of Copyright
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.