Public Domain
Woman on the Run
1950 · Fidelity Pictures Corporation · Dir. Norman Foster
Frank Johnson, a sole witness to a gangland murder, goes into hiding and is trailed by Police Inspector Ferris, on the theory that Frank is trying to escape from possible retaliation. Frank's wife, Eleanor, suspects he is actually running away from their unsuccessful marriage. Aided by a newspaperman, Danny Leggett, Eleanor sets out to locate her husband. The killer is also looking for him, and keeps close tabs on Eleanor.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Woman on the Run was released in 1950 and registered for copyright on October 30, 1950, by Fidelity Pictures Corp. (LP494). Under the 1909 Copyright Act, works from 1950 required a renewal filing with the US Copyright Office during their 28th year to extend protection to the second 56-year term.
Research of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries confirms that no renewal was filed for this title in 1977 or 1978. Because the copyright was not renewed within the statutory window, the work entered the public domain in the United States upon the expiration of its first term on December 31, 1978. This public domain status is well-documented in the Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain and Pierce's Motion Picture Copyrights and Renewals. The film was later famously restored by the Film Noir Foundation and UCLA Film & Television Archive because the original elements were deteriorating while in the public domain.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1950-1959 (Hurst/Baer)
- David Pierce, Motion Picture Copyrights and Renewals, 1950-1959
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE)
- Film Noir Foundation preservation records
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.