# RightsAtlas Research Packet — Charade (1963)

> ⚠️ **NOT legal advice.** This is a primary-source research packet describing **United States** copyright status only. It is not a clearance certificate and not a DMCA counter-notification. Verify independently before any platform dispute.

**Scope:** Tier A — **film-print layer only**. Music, story, trademark, and restorations are NOT cleared by this packet.
**Packet version:** `2026-07-12-c2bade8`  ·  **Generated:** 2026-10-05  ·  **Country:** US  ·  **Last verified:** 2026-07-12

## ⚠️ Sound recordings (pre-1972)
Sound recordings fixed before **15 Feb 1972** can be protected under state law / the Music Modernization Act until **2067 or later** — the film *print* being public domain does **not** free the music track. Assume the recorded score is a claim risk.

## Film print — Verified public domain
- **notice_failure:** Universal's release prints carried a defective copyright notice (omitting the required elements), placing the photoplay in the US public domain on publication in 1963 under the 1909 Act. This is one of the most-cited notice-failure cases in film-copyright literature. — [Wikipedia summary with sources](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charade_(1963_film)#Copyright_status)
- **hosting:** Hosted openly for two decades on the Internet Archive and included in countless budget releases without challenge to the print itself. — [Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/turner_video_341)


## Other layers — NOT cleared by this packet

| Layer | Status | Evidence on file |
|---|---|---|
| Music score | Not public domain | 1 item(s) |
| Underlying story / screenplay | Undetermined | 1 item(s) |
| Character trademarks | Likely public domain | 1 item(s) |
| Restorations / re-releases | Not public domain | 1 item(s) |

## What this means
- **Watching:** Watching via the linked archival copies is generally the lowest-risk activity.
- **Reusing / monetizing:** One or more rights layers appears protected or restored — reusing this film commercially is risky without licensing or specific legal advice.

## Archival copies
- [Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/turner_video_340) · varies

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_Valid as of 2026-10-05. Copyright status can change — check the live dossier before relying on this in a dispute:_ https://bitgitty.github.io/rightsatlas/film/charade-1963/