Re: RARA-AVIS: Re: No new Maltese Falcon movie

From: funkmasterj@runbox.com
Date: 05 Nov 2007


----- Start Original Message ----- Sent: Fri, 2 Nov 2007 11:41:18 -0700 (PDT) From: William Harker < william_harker@yahoo.com> To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: Re: No new Maltese Falcon movie

> As I was commencing research on a proposed book covering the Spade Radio Show copyright infringment trial initiated by Warner Bros. and Knopf against CBS, Hammett and others, I had a chance to exchange e-mails with Helen Borgers and learn a bit more about Hammett's granddaughter's involvement. The trial transcript and defense memoranda are actually pretty interesting once you wade through all the legal material as they cite literally dozens of detective fiction authors and their detectives and the way the copyrights were handled. Of course, eventually CBS and Hammett won (Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal) but the decision has been superceded by several other copyright decisions by the Supreme Court that place in serious doubt whether CBS and Hammett could now win the case.

They have a little exhibit on the case at the Library of Congress. I noticed it when I went to interview for a job at the Copyright Office in 2005.

Jordan

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