The world's archives

2,689–2,736 of 8,179 films, free to watch, from the world's open archives.

Where these films come from, and who sees what

Every film here plays from the archive that keeps it: the Internet Archive, Wikimedia Commons, the NASA Image and Video Library, the Library of Congress and Open Images (the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision). Nothing is copied to this site. Each film's page names its archive, links to its page there, and states its licence or status as the archive does.

Archive films carry no age ratings, so each is placed from the collections it sits in and the subjects the archive gives it, cautiously. Sexual content and nudity are left out altogether.

Little OnesFilms for young children by name: nursery rhymes, lullabies, preschool.
KidsCartoons and animation, children's and family films, and educational films, unless they deal with war, propaganda, crime, horror or drugs, or carry racial caricature.
TweensDocumentaries, science, nature and space, classic comedies, newsreels, commercials and lectures.
TeensEverything else, including anything we cannot tell about; war, crime, horror and westerns go no lower.
AdultSexual themes (such as the old "sex hygiene" films), gore, surgery, slaughter, atrocity footage.
Internet Archive HURRY SLOWLY 1921 · Educational HURRY SLOWLY 1921 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Tremendous business is setting the pace… Internet Archive Cherry Blossom Time (Japan) / Rice / What Uncle Sam Had Up His Sleeve / Panama Canal 1920 · Educational Cherry Blossom Time (Japan) / Rice / What Uncle Sam Had Up His Sleeve / Panama Canal Produced: 1920 Description The original catalog description provided by… Internet Archive PENMANSHIP, NUMBER ONE.DEMOCRACY IN EDUCATION 1922 · Educational PENMANSHIP, NUMBER ONE.DEMOCRACY IN EDUCATION Produced: 1922 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows:… Internet Archive DAY AT THE MERRILL-PALMER SCHOOL,A 1928 · Educational DAY AT THE MERRILL-PALMER SCHOOL,A Produced: 1928 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: A Day at… Internet Archive THE MODERN PIED PIPER 1924 · Educational THE MODERN PIED PIPER Produced: 1924 Description Dramatizes methods of rodent extermination. Reel 1, a community, plagued with marauding rats, requests… Internet Archive To "Suit" a Man (The Making of Men's Clothing) / To a Queen's Taste (The Making of Candy) / Seminole Indians of Florida 1920 · Educational To "Suit" a Man (The Making of Men's Clothing) / To a Queen's Taste (The Making of Candy) / Seminole Indians of Florida Produced: 1920 Description The… Internet Archive Fifteen Millionth Model T Ford 1927 · Educational Fifteen Millionth Model T Ford Produced: 1927 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Fifteen… Internet Archive [DAY AT THE MERRILL-PALMER SCHOOL,A] 1928 · Educational [DAY AT THE MERRILL-PALMER SCHOOL,A] Produced: 1928 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: A Day at… Internet Archive PANAMA CANAL, THE 1922 · Educational PANAMA CANAL, THE Produced: 1922 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “The Panama Canal was built… Internet Archive SALMON FISHING 1922 · Educational SALMON FISHING Produced: 1922 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Canned salmon is our most… Internet Archive Sugar 1925 · Educational Sugar Produced: 1925 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Arranged in cooperation with the… Internet Archive DAY AT THE MERRILL-PALMER SCHOOL,A 1928 · Educational DAY AT THE MERRILL-PALMER SCHOOL,A 1928 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: A Day at the… Internet Archive HENRY FORD TRADE SCHOOL,THE (PARTS 1-5) 1924 · Educational HENRY FORD TRADE SCHOOL,THE (PARTS 1-5) Covers: ca. 1924–ca. 1927 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as… Internet Archive Thomas A. Edison at General Electric 1923 · Educational Thomas A. Edison at General Electric Produced: 1923 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Thomas… Internet Archive MILK IS FOOD 1921 · Educational MILK IS FOOD Produced: 1921 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Cow’s milk is the cheapest and… Internet Archive Industrial Plant 1925 · Educational Industrial Plant Produced: 1925 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Views of plant interior -… Internet Archive The Way of the West / Wheat and Flour / A Cattle Ranch 1920 · Educational The Way of the West / Wheat and Flour / A Cattle Ranch Produced: 1920 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as… Internet Archive A Day at the Merrill-Palmer School 1928 · Educational A Day at the Merrill-Palmer School Produced: 1928 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “A Day at… Internet Archive CHMHOF 158 1927 Mt Rainer WAS Mill Creek Falls ORE 1927 · Home movie Ellwood F. Hoffmann (1885-1966) Home Movie Collection Ellwood Hoffmann dropped out of school in 6th grade and went to work sweeping the floors at a hosiery… Internet Archive Mrs. R. Dahlinger and Son John / Havana, Cuba, Harbor, and Panama Canal / Mrs. R. Dahlinger and Children / One Man Airplane / Sulky Driving 1927 · Educational Mrs. R. Dahlinger and Son John / Havana, Cuba, Harbor, and Panama Canal / Mrs. R. Dahlinger and Children / One Man Airplane / Sulky Driving Produced: 1927… Internet Archive MESSAGE,THE 1921 · Educational MESSAGE,THE Produced: 1921 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Down through the years has come… Internet Archive A Day at the Merrill-Palmer School 1928 · Educational A Day at the Merrill-Palmer School Produced: 1928 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Teacher… Internet Archive Romeo and Juliet 1926 · Educational Romeo and Juliet Produced: 1926 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Captions describing scenes… Internet Archive [POTTERY MAKING] 1922 · Educational [POTTERY MAKING] Produced: 1922 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Artists painting designs on… Internet Archive CHMHOF 162 1927 So Cal and Riverside 1927 · Home movie Ellwood F. Hoffmann (1885-1966) Home Movie Collection Ellwood Hoffmann dropped out of school in 6th grade and went to work sweeping the floors at a hosiery… Internet Archive WHEN COWBOYS GET TOGETHER 1926 · Educational WHEN COWBOYS GET TOGETHER Produced: 1926 Description Cowboys parade in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and then display rodeo feats: bronco riding, rope tricks,… Internet Archive OUT OF THE SHADOWS 1920 · Educational OUT OF THE SHADOWS Produced: 1920 Description Shows, by dramatization, the contagious character of milk from tubercular cows and emphasizes that infected… Internet Archive BENEFACTOR, THE. [LIFE OF THOMAS A. EDISON. PART III] 1923 · Educational BENEFACTOR, THE. [LIFE OF THOMAS A. EDISON. PART III] Produced: 1923 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as… Internet Archive In the Glory of the Past (Texas) / Happy Hours (Sports) / Sierra Nevada Mountains 1920 · Educational In the Glory of the Past (Texas) / Happy Hours (Sports) / Sierra Nevada Mountains Produced: 1920 Description The original catalog description provided by the… Internet Archive BANANA, THE 1922 · Educational BANANA, THE Produced: 1922 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “The banana has the same food… Internet Archive Ford Farm Scenes / Stagecoach 1926 · Educational Ford Farm Scenes / Stagecoach Produced: 1926 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: a. Threshing… Internet Archive AS DREAMS COME TRUE 1921 · Educational AS DREAMS COME TRUE Produced: 1921 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “The birthplace and early… Internet Archive Old Train / Air Transport of Automobile / Tractor Demonstration / Air Show / Physical Therapy for a Cripple / Phosphate Mining 1920 · Educational Old Train / Air Transport of Automobile / Tractor Demonstration / Air Show / Physical Therapy for a Cripple / Phosphate Mining Produced: 1920 Description The… Internet Archive [DETROIT TIGERS BASEBALL GAME] 1929 · Educational [DETROIT TIGERS BASEBALL GAME] Produced: 1929 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Band parades… Internet Archive MEAT PACKING 1922 · Educational MEAT PACKING Produced: 1922 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “The United States is first in… Internet Archive THE HORSE IN MOTION 1923 · Educational THE HORSE IN MOTION Produced: 1923 Description Shows the leg and body action of horses running, pacing, trotting, and jumping. Includes shots of pacing and… Internet Archive ORANGES AND OLIVES 1922 · Educational ORANGES AND OLIVES Produced: 1922 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Orange trees are first… Internet Archive [HAROLD LLOYD COMEDY. PART 1] 1923 · Educational [HAROLD LLOYD COMEDY. PART 1] Produced: 1923 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Harold Lloyd in… Internet Archive Number Please (Telephone Switchboard) / Lumbering 1920 · Educational Number Please (Telephone Switchboard) / Lumbering Produced: 1920 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as… Internet Archive IRON AND STEEL, PART I 1920 · Educational IRON AND STEEL, PART I Produced: 1920 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “This is the Age of… Internet Archive FORD WAY OF MINING COAL,THE 1924 · Educational FORD WAY OF MINING COAL,THE Produced: 1924 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “In making its… Internet Archive LUMBER INDUSTRY 1920 · Educational LUMBER INDUSTRY Produced: 1920 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Forest areas of United… Internet Archive JOURNEYS THROUGH `THE VALLEY OF EARTHS DELIGHT' 1921 · Educational JOURNEYS THROUGH `THE VALLEY OF EARTHS DELIGHT' Produced: 1921 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as… Internet Archive REAWAKENING, THE 1920 · Educational REAWAKENING, THE Produced: 1920 Description French ambulance corpsmen moving wounded soldier from bunker to ambulance. “The storm of the battle is over, and… Internet Archive Steel Mill Scenes / Ford Mail Plane / Automobile Manufacturing / Ford Tri-Motor Airplane Assembly 1926 · Educational Steel Mill Scenes / Ford Mail Plane / Automobile Manufacturing / Ford Tri-Motor Airplane Assembly Produced: 1926 Description The original catalog description… Internet Archive SOME OF UNCLE SAM'S WORKSHOPS [POST OFFICE] 1922 · Educational SOME OF UNCLE SAM'S WORKSHOPS [POST OFFICE] Produced: 1922 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows:… Internet Archive RIOTS AND STRIKES IN THE UNITED STATES 1920 · Educational RIOTS AND STRIKES IN THE UNITED STATES Covers: ca. 1920–ca. 1935 https://catalog.archives.gov/id/24163 Internet Archive SCREW WORMS AND HOW TO FIGHT THEM 1920 · Educational SCREW WORMS AND HOW TO FIGHT THEM Produced: 1920 Description Shows the life cycle of the screw worm fly which infests wounds of sheep and other animals in the…