The world's archives

2,833–2,880 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 [FARM PROGRESS [FORDSON ADVERTISEMENT] [PART I] 1924 · Commercial [FARM PROGRESS [FORDSON ADVERTISEMENT] [PART I] Produced: 1924 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as… Internet Archive Balloon Race and Airplanes on Field 1928 · Educational Balloon Race and Airplanes on Field Produced: 1928 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Several… Internet Archive Berry School, Rome, Georgia 1927 · Educational Berry School, Rome, Georgia 1927 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Berry Schools, Rome, Ga.,… Internet Archive NIAGARA FALLS 1921 · Educational NIAGARA FALLS Produced: 1921 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Niagara Falls is one of… Internet Archive SILVERWARE 1920 · Educational SILVERWARE Produced: 1920 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Silversmithing is an old art and… Internet Archive In For a Raise (Making Baking Powder) / Macaroni 1920 · Educational In For a Raise (Making Baking Powder) / Macaroni Produced: 1920 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as… Internet Archive [FORD TRI-MOTOR AT BARCELONA, SPAIN] 1926 · Educational [FORD TRI-MOTOR AT BARCELONA, SPAIN] Produced: 1926 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Sheep… Internet Archive Dairy Industry / Sponge Fishing Industry / San Antonio, Texas / Dairy Industry 1920 · Educational Dairy Industry / Sponge Fishing Industry / San Antonio, Texas / Dairy Industry Produced: 1920 Description The original catalog description provided by the… Internet Archive The Sex Life of the Polyp 1928 · Feature Internet Archive (ARMY OLYMPIC TRIALS, 1920.) 1920 · Educational (ARMY OLYMPIC TRIALS, 1920.) Produced: 1920 Description Unedited footage of contests held at Washington University, St. Louis, Mo. Reel 1 shows sprint,… Internet Archive WINTER LOGGING IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS 1921 · Educational WINTER LOGGING IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS Produced: 1921 Description Birch and spruce are felled in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire, logs are… Internet Archive SUGAR CANE AND CANE SUGAR 1923 · Educational SUGAR CANE AND CANE SUGAR Produced: 1923 Description Shows sugar cane growing and processing operations in Louisiana. Fields are planted, cultivated with… Internet Archive DATE CULTURE IN IRAQ 1929 · Educational DATE CULTURE IN IRAQ Produced: 1929 Description Reel 1, dates are picked, pressed, and boxed near Basrah and Baghdad, Iraq. Includes shots of date workers… Internet Archive Farm Scenes 1923 · Educational Farm Scenes Produced: 1923 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Horse-drawn steam engine moving… Internet Archive Cherry Blossom Time / Rice 1920 · Educational Cherry Blossom Time / Rice Produced: 1920 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: a. Picture of… Internet Archive A Trip on the Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad 1923 · Educational A Trip on the Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad Produced: 1923 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as… Internet Archive Ford Car and Ben Nevis Mountain, Great Britain / Famous Faces / Ford Car and Ben Nevis Mountain, Great Britain 1928 · Educational Ford Car and Ben Nevis Mountain, Great Britain / Famous Faces / Ford Car and Ben Nevis Mountain, Great Britain 1928 Description The original catalog… Internet Archive MAKING UPHOLSTERY CLOTH 1927 · Educational MAKING UPHOLSTERY CLOTH Produced: 1927 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Making Upholstery… Internet Archive TOUR THROUGH THE ROUGE PLANT, A. [PART 1] 1926 · Educational TOUR THROUGH THE ROUGE PLANT, A. [PART 1] Produced: 1926 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Man… Internet Archive "Current" Occurrence (Testing Electric Percolators) / President [Calvin] Coolidge Presenting Scholarship / Safety First / Scientific Farming 1925 · Educational "Current" Occurrence (Testing Electric Percolators) / President [Calvin] Coolidge Presenting Scholarship / Safety First / Scientific Farming Produced: 1925… Internet Archive HISTORICAL STOCK FOOTAGE 1920 · Educational HISTORICAL STOCK FOOTAGE Covers: ca. 1920–ca. 1929 https://catalog.archives.gov/id/84689 Internet Archive Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad, and Lima Locomotive Works 1922 · Educational Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad, and Lima Locomotive Works Produced: 1922 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor… Internet Archive Dancing at Botsford Inn / Mary Had a Little Lamb: Scenes of Colonial Life / A Merry Christmas to All / Henry Ford Camping Party 1927 · Educational Dancing at Botsford Inn / Mary Had a Little Lamb: Scenes of Colonial Life / A Merry Christmas to All / Henry Ford Camping Party Produced: 1927 Description The… Internet Archive HENRY FORD TRADE SCHOOL. PART 4 1927 · Educational HENRY FORD TRADE SCHOOL. PART 4 1927 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “The school foundry… Internet Archive Football and Baseball Games 1925 · Educational Football and Baseball Games Produced: 1925 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Boys playing… Internet Archive Mexican Seacoast / Grand Canyon of the Colorado / Yosemite Valley, California 1920 · Educational Mexican Seacoast / Grand Canyon of the Colorado / Yosemite Valley, California Produced: 1920 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford… Internet Archive GARDEN GOLD 1921 · Educational GARDEN GOLD Produced: 1921 Description Dramatizes the benefits of exercise and food products received by a city dweller who joins a community garden project… Internet Archive Phosphate Mine / Lake Shore and Ships 1927 · Educational Phosphate Mine / Lake Shore and Ships Produced: 1927 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: a.… Internet Archive Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad 1922 · Educational Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad Produced: 1922 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows:… Internet Archive FOREST FIRE 1928 · Educational FOREST FIRE Produced: 1928 Description Rangers and fire fighters of the Forest Service detect and extinguish large and small forest fires. Shows how supplies… Internet Archive Flexibility: Ford Automobile Advertisement / The Ten-Millionth Car / Flexibility: Ford Automobile Advertisement 1924 · Commercial Flexibility: Ford Automobile Advertisement / The Ten-Millionth Car / Flexibility: Ford Automobile Advertisement Produced: 1924 Description The original… Internet Archive LIVE AND LET LIVE [SAFETY EDUCATION] 1922 · Educational LIVE AND LET LIVE [SAFETY EDUCATION] Produced: 1922 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “George… Internet Archive Open Pit Mining / Snow-Covered Tree and Scale Model of Highland Park Plant 1927 · Educational Open Pit Mining / Snow-Covered Tree and Scale Model of Highland Park Plant Produced: 1927 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford… Internet Archive Foundry / What the Ocean Hides: Shark Fishing 1921 · Educational Foundry / What the Ocean Hides: Shark Fishing Produced: 1921 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows:… Internet Archive CENTURY OF PROGRESS, A 1921 · Educational CENTURY OF PROGRESS, A Produced: 1921 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “A century ago, the… Internet Archive Defying Destiny 1923 · Film Melodrama in which a wronged man, played by Monte Blue, changes his appearance through plastic surgery and returns home to reclaim his good name and win his… Internet Archive MGM 1928 B 1928 · Film 1928 MGM logo with Telly. Don't be afraid of the MGM lion. He's not going to bite you. Internet Archive DESTROYING NARCOTICS 1928 · Educational DESTROYING NARCOTICS Covers: 1928–1937 Description Consists of extracts of ten newsreels showing mostly the destruction of narcotics by the police of several… Internet Archive THE STORY OF WHITE PINE 1920 · Educational THE STORY OF WHITE PINE Produced: 1920 Description White pine is cut and taken to a mill. Shows products from the pine. Explains methods of planting pine… Internet Archive SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT [POULTRY] 1921 · Educational SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT [POULTRY] Produced: 1921 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “As far… Internet Archive UNDER THE GREAT STONE FACE 1920 · Educational UNDER THE GREAT STONE FACE Produced: 1920 Description Shows scenes of natural splendor in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire. Includes shots… Internet Archive CRASH OF SHENANDOAH 1920 · Educational CRASH OF SHENANDOAH Covers: ca. 1920–ca. 1939 https://catalog.archives.gov/id/76830 Internet Archive Captured Japanese film, scenes in unidentified town 1928 · Educational Captured Japanese film, scenes in unidentified town Produced: 1928 https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78604 Internet Archive WAKE UP [2]. [FORD AUTOMOBILE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN] 1928 · Educational WAKE UP [2]. [FORD AUTOMOBILE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN] Produced: 1928 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company… Internet Archive Our Gang Touring Ford Plant / Ford Mooring Tower Located at Detroit, Michigan / Our Gang Touring Ford Plant / Airplane on Pontoons 1925 · Educational Our Gang Touring Ford Plant / Ford Mooring Tower Located at Detroit, Michigan / Our Gang Touring Ford Plant / Airplane on Pontoons Produced: 1925 Description… Internet Archive Lights Golden Anniversary 1929 · Educational Lights Golden Anniversary Produced: 1929 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “World Hails… Internet Archive Henry Ford Camping Party / Henry Ford with Tractor / Henry Ford at Railroad Station and Ford Plants / Ore Ship "Henry Ford II" / Assembling and Testing Ford Automobiles / Ten Millionth Ford / Aerial… 1920 · Educational Henry Ford Camping Party / Henry Ford with Tractor / Henry Ford at Railroad Station and Ford Plants / Ore Ship "Henry Ford II" / Assembling and Testing Ford… Internet Archive Nassau 1921 · Educational Nassau Produced: 1921 Description The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: Scenes of business district,…