The world's archives

1,729–1,776 of 42,480 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 Thursday's Child 1943 · Feature · 1 h 21 min Title: Thursday's Child Summary: Family tensions arise when a schoolgirl becomes a successful child actor. Directed by: Rodney Ackland Actors: Sally Ann… Internet Archive The Living Ghost 1942 · Feature Title: The Living Ghost Summary: Wise-cracking ex-detective Nick Trayne is called in to try to find the whereabouts of wealthy kidnap victim Walter Craig.… Internet Archive Using the Bank 1947 · Film · Subtitles MAN DEPOSITS CASH & CHECK IN SAVINGS ACCOUNT, RECEIVES INTEREST, BORROWS MONEY FOR HIS BUSINESS, SIGNS NOTE FOR IT, OPENS CHECKING ACCOUNT, ENTERS… Internet Archive Boys in Brown 1949 · Feature Title: Boys in Brown Summary: A slice of life in a British Borstal reform institution for young criminals. Directed by: Montgomery Tully Actors: Jack Warner,… Internet Archive Rockefeller Center 1945 · Film · Subtitles "An armchair tour of behind-the-scenes activities at Rockefeller Center. It offers a complete inspection of this amazing city-within-a-city, literally from… Internet Archive [Good Grooming for Girls] 1940 · Film · Subtitles Takes place at an engagement shower for a young woman. A mother or teacher explains glamor and how it is achieved by good grooming. Static and talky, but… Internet Archive Making Ends Meet 1942 · Short · 6 min · Subtitles Demonstrates the value of inexpensive meals, saving in food buying and the importance of milk in the diet, as suggestions for adequate nutrition under the… Internet Archive How to Keep a Job 1949 · Film · Subtitles More conventional wisdom from Coronet presented through the use of the classic "Goofus and Gallant" device. Internet Archive The Pilgrim Lady 1947 · Feature Title: The Pilgrim Lady Summary: Dennis Carter ( Warren Douglas ), the head of a detective agency, and his secretary, Henrietta Rankin ( Lynne Roberts ), get… Internet Archive The Great Flamarion 1945 ★★★ CC: Film-Noir/Mystery [1:17:26] 1945 · Feature · 1 h 18 min · Subtitles The Great Flamarion is a 1945 American film noir mystery film directed by Anthony Mann. Starring Erich von Stroheim and Mary Beth Hughes. The film, like many… Internet Archive Crime of the Century 1946 · Feature Title: Crime of the Century Summary: Ex-convict Hank Rogers is searching for his brother Jim, a newspaperman, and becomes involved with a group of people… Internet Archive Little Lulu: Bored of Education 1946 · Cartoon · 6 min Little Lulu: Bored of Education is a classic cartoon featuring Little Lulu and her classmate Tubby as they experience a series of events out of a history… Internet Archive Aerial Gunner 1943 · Feature · 1 h 18 min Title: Aerial Gunner Summary: Old rivals are pitted against each other in basic training and fight for the same woman. Directed by: William H. Pine Actors:… Internet Archive Ways to Good Habits 1949 · Film · Subtitles TWO BOYS HELP EACH OTHER DEVELOP GOOD HABITS, ONE IN SOFTBALL, OTHER IN PERSONALITY. STEPS IN HABIT FORMATION ARE EXPLAINED AS IDENTIFYING PROBLEM, GETTING… Internet Archive Life Begins at Eight-Thirty 1942 · Feature Title: Life Begins at Eight-Thirty Summary: Kathy lives in a cramped New York flat with her father Madden Thomas, a celebrated actor brought down by drink.… Internet Archive Young Widow 1946 · Feature Title: Young Widow Summary: A grieving war widow meets a young Lieutenant but spurns him for trying too hard to gain her affection. Will she give him a second… Internet Archive South of Panama 1941 · Feature Title: South of Panama Summary: Jan Martin, sister of government chemist Paul Martin, realizes she is being followed by enemy agents after her brother. She… Internet Archive Safeguarding Military Information 1941 · Film · Subtitles Stresses the importance of secrecy on the part of military personnel and workers engaged in defense activities, and shows the results of careless talk. Ship… Internet Archive The Common Touch 1941 · Feature Title: The Common Touch Summary: On the death of his father, an eighteen-year old lad leaves school to take over the family firm in the City of London.… Internet Archive Web of Danger 1947 · Feature Title: Web of Danger Summary: Ernie Reardon, the superintendent, and Bill O'Hara, the foreman, of a construction company crew working on a bridge to a remote… Internet Archive Pharmacist, The 1946 · Short · 9 min · Subtitles Career opportunities. Internet Archive Growth of Cities 1942 · Film · Subtitles Explains the natural influences affecting the location and growth of cities. Describes with animated maps, the gradual growth of American cities from trading… Internet Archive You and Your Bicycle 1948 · Film · Subtitles SAFETY SCENES FROM OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA CONTAINING SIMULATED ACCIDENTS, SAFE & UNSAFE BIKE CONDUCT. LOTS OF GOOD STREET & CITY STOCK MATERIAL. Internet Archive The House of the Seven Gables (1940) 1940 · Feature The House of the Seven Gables , directed by Joe May, is based on Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel of the same name. The film presents a blend of mystery, romance,… Internet Archive Welcome to Southern California 1945 · Film · Subtitles Content warning: The voiceover narration of this film speaks in a disparaging or patronizing manner about Chinese American and Mexican American culture. It… Internet Archive Mussolini Executed, 1945/04/30 1945 · Newsreel · Subtitles Mussolini Executed - "Il Duce Obit 1945 - Benito Mussolini orates before his Black Shirt Legions and confers with his arch conspirator, Hitler. Reverses… Internet Archive What Is Business? 1948 · Film · Subtitles Gives students a view of business in the world around them. Business sets the scene and provides the props. It produces Mother's pen, the bread on the… Internet Archive Sakura (1946) 1946 · Feature A visually artistic animation with no real story. It follows a pair of butterflies as they drift past various beautiful depictions of people and animals.… Internet Archive House of Strangers (1949) 1949 · Feature House of Strangers is a 1949 American drama film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and starring Edward G. Robinson, Susan Hayward, and Richard Conte.It follows… Internet Archive Long Way to Go Says FDR, 1943/09/09 1943 · Newsreel · Subtitles (1) - "Pres. Roosevelt cites Italy's capitulation as a victory for the Italian people, as well as for Gen. Eisenhower, as he officially opens the Third War… Internet Archive Love in Waiting 1948 · Feature Title: Love in Waiting Summary: Set in England, post-World War II; three young women attempt to balance their waitress jobs and their respective love-lives… Internet Archive Open Door: The Story of Foreman Jim Baxter and His Family, The 1945 · Film · Subtitles 08:23:38 CU hand turns and opens door. The story of foreman Jim Baxter, his family, and his job. 08:24:20 CU outside view window of clapboard house with… Internet Archive Combat America 1945 · Film · Subtitles Follows the Flying Fortress crews of the 351st Bombardment Group from the end of their training at a Colorado training field to actual combat over Germany. It… Internet Archive Manila Free of Japanese Domination, 1945/03/22 1945 · Newsreel · Subtitles "The Battle of Manila (Additional pictures, just received, showing the details of the terrible battle between MacArthur's Armies and the fanatical Japs). The… Internet Archive Campus on the March 1942 · Short · 18 min · Subtitles U.S. colleges and universities retool to assist war effort. Internet Archive Captain America: Chapter 1 - The Purple Death 1944 · Short · 25 min Taken from IMDB :Superhero Captain America battles the evil forces of the arch-villain called The Scarab, who poisons his enemies and steals a secret device… Internet Archive Puppetry: String Marionettes 1947 · Film · Subtitles Accompanies a little boy as he visits a puppeteer's workshop and reveals the craftsman at work constructing one of the marionettes - carving the wooden parts,… Internet Archive Momotaro no umiwashi (1943) 1943 · Feature Momotarō no Umiwashi (桃太郎の海鷲, literally Momotarō’s Sea Eagles) is an animated Japanese propaganda film produced in 1942 by Geijutsu Eigasha and released March… Internet Archive Man to Man 1947 · Short · 23 min · Subtitles Salesmanship and psychology instruction for gun dealers. Internet Archive Unid. Soundie "Boogie-Woogie Man" (Juvenile Jubilee) 1940 · Film · Subtitles Big band. 00:08:51:26 - 00:11:11:22 B/W Sound 1940s Man in tuxedo & woman in gown perform raucous "Boogie-Woogie Man" jazz song atop piano, singing & dancing… Internet Archive Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill 1948 · Feature Title: Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill Summary: An elderly British schoolmaster is upset when a new teacher comes to the school and is an immediate success with the… Internet Archive Radiotherapy: High Dosage Treatment 1945 · Film · Subtitles nuclear medicine; radiation therapy; doctor performing an in-office biopsy on a patient under local anesthesia; patient's condition is diagnosed as carcinoma… Internet Archive Fire 1946 · Film · Subtitles USE OF FIRE IN COOKING, HEATING, PRODUCING LIGHT, & DESTROYING RUBBISH. REQUISITES OF ALL FIRES -- FUEL, OXYGEN & KINDLING, TEMPERATURE -- ARE SHOWN & IN… Internet Archive [Amateur film: Parade of Krewe of Rex, New Orleans, February 25, 1941] 1941 · Home movie · 9 min · Subtitles New Orleans festivities as they looked just before World War II. Internet Archive Black Friday (1940) Boris Karloff 1940 · Feature Black Friday (1940) Boris Karloff Internet Archive Mystery Broadcast 1943 · Feature Title: Mystery Broadcast Summary: A radio detective sets out to solve an old murder case, with the help of her sound man and another radio detective. They… Internet Archive Post Office Investigator 1949 · Feature Title: Post Office Investigator Summary: A young postman becomes involved in the theft of rare stamps featuring inverted images of the Statue of Liberty.… Internet Archive The Living Ghost 1942 · Feature · 59 min · Subtitles A poverty-row mystery starring James Dunn. Also known as "A Walking Nightmare".