The world's archives

1,969–2,016 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 Safeguarding Military Information 1941 · Short · 10 min · Subtitles Loose lips sink ships. Internet Archive Secretary's Day, The 1947 · Film · Subtitles The daily activities of a secretary are compared with those of a stenographer to show the added responsibilities and duties of the secretary. Internet Archive Eatin' on the Cuff or the Moth Who Came to Dinner (1942) 1942 · Feature Eatin’ on the Cuff or The Moth Who Came to Dinner is a 1942 Looney Tunes short directed by Bob Clampett. Watch on RetroFlix.org:… Internet Archive Musica-Lulu (1947) 1947 · Feature Lulu is put on trial by talking musical instruments for neglecting her violin. Watch on RetroFlix: https://retroflix.org/musica-lulu-1947/ Internet Archive The Lady from Shanghai (1947) 1947 · Feature A romantic drifter gets caught between a corrupt tycoon and his voluptuous wife. Watch on RetroFlix.org: https://retroflix.org/the-lady-from-shanghai-1947/ Internet Archive The Time of Your Life 1948 · Feature · 1 h 40 min Title: The Time of Your Life Summary: A wide variety of persons come into Nick's Pacific Street Saloon, some to ask for work and others just to pass the time.… Internet Archive Baby Wants a Bottleship (1942) 1942 · Feature Olive is going shopping and drops Swee'pea off for Popeye to watch. Popeye carves a sailboat for him, but the tyke spots Popeye's battleship, and the puny toy… Internet Archive Somewhere in Civvies 1943 · Feature Title: Somewhere in Civvies Summary: Directed by: Maclean Rogers Actors: Frank Randle, George Doonan, Suzette Tarri Production Company: Butcher's Film Service… Internet Archive Which Way This Time? 1940 · Film · Subtitles Log from PA-0544. Great stock shots to be logged. great animation. animation of stars making American flag animation of war paintings animation of wartime… Internet Archive Dragonwyck (1946) 1946 · Feature " Dragonwyck " is a 1946 film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz . The movie is based on Anya Seton's novel of the same name and features themes of gothic… Internet Archive 1949 - Roller Derby - New York vs Philadelphia 1949 · Commercial · 34 min · Subtitles Here is a classic roller derby game from 1949. This game is sponsored by Blatz Beer (The sponsor of the Amos 'n' Andy TV series.), and features New York… Internet Archive Belo Horizonte 1949 · Film · Subtitles Explains the development of Belo Horizonte, Brazil's 'PLANNED CITY WITH A PLAN.'. Internet Archive [Amateur film: "Travel/Cities"] 1947 · Commercial · 9 min · Subtitles Home movie showing travels to key U.S. tourist destinations, mostly by air. Internet Archive Porky's Bear Facts (1941) 1941 · Feature Porky’s Bear Facts is a 1941 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon animated short directed by Friz Freleng. The short was released on March 29, 1941, and stars… Internet Archive Speech: Platform Posture and Appearance 1949 · Film · Subtitles Deals with the importance of proper posture and good appearance for the public speaker. Each element is treated from the viewpoint of the inexperienced… Internet Archive We, the Animals Squeak! (1941) 1941 · Feature We, the Animals Squeak! is a 1941 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon short directing Bob Clampett. The short was released on August 9, 1941, and stars Porky… Internet Archive The Attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 in color! [Colorized HD footage] 1941 · Feature This is a compilation of the best public domain filmfragments about the attack on Pearl Harbour in Hawaii on 7 December 1941. The material has been motion… Internet Archive Negro Colleges in Wartime 1943 · Educational · Subtitles Content warning: the title of this film and the writing about it quoted below include an outdated term for historically Black colleges and universities.… Internet Archive The Golden Eye (1948) DVD MKV 1948 · Feature DVD remux of the 1948 Monogram Pictures film "The Golden Eye." IMDb TMDB Wikipedia The Golden Eye is a 1948 American film directed by William Beaudine and… Internet Archive Classic TV: ''Howdy Doody'' - 8th March 1949 1949 · TV · 29 min · Subtitles Episode of "Howdy Doody" telecast on 8th March 1949. Starring Buffalo Bob Smith. Complete with Network ID. This episode features comedy, music, puppetry, and… Internet Archive Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1882-1945 1945 · Film · Subtitles This biographical sketch of the late President Roosevelt starts with scenes of his funeral. The film then goes back to scenes of his entry into politics in… Internet Archive Command Performance 1942 · Film · Subtitles PROCEDURES INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF SHELLAC RECORDS ARE SHOWN IN DETAIL, INCLUDING THE MAKING OF THE ORIGINAL MASTER PLATE, THE MOTHER PLATE & STAMPERS.… Internet Archive Your Chance of a Lifetime! 1941 · Film · Subtitles In 1941, the United States is experiencing an unprecedented industrial boom fueled by government investments exceeding $44 billion. This surge in production… Internet Archive Facts About Film 1948 · Film · Subtitles Shows the harmful effects on 16mm film of improper projector cleaning, film threading, film rewinding and placement of film in can. Internet Archive I Want to Be a Secretary 1941 · Film · Subtitles DISCUSSES CLERICAL APTITUDES & POINTS OUT THE PREPARATION NEEDED BEFORE ONE CAN BECOME A SECRETARY. Many shots of rooms full of women typists. Internet Archive Carnival 1946 · Feature Title: Carnival Summary: A dancer attempts to escape from the narrow conventions of society and from the fate foretold for her at her birth. Directed by:… Internet Archive Sorting, Checking and Packing Grocery Orders in Self-Serve Store 1940 · Film · Subtitles Great shots of groceries being rung up, 1940s grocery store, 1940s grocery assemblies. 1940s canned goods, packaged and unpackaged foods, meats in butcher… Internet Archive ''Texaco Star Theater'' - 22 March 1949 1949 · TV · 59 min · Subtitles An episode of "Texaco Star Theater", a very popular comedy-variety series starring Milton Berle. His guests in this episode include singer Ethel Merman, actor… Internet Archive Let's Play Fair 1949 · Short · 8 min · Subtitles Sharing, taking turns and obeying rules are the basic elements of fair play. Internet Archive His Girl Friday (1940) 1940 · Feature Walter Burns is an irresistibly conniving newspaper publisher desperate to woo back his paper’s star reporter, who also happens to be his estranged wife.… Internet Archive Navy Tests Twin Jet Fighter, 1948/11/22 1948 · Newsreel · Subtitles "Patuxent, MD: The Chance Vought XF7U, odd-looking jet fighter plane, goes aloft for spectacular test flights. Swept-back wings and absence of conventional… Internet Archive What Makes a Battle? 1944 · Short · 15 min · Subtitles Strategy and successes of the Marshall Islands battle in World War II. Internet Archive Bird Dogs 1940 · Short · 10 min · Subtitles Hunting with specially-trained bird dogs. Internet Archive Escape 1940 · Short · 18 min · Subtitles Escape strategies for prisoners of war. Internet Archive Superman: Terror on the Midway 1942 · Cartoon · 8 min Terror on the Midway August 28, 1942 Internet Archive Suteneko Tora-chan (1947) 1947 · Feature A mother cat and her kittens were taking a walk when they came upon a hungry Tora-chan. Giving the kittens their lunch which consisted of milk, she took the… Internet Archive Secret Service Investigator 1948 · Feature Title: Secret Service Investigator Summary: Directed by: R.G. Springsteen Actors: Lloyd Bridges, Milton Parsons Production Company: Republic Pictures (I)… Internet Archive The Undercover Man (1949) Glenn Ford, Nina Foch, James Whitmore 1949 · Feature The Undercover Man is a 1949 American crime FILM NOlR directed by Joseph H. Lewis and starring Glenn Ford, Nina Foch and James Whitmore. The film was based on… Internet Archive No Hands on the Clock 1941 · Feature · 1 h 14 min Chester Morris plays a brash private detective. Internet Archive MUMMY' S GHOST 1944 colorized 1944 · Feature An Egyptian high priest travels to America to reclaim the bodies of ancient Egyptian princess Ananka and her living guardian mummy Kharis. Learning that… Internet Archive Sixth Chair, The 1949 · Educational · 17 min · Subtitles Problems of underfunded and outdated schools. Internet Archive Gopher Goofy (1942) 1942 · Feature Gopher Goofy is a 1942 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes black and white cartoon directed by Norman McCabe. The short was released on June 27, 1942. Watch on… Internet Archive MUMMYS HAND 1940 upgraded colorized 1940 · Feature A couple of comical, out-of-work archaeologists (Dick Foran and Wallace Ford) in Egypt discover evidence of the burial place of the ancient Egyptian princess… Internet Archive Secrets of the Underground 1942 · Feature Title: Secrets of the Underground Summary: With the help of a WAAC group, Mr. District Attorny smashes a Nazi spy-ring that is selling counterfeit War Stamps… Internet Archive Sharing Work At Home 1949 · Short · 10 min · Subtitles A family cooperates to an unbelievable degree. Internet Archive The More the Merrier (1943) 1943 · Feature It's World War II and there is a severe housing shortage everywhere - especially in Washington, D.C. where Connie Milligan rents an apartment. Believing it to… Internet Archive The Stranger (1946) 1946 · Feature An investigator from the War Crimes Commission travels to Connecticut to find an infamous Nazi, who may be hiding out in a small town in the guise of a… Internet Archive 94 Die Airplane Crashes, 1947/06/02 1947 · Newsreel · Subtitles (1) scenes of airplane crashes (2) Memorial to Anzio dead (3) Polish girls to Canada in labor exchange (4) Phalanx wins Belmont horse race (5) Indy 500 auto…