The world's archives

1,777–1,824 of 18,145 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 'Captain Video' - Misc episode no. 2 (Circa 1950) 1950 · TV · 28 min · Subtitles "Captain Video and His Video Rangers" episode from circa 1950. This series aired on the DuMont Television Network from 1949 to 1955 and was the first sci-fi… Internet Archive Learning to Set Type 1959 · Short · 10 min · Subtitles Demonstrates basic principles of manual typesetting. Internet Archive "Dial 999" - 50,000 Hands 1959 · TV · Subtitles Robert Beatty stars as Mike Maguire, a Canadian Mountie who has been assigned to Scotland Yard to learn British crime-fighting methods. TRIVIA FACT: This… Internet Archive At This Moment (Part II) 1954 · Short · 13 min · Subtitles Importance of railroads to 1950s America. Directed by Haford Kerbawy. Internet Archive O'Mara's Chain Miracle 1951 · Short · 11 min · Subtitles A short-tempered policeman, played by Victor McLaghlan, acts nice to a new Chevy owner and starts a kindness chain reaction in small town. Internet Archive Gossip, The 1955 · Short · 12 min · Subtitles High-school students experience (and discuss) the damaging effects of gossip. Internet Archive Spring Reunion 1957 · Feature Title: Spring Reunion Summary: The Class of '41 at Carson High School is holding it's 15th Reunion. "Boy Most Likely To Succeed" Fred Davis is in town to sell… Internet Archive Teenage Salute 1950 · Film · Subtitles Kinescope of San Francisco Bay Area television program saluting teenage achievers. Internet Archive American Look 1958 · Film · Subtitles A "tribute to the American stylist," American Look shows families at leisure, children dressed in cowboy and cowgirl outfits watching television, a father… Internet Archive Tales of Tomorrow (1951 - 53) Complete Available Episodes 1951 · TV Pioneering Amerian sci-fi anthology series, created by Theodore Sturgeon and Mort Abrahams and broadast live on ABC for 85 episodes aross two series; of… Internet Archive Am I Trustworthy? 1950 · Film · Subtitles Provides examples of trustworthiness--returning borrowed articles, keeping promises and doing a good job with assigned tasks. Internet Archive 'Search for Tomorrow' - 19 August 1953 1953 · Commercial · 15 min · Subtitles Episode of the soap opera "Search for Tomorrow" from 19 August 1953. 16mm Kinescope containing original commercials. Internet Archive [Swimmers at Beach, May 18, 1958] 1958 · Film · Subtitles VS women in swimsuits in and out of water at shoreline, with children. Reacting to camera. Medium-sized waves. CU women, children, male. Probably Southern… Internet Archive Quatermass - The Complete Collection 1953 · TV The Quatermass Experiment 1953 The Quatermass Experiment is a British science fiction serial broadcast by BBC Television during the summer of 1953 and… Internet Archive Espaldas Mojadas 1955 ENGLISH HARD SUB 1955 · Feature Mexican worker Rafael Améndola runs from the police and cross the Mexican-American border, helped by Frank Mendoza, a partner of an American called Mr.… Internet Archive Freedom of the American Road 1955 · Film · Subtitles This new film is designed to act as the starting gun on a new campaign for better roads sponsored by the Ford Motor Company. As introduced in the film by… Internet Archive Yellowneck 1955 · Feature · 1 h 12 min Title: Yellowneck Summary: 5 Confederate soldiers desert, make their way through the Everglades and try to make it to Cuba. Directed by: R. John Hugh Actors:… Internet Archive Social Class in America 1957 · Film · Subtitles Shows the difference social class makes in the lives of three high school boys. Explains how one boy is able to raise his social status. Internet Archive Truck Farmer, The (2nd ed.) 1954 · Film · Subtitles POINTS OUT CHIEF TRUCK FARMING AREAS IN U.S. SHOWS ACTIVITIES ON TRUCK FARM IN RIO GRANDE DELTA, SUCH AS PLANTING, IRRIGATING, SPRAYING, HARVESTING, PACKING &… Internet Archive Procrastinator, The 1952 · Film · Subtitles Deals with individual who habitually fails to plan and use time wisely in carrying out responsibilities. Jean disappoints her peers when she becomes chairman… Internet Archive The Sword And The Dragon (1956) 1956 · Feature Ilya Muromets, also known as The Sword and the Dragon and The Epic Hero and the Beast, is a 1956 Soviet fantasy film by noted fantasy director Aleksandr… Internet Archive Refreshing Look, The 1958 · Film · Subtitles •15:46:47:27- Great high angle driving POV of a suburban street. •15:48:29:00- 15:48:29:00 Shot of car driving by "roadside businesses" (as the narrator dubs… Internet Archive The Young Lions ( Colorized, 1958) 1958 · Feature The Young Lions (1958), colorized with HAVC 5.6.1 Internet Archive "Mama" - Mama's Nursery School (50's TV Show) 1955 · TV · 26 min · Subtitles 1955 Episode of the 50's Sitcom/Drama "Mama" (Also known as "I Remember Mama"). This popular show was about a Norway family who moved to America back in the… Internet Archive Pick Your Tomorrow 1954 · Film · Subtitles Many great stock shots to log Nice CU and pull out teenage girl picking out song on jukebox, pressing button; camera pulls out to show her clasping her hands… Internet Archive News Magazine of the Screen, The (Vol. 4, Issue 2) 1953 · Newsreel · 23 min · Subtitles Newsreel stories reformatted for educational presentation. Internet Archive Industry on Parade (Can 3b) 1950 · Film · Subtitles Many stock shots to be logged. Contains a number of episodes of Industry on Parade spliced together. LIGHTS, ACTION, CAMERA! Mitchell Camera Corporation,… Internet Archive Broken Appointment 1955 · Film · Subtitles Tells the story of a young public health nurse who comes to realize the importance of emotional aspects in her work. Internet Archive The Marple Brothers (Trackdown) 1957 · TV · 25 min · Subtitles The copyrights on the first twelve episodes of this Western series were not renewed. Unfortunately, the only copy of this episode that I could obtain had low… Internet Archive Infantry weapons and their effects 1954 · Short · 8 min Film Bulletin #273 shows the small arms of the U.S infantryman in 1954 such as the Pistol, Submachine gun and the Carbine Internet Archive The Wild Party (1956) Anthony Quinn, Carol Ohmart, Arthur Franz, Jay Robinson, Kathryn Grant, Nehemiah Persoff, Paul Stewart. 1956 · Feature The Wild Party is a 1956 American FILM NOlR crime film directed by Harry Horner and written by John McPartland. The film stars Anthony Quinn, Carol Ohmart,… Internet Archive ''Life with Elizabeth'' - Misc episode No. 4 1953 · TV · 25 min · Subtitles An episode of the Classic TV series "Life with Elizabeth", starring Betty White. This series aired from 1952 to 1955. Internet Archive Development of Transportation 1958 · Film · Subtitles Surveys the rapid growth of transportation in the United States from the early settlers to the jet age. Internet Archive H-Bomb Blast Exploded at 15,000 Feet Over Pacific, 1956/05/24 1956 · Newsreel · Subtitles 1) Bikini test for H-Bomb again, dropped by B-52 from 55,000 ft to explode at 15,000 ft. (2) "Supersonic Sled" rocket sled test, dummy ejected (3) "Kid Stuff"… Internet Archive World Through Stamps: The Stories Behind Postage Stamps, The 1957 · Film · Subtitles Pan over CUs of various airmail stamps Title: NEW HORIZONS FOR OLD By Alan Stern CU 1949 airmail stamp commemorating 45th anniversary of Wright Brothers… Internet Archive Sea Hunt: Mark of the Octopus 1958 · TV · Subtitles Mike Nelson (Lloyd Bridges) is hired to investigate the disappearance of two scuba-diving geologists. Originally aired on 1 February 1958 (Season 1, Episode… Internet Archive News Magazine of the Screen, The (Vol. 7, Issue 4) 1956 · Newsreel · 21 min · Subtitles Internet Archive Community Development with Gunnison Homes 1950 · Film · Subtitles Gunnison Homes was a subsidiary of US Steel. Warehouse where prefabricated house parts are built. Great shots of tract housing suburban development.… Internet Archive Suspended Alibi 1957 · Feature Title: Suspended Alibi Summary: A married editor who is having an affair pretends that he is visiting an army friend, to keep his wife from suspecting him of… Internet Archive Your Hit Parade - February 27, 1954 (Music/Variety) 1954 · TV · 29 min · Subtitles An episode of "Your Hit Parade", a 1950s TV show featuring covers of the top hits of the week. Songs in this episode are: "That's Amore", "Changing Partners",… Internet Archive Pathe News Christmas with Their Cameramen and Crews 'Round the World 1950 · Film · Subtitles 00:41:23 WS Children's choir Cameramen in Hollywood, Paris, Chicago, London, Washington, Mexico, San Francisco, South America, Seattle, Miami, Tokyo, Berlin Internet Archive Exercise Desert Rock 1951 · Short · 27 min In 1951, the Army, working with the Atomic Energy Commission, carried out the Desert Rock Exercises, an experiment to "dispel much of the fear and uncertainty… Internet Archive 1953 - The Big Heat - Los sobornados - Fritz Lang 1953 · Feature 1953 - The Big Heat - Los sobornados - Fritz Lang Internet Archive Challenge to America 1955 · Film · Subtitles Many good stock shots to be logged. Good montage of New York area stores and crowds of people shopping. Internet Archive One Good Turn 1955 · Feature Norman is the oldest orphan at Greenwood Children's Home and now acts as their caretaker. All the orphans are very happy and well cared for. The adventures… Internet Archive American Look 1958 · Film · Subtitles A "tribute to the American stylist," American Look shows families at leisure, children dressed in cowboy and cowgirl outfits watching television, a father… Internet Archive 1954 Episode of "The Pinky Lee Show" (Classic TV) 1954 · TV · 29 min · Subtitles 1954 episode of "The Pinky Lee Show", a kids program. Very fast-paced. Internet Archive Let's Go Bowling (Part II) 1955 · Short · 13 min · Subtitles Culture and practice of bowling in 1950s America.