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Best Documentaries by Year

1 2 3
Rating
Rank
No
Title
Year
Director
Starring
Genre
Country
Language
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Topaz
1945
Dave Tatsuno
Documentary / War
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
V-E +1
1945
unknown
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
War Comes to America
1945
Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak
Walter Huston, Lloyd Nolan, Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Documentary / War / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Two Down and One to Go
1945
Frank Capra
George C. Marshall, Anthony Veiller
Documentary / War / History / Short
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2740
249
The Fighting Lady
1944
William Wyler
Robert Taylor
Documentary / War / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The Battle of China
1944
Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak
Anthony Veiller, Walter Huston, Douglas MacArthur
Documentary / War / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Martha Graham Early Dance Films (1931-1944)
1944
unknown
Martha Graham
Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Memphis Belle
1944
William Wyler
Robert Morgan, Vince Evans, Captain James A. Verinis
Documentary / War / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The Negro Soldier
1944
Stuart Heisler
William Broadus, Clarence Brooks, Norman Ford, Carlton Moss, Clyde Turner
Documentary / Short / War / Drama / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Prices Unlimited
1944
unknown
Leon Errol, Martha O'Driscoll, Lois Collier, Milburn Stone
Short / War / Documentary / History
USA
English
Rating
Rank
No
Title
Year
Director
Starring
Genre
Country
Language
3.5 Stars
1941
68
Fires Were Started
1943
Humphrey Jennings
Philip Dickson, George Gravett, Fred Griffiths, Johnny Houghton
Documentary / Drama / History / War
UK
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The Battle of Britain
1943
Frank Capra, Anthony Veiller
Walter Huston, Anthony Veiller, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler
Documentary / War / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The Battle of Russia
1943
Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak
Anthony Veiller, Walter Huston, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler
Documentary / War / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Divide and Conquer
1943
Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak
Walter Huston, Adolf Hitler, Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle
Documentary / War / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The Nazis Strike
1943
Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak
Walter Huston, Anthony Veiller, Adolf Hitler, Winston Churchill
Documentary / War / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Prelude to War
1943
Frank Capra
Walter Huston, Adolf Hitler, Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Documentary / War / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2807
283
December 7th
1943
John Ford, Gregg Toland
Walter Huston, Harry Davenport, Dana Andrews, Paul Hurst, George O'Brien
Short / Documentary / History / War
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Victory Through Air Power
1943
Perce Pearce, James Algar, Clyde Geronimi, Jack Kinney, H.C. Potter
Alexander de Seversky, Art Baker, Billy Mitchell
Documentary / Animation / War
USA
English
NR
-
Popeye the Sailor: 1941-1943, Volume 3
1943
Dave Fleischer, Dan Gordon, Isadore Sparber, Seymour Kneitel
Jack Mercer, Margie Hines, Dave Barry, William Pennell, Tedd Pierce, Gilbert Mack
Animation / Short / Musical / Family / Comedy / Fantasy / Comic / Documentary / Serial
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2689
223
Leningrad in Combat
1942
Roman Karmen, N. Komarevtsev, Valeri Solovtsov, Yefim Uchitel
Documentary / War
Soviet Union
Russian
2.5 Stars
2807
283
The Battle of Midway
1942
John Ford
Donald Crisp, Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, Irving Pichel, James Roosevelt
Short / Documentary / History / War
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Torpedo Squadron
1942
John Ford
Documentary / Short / History / War
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2820
293
Listen to Britain
1942
Humphrey Jennings, Stewart McAllister
Chesney Allen, Bud Flanagan, Leonard Brockington, Myra Hess
Documentary / Short / War
UK
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Kannapolis, NC
1941
H. Lee Waters
Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2689
223
London Can Take It!
1940
Humphrey Jennings, Harry Watt
Quentin Reynolds, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
Documentary / War / Short
UK
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Commandment Keeper Church, Beaufort South Carolina, May 1940
1940
Zora Neale Hurston, Jane Belo
Documentary / Short / Religion
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Men and Dust
1940
Lee Dick
Documentary / Short
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Nicholas Brothers Family Home Movies
1940
Fayard Nicholas, Harold Nicholas
Fayard Nicholas, Harold Nicholas
Documentary / History / Biography
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Siege
1940
unknown
Documentary / Short / History / War
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse
1940
unknown
Documentary
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Popeye the Sailor: 1938-1940, Volume 2
1940
Dave Fleischer
Jack Mercer, Mae Questel, Gus Wickie
Animation / Short / Musical / Family / Comedy / Fantasy / Comic / Documentary / Serial
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2689
223
The First Days
1939
Pat Jackson, Humphrey Jennings, Harry Watt
Short / Documentary / War
UK
English
2.5 Stars
2740
249
Crisis
1939
Herbert Kline, Hans Burger, Alexander Hammid
Leif Erickson
Documentary / War
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The City
1939
Ralph Steiner, Willard Van Dyke
Morris Carnovsky
Documentary / Short
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Cologne: From the Diary of Ray and Esther
1939
Ray Dowidat, Esther Dowidat
'Old Man' Guettler, Hans Guettler, Bill Guettler
Short / Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Marian Anderson: The Lincoln Memorial Concert
1939
unknown
Marian Anderson
Music / Documentary
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair
1939
Robert R. Snody
Marjorie Lord, Jimmy Lydon, Ruth Lee, Harry Shannon, Adora Andrews, Douglas Stark
Drama / Documentary
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Trance and Dance in Bali
1939
Gregory Bateson, Margaret Mead
Margaret Mead
Documentary / Short
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Verbena trágica
1939
Charles Lamont
Fernando Soler, Luana Alcañiz, Juan Torena
Drama / Documentary
USA
Spanish
5 Stars
491
6
Olympia Part One:
Festival of the Nations
1938
Leni Riefenstahl
Jesse Owens, Adolf Hitler, Rudolf Hess, Leni Riefenstahl
Documentary / Sports / History
Germany
German
4.5 Stars
544
10
Olympia Part Two:
Festival of Beauty
1938
Leni Riefenstahl
Rolf Wernicke, Glenn Morris
Documentary / Sports / History
Germany
German
2.5 Stars
2633
194
Love Letters and Live Wires
1938
Len Lye, Norman McLaren, William Coldstream, Pat Jackson, Lotte Reiniger, Harry Watt, Basil Wright
John Grierson, Stuart Legg, Evelyn Corbett, Dwight Godwin, Charlotte Leigh
Documentary / Musical / Animation / Short / Experimental / Comedy / Romance
UK / Canada
English
2.5 Stars
2633
194
Walt Disney Treasures - The Chronological Donald, Volume One (1934 - 1941)
1938
Ben Sharpsteen, Clyde Geronimi, Dick Lundy, Jack King, Jeff Kurtti
Florence Gill, Clarence Nash, Pinto Colvig, Billy Bletcher, Cliff Edwards
Animation / Family / Comedy / Documentary / Serial
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
March of Time: Inside Nazi Germany
1938
Jack Glenn
Jackson Beck, Adolf Hitler, Fritz Kuhn
Documentary / Short / War
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Our Day
1938
Wallace Kelly
Short / Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The River
1938
Pare Lorentz
Thomas Chalmers
Short / Documentary
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
With the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain (1937-1938)
1938
Henri Cartier-Bresson, Herbert Kline
Documentary / War
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Jazz "Hot"
1938
unknown
Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli
Short / Documentary / Biography / Music
UK
English
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Popeye the Sailor: 1933-1938, Volume 1
1938
Dave Fleischer
William Costello, Jack Mercer, Mae Questel, Gus Wickie
Animation / Short / Musical / Comedy / Fantasy / Comic / Documentary / Serial
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2305
120
The Edge of the World
1937
Michael Powell
Belle Chrystall, Niall MacGinnis, John Laurie, Eric Berry
Drama / Documentary
UK
English
2.5 Stars
2740
249
The Spanish Earth
1937
Joris Ivens
Ernest Hemingway, Jean Renoir
Documentary / War
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
George Washington Carver at Tuskegee Institute
1937
C. Allen Alexander
George Washington Carver
Documentary / Biography / History
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Hindenburg Disaster Newsreel Footage
1937
unknown
Herbert Morrison
Short / Documentary / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Republic Steel Strike Riot Newsreel Footage
1937
unknown
Documentary
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2563
175
Night Mail
1936
Harry Watt, Basil Wright
John Grierson, Stuart Legg
Short / Documentary
UK
English
2.5 Stars
2740
249
Yellow Cruise
1936
Andre Sofame
M. O. Williams
Documentary
France
French
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Master Hands
1936
Jam Handy
Short / Documentary
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The Plow That Broke the Plains
1936
Pare Lorentz
Thomas Chalmers
Documentary / Short / Drama / History / Biography
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The Revenge of Pancho Villa
1936
Edmund Padilla, Felix Padilla
Documentary
USA / Mexico
English (Silent)
5 Stars
485
5
Triumph of the Will
1935
Leni Riefenstahl
Adolf Hitler, Hermann Göring, Rudolf Hess, Josef Goebbels, Heinrich Himmler
Documentary / Experimental / War
Germany
German
3.5 Stars
1637
47
The Man of Aran
1934
Robert J. Flaherty
Colman 'Tiger' King, Maggie Dirrane, Michael Dirrane
Documentary
UK
English
2.5 Stars
2689
223
Three Songs About Lenin
1934
Dziga Vertov
V.I. Lenin, Nadezhda Krupskaya, Joseph Stalin, Dolores Ibárruri
Documentary / History / Biography
Soviet Union
Russian
2.5 Stars
2740
249
The First World War
1934
unknown
Pedro de Cordoba
Documentary / War
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2740
249
The Wedding of Palo
1934
Friedrich Dalsheim, Knud Rasmussen
Thorvald Stauning
Romance / Drama / Documentary
Denmark
Danish
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Big Band, Jazz & Swing
1934
unknown
Cab Calloway, Louis Prima, Jimmy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Desi Arnaz
Documentary / Music
USA
English
3.5 Stars
2000
80
Land Without Bread
1933
Luis Buñuel
Abel Jacquin, Alexandre O'Neill
Short / Documentary / Drama / Experimental
Spain
French
3 Stars
2030
84
Que viva Mexico!
1932
Sergei M. Eisenstein, Grigori Aleksandrov
Sergei Bondarchuk, Grigori Aleksandrov
Documentary / Experimental / Romance
Soviet Union / USA / Mexico
Russian (Silent)
4.5 Stars
918
20
Tabu
1931
F.W. Murnau, Robert J. Flaherty
Anne Chevalier, Matahi
Documentary / Drama / Romance
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2753
256
Enthusiasm
1931
Dziga Vertov
Documentary / Experimental
Soviet Union
Russian
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The Forgotten Frontier
1931
Marvin Breckinridge
Mary Breckinridge
Documentary
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Heroes All
1931
Anthony Young
John J. Bradley, Emile Gauvreau
Documentary / War / History
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2792
274
Philips-Radio
1931
Joris Ivens
Short / Documentary / Experimental
Netherlands
Dutch
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Romance of Water
1931
unknown
Documentary / Short
USA
English
3.5 Stars
1882
62
People on Sunday
1930
Curt Siodmak, Robert Siodmak, Edgar G. Ulmer, Fred Zinnemann
Erwin Splettstößer, Brigitte Borchert, Wolfgang von Waltershausen
Documentary / Drama / Romance
Germany
German (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
From Stump to Ship
1930
Alfred Ames, Howard Kahn
Tim Sample
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s-1930s)
1930
Antonio Rodríguez Fuentes, Josefina Barrera Fuentes
Documentary
USA
Spanish (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2807
283
The Silent Enemy
1930
H.P. Carver
Chief Yellow Robe, Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance, Chief Akawanush, Spotted Elk
Drama / Action / History / Biography / Documentary
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2809
285
With Byrd at the South Pole
1930
unknown
Richard E. Byrd, Clair D. Alexander, Bernt Balchen, George H. Black
Documentary / Adventure / Biography / History
USA
English
5 Stars, Top 100
81
1
The Man with a Movie Camera
1929
Dziga Vertov
Documentary / Experimental
Soviet Union
Russian (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
With Car and Camera Around the World
1929
Aloha Wanderwell
Aloha Wanderwell, Walter Wanderwell
Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Fox MovieTone News:
Jenkins Orphanage Band
1928
unknown
Daniel Joseph Jenkins
Documentary / Short / Music
USA
English
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Solomon Sir Jones Films (1924-1928)
1928
Solomon Sir Jones
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
3.5 Stars
1907
66
Berlin: Symphony of a Great City
1927
Walter Ruttmann
Documentary / Experimental
Germany
German (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2420
142
Chang
1927
Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack
Kru, Chantui, Nah, Ladah, Bimbo the Monkey
Adventure / Documentary / History
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2689
223
Laila
1927
Wadad Orfi
Aziza Amir, Assia Dagher, Ahmed Galal, Wadad Orfi, Stephan Rosti
Documentary
Egypt
Arabic (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Walt Disney Treasures - The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
1927
Walt Disney, Ub Iwerks
Animation / Family / Comedy / Documentary / Serial
USA
English (Semi-Silent)
3 Stars
2037
86
Moana
1926
Robert J. Flaherty
Fa'amgase, Pe'a, Ta'avale, T'ugaita
Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2689
223
La Malcasada
1926
Francisco Gómez Hidalgo
Francisco Franco, Millán Astray, José Sanjurjo, Juan Belmonte
Documentary
Spain
Spanish (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2689
223
Shestaya chast mira
1926
Dziga Vertov
Documentary / Experimental
Soviet Union
Russian (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2330
125
Grass
1925
Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack
Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack, Marguerite Harrison
Documentary / Epic
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2689
223
Kino-Eye
1924
Dziga Vertov
Documentary / Experimental
Soviet Union
Russian (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2807
283
The Great White Silence
1924
Herbert G. Ponting
Robert Falcon Scott, Herbert G. Ponting
Documentary / Biography
UK
English (Silent)
4.5 Stars
633
11
Nanook of the North
1922
Robert J. Flaherty
Nanook, Nyla, Cunayou, Allee, Allegoo
Documentary / Drama / Biography
USA
English (Silent)
4 Stars
1433
39
Häxan
1922
Benjamin Christensen
Maren Pedersen, Clara Pontoppidan, Elith Pio, Oscar Stribolt, Tora Teje
Documentary / Horror
Denmark / Sweden
Swedish (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Hollywood Snapshots
1922
unknown
Ramon Novarro, Jack Warner, Max Linder, Vola Vale
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2807
283
A Trip to Paramounttown
1922
Jack Cunningham
Cecil B. DeMille, Gloria Swanson, Rudolph Valentino, Marion Davies, Bebe Daniels
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2689
223
Hunger... Hunger... Hunger
1921
Vladimir Gardin, Vsevolod Pudovkin
Documentary
Russia
Russian (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Manhatta
1921
Paul Strand, Charles Sheeler
Short / Experimental / Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
A Movie Trip Through Filmland
1921
Paul Fenton
Documentary / Animation / Short
USA
English (No Dialogue)
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Sunshine Gatherers
1921
unknown
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2689
223
On the Red Front
1920
Lev Kuleshov
Aleksandra Khokhlova, Lev Kuleshov, Leonid Obolensky, A. Reich
Documentary
Russia
Russian (Silent)
Rating
Rank
No
Title
Year
Director
Starring
Genre
Country
Language
2.5 Stars
2807
283
The Cost of Carelessness
1920
unknown
Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2225
114
South: Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance Expedition
1919
Frank Hurley
Ernest Shackleton, Captain F. Worsley, Lieutenant J. Stenhouse, Captain L. Hussey
Documentary / Adventure
Australia / UK
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2689
223
Birth Control
1917
Margaret Sanger
Margaret Sanger
Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2807
283
How the Cowboy Makes His Lariat
1917
unknown
Pedro León
Documentary / Short / Western
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Deschutes Driftwood
1916
Robert C. Bruce
Walter
Documentary / Drama / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2807
283
A Visit to Los Angeles
1916
unknown
Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
In the Land of the Head Hunters
1914
Edward S. Curtis
Maggie Frank
Documentary / Drama
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Bert Williams Lime Kiln Club Field Day
1913
Edwin Middleton, T. Hayes Hunte
Bert Williams, Sam Lucas, J. Leubrie Hill, Emma Reed, Billy Harper
Documentary / Music
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Preservation of the Sign Language
1913
George Veditz
George Veditz
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Little Nemo
1911
Winsor McCay, J. Stuart Blackton
John Bunny, Winsor McCay, George McManus
Short / Animation / Documentary / Comedy
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2807
283
Manhattan Trade School for Girls
1911
unknown
Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Jeffries-Johnson World's Championship Boxing Contest
1910
unknown
James J. Jeffries, Jack Johnson
Documentary / Sports
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2807
283
The Seine Flood
1910
unknown
Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Dixon-Wanamaker Expedition to Crow Agency
1908
Joseph K. Dixon, Roland Dixon
Plenty Coups
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire April 18, 1906
1906
unknown
Documentary / Short / History
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
A Trip Down Market Street
1906
Miles Brothers
Short / Experimental / Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Interior New York Subway
1905
G.W. Bitzer
Short / Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Westinghouse Works
1904
G.W. Bitzer
Short / Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Emigrants Landing at Ellis Island
1903
Alfred C. Abadie
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2689
223
Charleston Chain Gang
1902
unknown
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Ringling Bros. Circus Parade
1902
unknown
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2689
223
Day at the Circus
1901
Edwin S. Porter
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
President McKinley and Escort Going to the Capitol
1901
Thomas Edison
William McKinley, George Dewey, John Davis Long
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
President McKinley Taking the Oath
1901
Thomas Edison
William McKinley, Melville W. Fuller, George Dewey
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Star Theatre
1901
Frederick Armitage
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Mardi Gras Carnival
1898
unknown
Documentary / Short
USA
English (No Dialogue)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight
1897
Enoch J. Rector
James J. Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, Billy Madden, George Siler, John L. Sullivan
Documentary / Sports
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2580
179
Employees Leaving the Lumière Factory
1895
Louis Lumière
Documentary / Short
France
French (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2612
190
The Arrival of a Train
1895
Auguste Lumière, Louis Lumière
Short / Documentary
France
French (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze
1894
William K.L. Dickson
Fred Ott
Documentary / Short
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Blacksmith Scene
1893
William K.L. Dickson
Charles Kayser, John Ott
Short / Documentary
USA
English (Silent)
2.5 Stars
2756
257
Newark Athlete
1891
William K.L. Dickson
Experimental / Documentary / Short / Sports
USA
English (Silent)
Rating
Rank
No
Title
Year
Director
Starring
Genre
Country
Language
1 2 3
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