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Classic Documentaries Before 1990 · page 97

2,921 documentaries · ordered 27 October 2026 · How we order lists

Newest first: the year each film was released, from the open film record (Wikidata), then the order the list has always had. Every film’s page names its source.

1. No. 24011943

   A Mountain Goes to Sea

   by Charles Chauvel · Australia · English
2. No. 24021943

   Assault on Salamaua

   by Ken G. Hall · Australia · English
3. No. 240319431 h

   A Welcome to Britain

   by Anthony Asquith · United Kingdom
4. No. 24041943

   Banshees Over Canada

   by James Beveridge · Canada · English

   historywar
5. No. 2405194336 min

   Baptism of Fire

   Director not on record · United States · English

   historywar
6. No. 2406194311 min

   Calling Mr. Smith

   by Franciszka Themerson · United Kingdom · Polish

   warThe Holocaust
7. No. 2407194347 min

   Campaign to the West

   by Lidiya Stepanova · Soviet Union · Russian

   historywar
8. No. 240819431 h 2 min

   Desert Victory

   by David MacDonald · United Kingdom · British English

   historywar
9. No. 24091943

   Dover

   Director not on record · United Kingdom

   historywar
10. No. 2410194313 min

    En sommarsaga

    by Arne Sucksdorff · Sweden · Swedish

    nature
11. No. 24111943

    Fighting Norway

    by Sydney Newman · Canada · English

    historywar
12. No. 241219431 h 20 min

    Fires Were Started

    by Humphrey Jennings · United Kingdom · English

    historywar
13. No. 24131943

    Food and Magic

    by Jean Negulesco · United States · English

    historywar
14. No. 2414194343 min

    For God and Country

    by Edward L. Cahn · United States
15. No. 24151943

    Girls at the Front

    by Turo Kartto · Finland · Finnish

    warContinuation War
16. No. 241619437 min

    Johannes V. Jensen

    by Svend Methling · Denmark · Danish
17. No. 24171943

    Land of My Mother

    by Romuald Gantkowski · Poland · English
18. No. 2418194319 min

    Little Isles of Freedom

    by Victor Stoloff · United States · English
19. No. 2419194313 min

    Par dix-huit mètres de fond

    by Jacques Cousteau · France · French
20. No. 2420194310 min

    Prince Edward Island

    by Margaret Perry (1905-1998) · Canada · English
21. No. 2421194347 min

    Report from the Aleutians

    by John Huston · United States · English

    historywar
22. No. 242219431 h 41 min

    Secret Tibet

    by H.A. Lettow · Germany · German
23. No. 24231943

    Servant of a Nation

    Director not on record · Union of South Africa
24. No. 24241943

    Show Business at War

    by Louis de Rochemont · United States · English

    historywar
25. No. 24251943

    Since Pearl Harbor

    Director not on record · United States · English

    historywar

By decade

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