The stabilization of cellulose triacetate base motion picture film material has been examined using a number of potential stabilizer systems. These include acid scavengers, primary hindered phenolic antioxidants, secondary hindered piperidine stabilizers, metal dialkyldithiocarbamates, metal deactivators and secondary thioesters and phosphites. Stabilization efficiency was assessed at 90°C and 100% relative humidity (RH) by measuring the percentage retention in viscosity of the polymer base. None of the stabilizer systems were found to be effective when used alone, indicating that more than one type of mechanism is operative in the degradation of the polymer. Effective stabilization of the film material is achieved through the use of a synergistic tris-combination of stabilizers in solution that can scavenge the acetic acid, react with the hydroperoxide groups and deactivate transition metal ions. The implications of the underlying mechanistic behavior of these systems, together with that of its practical utilization in an archive, are discussed.