A film which may be placed on a metallic substrate to inhibit corrosion of the substrate when in a corrosive environment. The film also inhibits corrosion at a defect area in the film when the substrate is exposed in the presence of a corrosive environment. The film includes dopants which release from the film when corrosion begins at a film defect. Therefore, the film not only inhibits corrosion where the film is undamaged, but also inhibits corrosion at the site of a defect in the film. Advantageously, the system does not lose its effectiveness over a given period of time if no defect occurs in the substrate.