The invention is directed to an antistatic polymeric film base comprising a polymeric film having coated on at least one side thereof an antistatic layer comprising the reaction product of (1) a water-soluble, electrically conductive polymer containing carboxylic groups and (2) a water-soluble polymer containing oxazoline groups, and to a photographic element comprising at least one silver halide emulsion layer on said antistatic polymeric film base. This antistatic layer may be present as a backing layer on the side of the film base opposite the silver halide emulsion layer, as a subbing layer between the film base and the emulsion layer in a single or double side coated photographic element, and/or as a subbing layer between the film base and a different backing layer.