Product Details

• Actors: David McCullough, Charles McDowell, Barbara Fields, John C. Stennis, Alistair Cooke
• Directors: Ken Burns
• Writers: David McCullough, Bernard Weisberger, Geoffrey C. Ward, Ric Burns
• Producers: Ken Burns, Catherine Eisele-Yang, Mike Hill
• Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: PBS Home Video
• VHS Release Date: February 18, 1997
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304048661
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #39,714 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Ken Burns's film on "the closest thing to a National Temple" is a brief and vital history of the United States Congress--the building and the institution. While the executive wing receives most of history's ink, the legislative branch has a more varied and colorful story. Starting with golden-tongued orators Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, the representatives were an eccentric lot, often pushing the limits of democracy with the power they wielded. Burns's formula of interviews, actors' readings, and wonderful photographs continue in this production although it's more streamlined. Covering 200 years in 90 minutes (the video version is slightly longer than the TV airing) is a tough job and we only stay a minute or two with key characters, many of whom you've never heard of. Burns may have bitten off more then he could chew with the vast history--much of it dealing with the slavery issue--but that was solved with his next project: his 11-hour masterpiece, The Civil War. --Doug Thomas

Product Description

In this elegant, penetrating and moving portrait of the United States Congress, filmmaker Ken Burns profiles an American institution whose ideals and actions affect us all. Narrated by David McCullough, the program employs historic film footage and interviews with "insiders" including David Broker, Alistair Cooke and Cokie Roberts to detail the personalities, events and issues that have animated Congress' first 200 years. The program chronicles the extraordinary careers of some of Congress' most notable members. It also charts the continuing growth of the Capitol building and features readings from diary entries, letters and famous speeches that have shaped Congressional history and reinvent the way America did business.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History of a vital, but much-aligned institution., May 21, 2000

By	Joseph T. Reeves (Fort Meade, MD USA) - See all my reviews

Ken Burns' "The Congress" is a wonderful history of an essential but underrated American institution. In only ninety minutes, Burns captures the strengths and weaknesses of our legislative branch like few documentarians could. Congress, often accused of gridlock and pork barrelling, actually exemplifies the American ideal of self-rule. This film touches on key successes and failures of this body throughout its entire history. Burns examines the contributions of such pivotal congressmen as Joe Cannon, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, George Norris and a host of others. Burns alters our current perspective of Congress to show us an organization of great power that has, at times, ruled the country in counterbalance to weak presidents.

Burns uses contemporary newspaper accounts, archival footage, personal interviews, and journals to transform Congress's history in a fascinating parade of men and women who represented the best and worst of America. A great film.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A resource for Teachers, sent from heaven, September 17, 2003

By	"stuckinwi" (Milwaukee, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Congress (DVD)

My students loved it! My classroom was a scene of heated debate and excitement. I couldn't have asked for a better tool to aid in the teaching of our Congress.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Film with Great Insight, January 12, 2005

By	Bob Hope "bobhope26" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Congress (DVD)

Good Film with great insight on such Congressmen as Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Jeannette Rankin, Joe Cannon, and Sam Rayburn. I do wish the film was a little longer, but that may just be me.

It would be nice if Ken Burns makes and updated version in the next few years. I also wished Senators Strom Thurmond, Fritz Hollings and Edward M. Kennedy would have been quoted and/or interviewed. The film does include Senator John C. Stennis, which is nice. Even if Burns doesn't update the film, it stands up well over time. I think many people will like the quotes from James Madison given during the early part of the film.

I hope every Congressman owns a copy of this DVD.

"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree." --James Madison, speech at the Constitutional Convention, July 11, 1787

Some of Daniel Webster's speeches:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~dwebster/speeches/