Bringemovies
← Browse Movies
The Congress
TITLE DETAILS

The Congress

1989-03-19 · 89 min · ★ 7.6

Documentary · History

For 200 years, the United States Congress has been one of the country's most important and least understood institutions. In this elegant, thoughtful and often touching portrait, Ken Burns explores the history and promise of this unique American institution. Using historical photographs and newsreels, evocative live footage and interviews with David Broder, Alistair Cooke, Cokie Roberts, Charles McDowell and others, the award-winning film chronicles the personalities, events and issues that have animated the first 200 years of Congress and, in turn, our country.

Open detail page

Trailers are previews, not full movies.

No authorized playback source configured. Use the legal watch options below.

Production details

Directors
Ken Burns
Production companies
Florentine Films
Countries
Canada, United States of America
Status
Released

Top Cast

David McCulloughDavid McCulloughSelf - Writer / Narrator
Cokie RobertsCokie RobertsSelf - Journalist
Alistair CookeAlistair CookeSelf - Journalist
Arthur MillerArthur MillerSelf
Charles McDowellSelf - Newspaperman
Barbara FieldsSelf - Historian
John C. StennisSelf - Former Senator
David S. BroderSelf - Reporter
George TamesSelf - Photographer
James MacGregor BurnsSelf - Historian
Jerome Dempsey(voice)
Shelby Foote(voice)
Ronnie Gilbert(voice)
Julie Harris(voice)
Derek JacobiDerek Jacobi(voice)
Garrison KeillorGarrison Keillor(voice)
Walt MacPhersonWalt MacPherson(voice)

Title information and images are supplied by TMDb. Explore our discovery guide for advice on comparing metadata and legal viewing options.

Where to watch

Availability provided by JustWatch via TMDb. Offers can change. Provider links are listed on TMDb; full playback requires a separately authorized source.

Streaming

PBS Documentaries Amazon Channel, WETA+

Rental

Amazon Video, Fandango At Home

Purchase

Amazon Video, Fandango At Home

Free

Kanopy, Hoopla

View authorized watch options on TMDb

Recommendations

The Unknown Known
★ 6.8
The Unknown Known2013Documentary · History

Former United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld discusses his career in Washington D.C. from his days as a congressman in the early 1960s to planning the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

The Untold History Of The United States
★ 8.2
The Untold History Of The United States2012Documentary · History

Oliver Stone charts the history of the United States from the Second World War to the present.

I Am Heath Ledger
★ 7.4
I Am Heath Ledger2017Documentary

The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
★ 6.9
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound2019Documentary · History

The history of cinematic sound, told by legendary sound designers and visionary filmmakers.

The Princess
★ 6.5
The Princess2022Documentary · History

Decades after her untimely death, Princess Diana continues to evoke mystery, glamour, and the quintessential modern fairy tale gone wrong. As a symbol of both the widening fissures weakening the British monarchy and the destructive machinery of the press, the Princess of Wales navigated an unparalleled rise to fame and the corrosive challenges that came alongside it. Crafted entirely from immersive archival footage and free from the distraction of retrospective voices, this hypnotic and audaciously revealing documentary takes a distinctive formal approach, allowing the story of the People’s Princess to unfold before us like never before.

9/11: Inside the President's War Room
★ 6.9
9/11: Inside the President's War Room2021Documentary · History

Experience the events of September 11, 2001 through the eyes of President Bush and his closest advisors as they personally detail the crucial hours and key decisions from that historic day.

Keith Richards: Under the Influence
★ 6.8
Keith Richards: Under the Influence2015Documentary

A portrait of Keith Richards that takes us on a journey to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer.

Red Army
★ 7.4
Red Army2015Documentary · History

A documentary highlighting the Soviet Union's legendary and enigmatic hockey training culture and world-dominating team through the eyes of the team's Captain Slava Fetisov, following his shift from hockey star and celebrated national hero to political enemy.

RBG
★ 7.5
RBG2018Documentary

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg now 84, and still inspired by the lawyers who defended free speech during the Red Scare, Ginsburg refuses to relinquish her passionate duty, steadily fighting for equal rights for all citizens under the law. Through intimate interviews and unprecedented access to Ginsburg’s life outside the court, RBG tells the electric story of Ginsburg’s consuming love affairs with both the Constitution and her beloved husband Marty—and of a life’s work that led her to become an icon of justice in the highest court in the land.

Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20
★ 7.2
Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/202022Documentary

An inside look at one of the most anticipated movie sequels ever with James Cameron and cast.

John Candy: I Like Me
★ 7.9
John Candy: I Like Me2025Documentary

Those who knew iconic funnyman John Candy best share his story, in their own words, through never-before-seen archival footage, imagery, and interviews.

Sidney
★ 6.9
Sidney2022Documentary

This revealing documentary honors the legendary Sidney Poitier—iconic actor, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. Featuring interviews with Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, and more.

The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story
★ 7.3
The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story2019Documentary

A documentary chronicling Queen and Lambert's incredible journey since they first shared the stage together on "American Idol" in 2009.

I Am Ali
★ 6.7
I Am Ali2014Documentary

Unprecedented access to Muhammad Ali's personal archive of "audio journals" as well as interviews and testimonials from his inner circle of family and friends are used to tell the legend's life story.

For the Love of Spock
★ 7.4
For the Love of Spock2016Documentary

The life of Mr. Spock, as well as that of Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played him for almost fifty years, written and directed by his son: Adam.

The War Room
★ 6.8
The War Room1993Documentary · History

A behind-the-scenes documentary about the Clinton for President campaign, focusing on the adventures of spin doctors James Carville and George Stephanopoulos.

The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin
★ 7.0
The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin2014Documentary · History

A documentary about the development and spread of the virtual currency called Bitcoin.

Downloaded
★ 6.5
Downloaded2013Documentary

A documentary that explores the downloading revolution; the kids that created it, the bands and the businesses that were affected by it, and its impact on the world at large.

Supersonic
★ 7.4
Supersonic2016Documentary · History

Supersonic charts the meteoric rise of Oasis from the council estates of Manchester to some of the biggest concerts of all time in just three short years. This palpable, raw and moving film shines a light on one of the most genre and generation-defining British bands that has ever existed and features candid new interviews with Noel and Liam Gallagher, their mother, and members of the band and road crew.

Justin Bieber's Believe
★ 6.9
Justin Bieber's Believe2013Documentary

A backstage and on-stage look at Justin Bieber during his rise to super stardom.

Similar titles

Sissi: The Fateful Years of an Empress
★ 7.1
Sissi: The Fateful Years of an Empress1957History

After a wonderful time in Hungary Sissi falls extremely ill and must retreat to a Mediterranean climate to rest. The young empress’ mother takes her from Austria to recover in Madeira.

Grizzly Man
★ 7.5
Grizzly Man2005Documentary

Follows the story of "Grizzly Man" Timothy Treadwell and what the thirteen summers in a National Park in Alaska were like in his attempt to protect the grizzly bears. The film is full of unique images and a look into the spirit of a man who sacrificed himself for nature.

Dust Radio: A Film About Chris Whitley
Not rated
Dust Radio: A Film About Chris Whitley2017Documentary

A look at the work, life and eventual death of singer-songwriter Chris Whitley, whose many albums (on both major and indy labels) received universally good reviews, earning him a fan base among top tier musicians and journalists; though never bringing sustained mainstream success.

Antonio Gades, la ética de la danza
★ 6.0
Antonio Gades, la ética de la danza2007Documentary

Documentary that reconstructs the professional life of the dancer through the thread of his own voice. A work that travels to the fundamental landscapes of the personal history of Gades with unpublished documents and the testimony of those who shared with him many pages of the book of his life and the history of Spanish dance in recent decades.

Poster unavailable
★ 7.5
Leonardo da Vinci1952Documentary

This documentary tells the story of the brilliant Italian polymath, artist, sculptor, painter, poet, musician, writer, philosopher, scientist, botanist, geologist, cartographer, mathematician, anatomist, paleontologist, architect, urban planner, engineer, and inventor. The legacy of the brilliant Leonardo (1452-1519) to the world came in many forms: in the breathtaking beauty of The Last Supper and The Mona Lisa; in his rich collection of engravings; and in his notes on original thoughts on astronomy, biology, and physiology.

Amazon Adventure
★ 4.0
Amazon Adventure2017History

This film follows scientist Henry Bates as he explores the Amazon for proof of natural selection.

Schindler's List
★ 8.6
Schindler's List1993History

The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.

Ester Blenda
★ 10.0
Ester Blenda2016Documentary

A story about the unorthodox life of the groundbreaking Swedish journalist and author Ester Blenda Nordström (1891-1948). In a very restrictive time for women she travelled the world, always returning to her secret love, Carin, in Stockholm.

Thomas Hardy: Fate, Exclusion and Tragedy
Not rated
Thomas Hardy: Fate, Exclusion and Tragedy2021Documentary · History

A portrait of the British writer Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), who, although he had radical instincts, hated hypocrisy, was of great poetic brilliance, had a tragic perception of life and a calm outward appearance, was at heart a man of seething and somber darkness.

Cervin 1865, une première tragique
★ 10.0
Cervin 1865, une première tragique2015Documentary

The first ascent of the Matterhorn was made on July 14, 1865 by Edward Whymper, Francis Douglas, Charles Hudson, Douglas Hadow, Michel Croz and two guides from Zermatt, Peter Taugwalder father and son. Douglas, Hudson, Hadow and Croz are killed on the descent after Hadow slips and drags the other three men down the north face. Whymper and the two Taugwalders, who survive, are later accused of having cut the rope that connected them to the rest of the group so as not to be dragged into the fall, but the ensuing investigation finds no evidence of their guilt and they are acquitted. The Matterhorn is the last great peak in the Alps to be conquered and its ascent marks the end of the golden age of mountaineering. One hundred and fifty years later, a team undertakes the same expedition in order to unravel the mystery.

Genius
★ 6.5
Genius2016History

New York in the 1920s. Max Perkins, a literary editor is the first to sign such subsequent literary greats as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. When a sprawling, chaotic 1,000-page manuscript by an unknown writer falls into his hands, Perkins is convinced he has discovered a literary genius.

Clara Immerwahr
★ 6.8
Clara Immerwahr2014History

Clara Immerwahr and her husband to be Fritz Haber are both young and gifted chemists. Their struggle for acknowledgment in nationalistic Germany during World War I lead to the development and use of the first chemical weapons.

Verstörung - und eine Art von Poesie. Die Filmlegende Bernhard Wicki
Not rated
Verstörung - und eine Art von Poesie. Die Filmlegende Bernhard Wicki2007Documentary · History

Documentary about film director and actor Bernhard Wicki.

Poster unavailable
Not rated
Krok do prázdna Jana Masaryka aneb Dokonalý zločin2011Documentary

Poster unavailable
Not rated
Milada2023Documentary

Matúš Bachync's docudrama is an expressive and thought-provoking story of a freedom-loving woman who fought communist brutality in the 1950s.

Go Figure
Not rated
Go Figure2020Documentary

Two-time Olympian and World Champion, the legendary Randy Gardner, explores his true identity through figure skating and his one man show. With his skating partner of over fifty years, Tai Babilonia, the pair experienced the heights of worldwide glory and devastating personal tragedy. Now that the intense glare of the public spotlight softens, he is free to finally reveal his untold magical and meaningful journey... on and off the ice.

The Fabulous Allan Carr
★ 5.0
The Fabulous Allan Carr2017Documentary

Armed with a limitless Rolodex and a Benedict Canyon enclave with its own disco, Allan Carr threw the Hollywood parties that defined the 1970s. A producer, manager, and marketing genius, Carr built his bombastic reputation amid a series of successes including the mega-hit musical film "Grease," until it all came crashing down after he produced the 1989 Academy Awards, a notorious debacle.

Father Michael McGivney
Not rated
Father Michael McGivney2008Documentary

Father Michael McGivney is a documentary that brings to life the story of one of America's most extraordinary Catholic priests. Born in Connecticut of Irish immigrant parents just a few years before the Civil War, Michael McGivney grew up at a time when millions of Catholic immigrants were struggling to overcome poverty and prejudice. As a parish priest in the gritty New England manufacturing town of New Haven, he made a deep impact on his community, earning the respect of the Protestant establishment and the love of his parishioners at St. Mary's Church. Emboldened to care for families threatened by the death of the breadwinner, Fr. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus, a mutual benefit society that today remains the world's largest Catholic lay organization with 1.8 million members in 13 nations. This film offers a rare glimpse into the life of an extraordinary priest and visionary leader. (Released 2014)

Vana: The Biggest Race Is the Life Itself
Not rated
Vana: The Biggest Race Is the Life Itself2012Documentary

A documentary portrait of a legendary Czech jockey, Josef Vána, reveals his inner world of thoughts. His unique way of life can't be described in words, and this is a first, really original view into his daily life around horses, terrifying accidents, and also stories about his family.

Soldier of the Road: A Portrait of Peter Brötzmann
★ 5.0
Soldier of the Road: A Portrait of Peter Brötzmann2012Documentary

How do you become Peter Brötzmann? How do you become what you are: a painter, a musician, an absolute artist? Europe was nothing but a ruin and shame possessed the heart of the young Germans. They needed to invent, scream, regain a lost brotherhood. Overcome this silence! That’s how some young German, British, Dutch, Belgian… musicians made Europe exist long before Maastrich and have kept on cherishing, imperturbably, their freedom! They are no longer twenty-year-olds, but others have followed. They set themselves one constraint: reinvent everything every time. A way to take the very instant into account, to let the unexpected in, to match to the world.

Your favorites

Recently viewed

Watch

Choose an authorized server.

Full video from an operator-configured authorized source. Official trailers use a separate player. If a server fails, retry or select another authorized server.

Legal watch options

Official trailer

Trailer preview only. Press Play to start.

Privacy choices

Favorites stay in your browser. Movie images load from TMDb. YouTube trailers contact YouTube only after you allow external media and choose a trailer. Advertising consent, if ads are enabled, is managed separately by the operator’s certified CMP.

Privacy policy

After allowing external media, choose the trailer button to load its player.