The Powers of Congress (1947)

★★★★★ · This film will cause you to see visions. · bestpbx · 2009-07-01

It will.

★★★★ · I Heart Congress · Dodsworth the Cat · 2022-12-18

What could be the most low-budget dream sequence in film history is the highlight of this Coronet short, complete with deliberate overacting, echoing evil laughter and double-exposed bubbles (maybe Shep Fields was in town when they shot this). The film is pure propaganda about how wonderful the U.S. Congress is, quoting no less than the Constitution as proof of its usefulness. Charles Bentley is all dyspeptic about it until after his dream. Then he has an instant realisation so common in Coronet Films. Next follows a stream of stock footage, claiming Congress is responsible for all it shows.…

★★★★ · Zinc? · tambora · 2004-07-09

Zinc? I'd say that the Simpsons were actually parodying a little film by the name of "Shane" (1953) where the kid says, "Come Back, Shane! Come back!" As to this film, it's delightfully surreal and a worthy addition to most any Prelinger collection.

★★★ · truth is stranger than fiction · Dad_da_Man · 2007-04-14

with the exceptions of the taxes, military being gone, this little movie just about sums up the state of Americas federal government right now. Sure,I write with a little sarcasm, but just a little. Also, why is the "non congress" actor an Asian? I was wondering because of the time this was made, was it a way to suggest if congress was gone, the United States would be like?? oh , I dont know, China? Very interesting to watch this considering the current state of America, that is for sure.

★★ · propaganda film · owen1218 · 2005-07-21

bleh. I liked the setup and the style of the dream scenes but other than that this is just an advertisement for the US government.

★ · A Dumb Film · Ron Raygun · 2010-01-16

Looking at Mr. Larkin's credentials, "Dean of LIBERAL Studies", this film seeks to build government bigger, by passively brainwashing school kids on how 'wonderful' Congress is. With the current huge dissatisfaction of Congress some 60 years after this film was produced, the naivete and silliness of this film is evident. And since 1948, with the creation of the state of Israel and its octopus AIPAC, Congress has become a representative of a foreign nation, with it and our country sliding down a slippery slope to the ruins of Communism. This film producer being a liberal, promotes our elected…