This documentary focuses on two of the seminal individuals in African American gospel music: Willie May Ford Smith and Thomas A. Dorsey. At the time of the filming Smith was in her late 70s and Dorsey in his early 80s. The primary filming locations are in a church in Saint Louis, where Smith was being honored, and at a National Convenion of Gospel Choirs and Choruses in Houston where Dorsey made an appearance. One place I would find fault is the lack of information about time, place, and people. For example, it took me a long time to figure out who Smith's relatives were--a few simple subtitles would have cleared up a lot of confusion for me.It would be hard to come away from this without recognizing the indisputable appeal of the music and singing, and the artistry of the performers. One theme that ran throughout for me was trying to determine the extent to which the gospel singing came from an inner spirit versus being a manifestation of ego. Smith herself remarked on her categorizing those who sang from the soul versus those who sang for show, saying that "Some people get into gospel singing just to get the dollar." Two people Smith identified as singing from the soul were the O'Neal brothers. Indeed the segments shown of he O'Neal's were one of the film's highlights and, as we see, they were the result of much rehearsing. Even the O'Neals expressed reservations about the direction gospel singing was taking, saying, "Gospel music has become a business. Now, years ago gospel singing was evangelizing. Unfortunately we live in the hit record society." They also commented that a contemporary gospel singer had to appeal to a younger audience to stay alive.As much as I enjoyed the Barrett sisters, their act seemed quite practiced. And the histrionics of Zella Jackson Price give those of Mick Jagger a run for his money. I found Dorsey and his business manager Sallie Martin a bit stern, and at times threatening. Dorsey's comment, "If you can't talk to God, if you can't say something to your neighbor about God. If you don't know God, you need to start over again," is one that many will not find endearing. Dorsey was on occasion referred to as "Doctor" and "Professor" and it was not clear if those were simply terms of endearment, or whether they connoted some past training. There was one interesting scene that had Dorsey, Martin, and Smith in an unpleasant heated debate over who started the first gospel convention.There may be a bit too many "Praise the Lord," "Hallelujah," "Amen," and "Thank you Jesus," comments for some viewers. And, as far as any evidence of true caring we mainly get the usual Christian bromides. When an older man in some distress turns to Smith for consolation, he gets only, "In the name of Jesus, touch this brother, he's your child. Deliver him," after which she moves on. On another occasion, after Smith hears a man uttering a single, "Praise the Lord," she comments, "He's got the spirit all over him. He's got what it takes." I did not see much spiritual depth in Smith based on such incidents. Smith's grandson's view on women is off-putting. He takes from the Bible that women shouldn't be preaching, "The proper place for a woman is behind a man." And then there is the whole question of career versus family. In giving advice to Zella Price, Smith says that it's hard to be a gospel singer having a career, "Get the children, and the support of the children and the husband and the family all that out of your mind and see souls out there who are drifting and you throwing out a lifeline." The idea of having more concern for those you don't know versus those you do has always been a mystery to me. DeLois Barrett Cambell had a similar career versus spousal support conflict with her minister husband, Reverend Campbell, but she allowed as how she was not going to be deterred from her life's dream of being a known singer just in order to support her husband and his ministry. The film is not without humor; when Campbell says to his wife over the breakfast table, "I'll be glad when the time comes when our ministry can be together as a husband and wife team more than you and your sister's team," DeLois turns to him and says, "You want eggs with your sausage?" Another scene I found humorous has Reverend Campbell in his church saying, "The Lord is in his holy temple, all of us ought to keep silent and be reverent in his presence," and that segues almost immediately into loud singing, jumping up and down, and clapping.There are frequent admonitions to "Do what God wants you to do." It's interesting how often it seems that what God wants you to do is what you want to do. I credit this film for delving behind the scenes for us to see things that many of us would not otherwise see. We are left to judge for ourselves how we feel about these people and about gospel music.In the end I came to feel that, what with world tours and cutting CDs for the more popular groups, the gospel music scene is not that much different from the rock music scene. Both genres have a mighty power to move us and both attract the devoted, the egotist, and the greedy, and various combinations thereof.

Never have I responded so thoroughly to people in a documentary. I initially became curious about it because of Roger Ebert who rated it so highly.Now I have it in my collection and whenever I am feeling down, I watch it. In addition to Willie Mae Ford Smith and Thomas A. Dorsey, I love all of the other singers too. In an era when it is possible to feel numb about life, this film and its vivid people help you to process pain and sadness. What survivors! How I would like to meet all of these people. Some of these people are not conventionally pretty, but, oh my! they help you feel again. It is so moving to hear their reminiscences when many are shown later in their lives. So sadly, many of them are no longer with us. We are all a little poorer without them. That's why we can be so thankful that this film was able to capture what we might have missed. What a terribly sad end to the life of Sallie Martin! God bless mother Smith and Thomas Dorsey. We are all richer for them.

"Say Amen Somebody", deals with almost all the problems you can expect in life, and how these real people took care of their business. Every song makes you think about how real they are in your life. If you are feeling down, and want to "have church" in your own home, the get full of the spirit, with this movie. I try to reach for this movie anytime I need a reason to think about how blessed I am. I sing along with the singers and I leave this world, with all of its troubles. I feel I am out in space somewhere, and it is just God's party! In this movie, God gives a great party, and all you have to do is rent or buy the movie and have the best time of your life. The singers/saints will live forever, and this movie has some very comical moments, yet still makes you reflect on your own life. "Say Amen Somebody."

March 30, 1983 "Say Amen, Somebody" Four starsMovies / Roger Ebert "Say Amen, Somebody" is the most joyful movie I've seen in a very long time. It is also one of the best musicals and one of the most interesting documentaries. And it's also a terrific good time. The movie is about gospel music, and it's filled with gospel music. It's sung by some of the pioneers of modern gospel, who are now in their 70s and 80s, and it's sung by some of the rising younger stars, and it's sung by choirs of kids. It's sung in churches and around the dining room table; with orchestras and a capella; by an old man named Thomas A. Dorsey in front of thousands of people, and by Dorsey standing all by himself in his own backyard. The music in "Say Amen, Somebody" is as exciting and uplifting as any music I've ever heard on film. The people in this movie are something, too. The filmmaker, a young New Yorker named George T. Nierenberg, starts by introducing us to two pioneers of modern gospel: Mother Willie May Ford Smith, who is 79, and Professor Dorsey, who is 83. She was one of the first gospel soloists; he is known as the Father of Gospel Music. The film opens at tributes to the two of them - Mother Smith in a St. Louis church, Dorsey at a Houston convention - and then Nierenberg cuts back and forth between their memories, their families, their music and the music sung in tribute to them by younger performers. That keeps the movie from seeming too much like the wrong kind of documentary - the kind that feels like an educational film and is filled with boring lists of dates and places. "Say Amen, Somebody" never stops moving, and even the dates and places are open to controversy (there's a hilarious sequence in which Dorsey and Mother Smith disagree very pointedly over exactly which of them convened the first gospel convention). What's amazing in all of the musical sequences is the quality of the sound. A lot of documentaries use "available sound," picked up by microphones more appropriate for the television news. This movie's concerts are miked by up to eight microphones, and the Dolby system is used to produce full stereo sound that really rocks the theater. One of the phenomenons during screenings of this film is the tendency of the audience to get into the act. Willie May Ford Smith comes across in this movie as an extraordinary woman, spiritual, filled with love and power. Dorsey and his longtime business manager, Sallie Martin, come across at first as a little crusty, but then there's a remarkable scene where they sing along, softly, with one of Dorsey's old records. By the end of the film, when the ailing Dorsey insists on walking under his own steam to the front of the gospel convention in Houston, and leading the delegates in a hymn, we have come to see his strength and humanity. Just in case Smith and Dorsey seem too noble, the film uses a lot of mighty soul music as counterpoint, particularly in the scenes shot during a tribute to Mother Smith at a St. Louis Baptist church. We see Delois Barrett Campbell and the Barrett Sisters, a Chicago-based trio who have enormous musical energy; the O'Neal Twins, Edward and Edgar, whose "Jesus Dropped the Charges" is a show-stopper; Zella Jackson Price, a younger singer who turns to Mother Smith for advice; the Interfaith Choir, and lots of other singers. "Say Amen, Somebody" is the kind of movie that isn't made very often, because it takes an unusual combination of skills. The filmmaker has to be able to identify and find his subjects, win their confidence, follow them around, and then also find the technical skill to really capture what makes them special. Nierenberg's achievement here is a masterpiece of research, diligence and direction. But his work would be meaningless if the movie didn't convey the spirit of the people in it, and "Say Amen, Somebody" does that with great and mighty joy. This is a great experience.