One of the most acclaimed music documentaries of all time, SAY AMEN, SOMEBODY is George Nierenberg’s masterpiece—a joyous, funny, deeply emotional celebration of African American culture, featuring the father of gospel Thomas A. Dorsey ("Precious Lord, Take My Hand"), its matron Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith, and earth-shaking performances by the Barrett Sisters and the O'Neal Twins. When it was first released in the early 1980s, the film received an overwhelming critical response, garnering rave reviews around the world.
Unseen in cinemas for nearly thirty years, SAY AMEN, SOMEBODY has been gorgeously restored to 4K by Milestone with support from the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Academy Film Archive.
“The music alone would be enough to make SAY AMEN, SOMEBODY worth seeing. But it has warmth and friendliness, too, and some of its family scenes are as memorable as its songs.” —Janet Maslin, New York Times
“[Director George] 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 mighty joy. This is a great experience.” —Roger Ebert, rogerebert.com
“...A rich fusion of concert doc and character study. Like Frederick Wiseman, Nierenberg drops us right onto his stage, which in this case is the gospel scene of, primarily, Chicago.” —Chuck Bowen, Slant
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