Save the Children: A Concert for the Ages

In 1972, Jesse Jackson created Operation PUSH (an acronym for People United to Save Humanity) that advocated for black self-help in various ways, including literacy programs and efforts to keep kids in school.

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Later in 1972, Jesse Jackson formed the PUSH Expo, in which dozens of musicians came together to give a series of huge concerts to raise money for his organization.

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This documentary is a visual time capsule of the early 70s and gives us a glimpse of the power, beauty and flavor of those concerts.

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The opening credits say that this film was made at the time, that it had a limited release in theaters, and was then shelved. This is a re-release of that documentary.

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Here is the list of participants:

* Marvin Gaye

* The Staple Singers (their clip is just…wow! Mavis Staples could really sing)

* The Temptations

* The Chi-Lites (their huge afros and embroidered tunics made a strong statement)

* The Main Ingredient

* The O’Jays

* Isaac Hayes (he played the piano and sang a smoking version of Stormy Monday, topless)

* Zulema

* The Cannonball Adderly Quartet

* Albertina Walker

* The PUSH Mass Choir

* Loretta Oliver

* Rev. James Cleveland (several members of his choir caught the holy spirit. One even had to be carried out)

* Bill Withers

* Curtis Mayfield

* Sammy Davis Jr. (who made a heartfelt statement and seemed unsure if he would be welcome)

* Roberta Flack and Quincy Jones

* Gladys Knight and the Pips (she was so young and beautiful! The Pips looked sharp dancing in their 3-piece suits)

* Jerry Butler

* Brenda Lee Eager

* Ramsey Lewis

* Nancy Wilson

* The Jackson 5 (seeing this now, it’s very easy to imagine that Michael was chasing the energy in this concert for the rest of his life. The people in the audience LOST THEIR MINDS and he was in his element)

* Jackie Verdell

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It’s an impressive collection of talent! It was the first time a large group of musicians were gathered for a worthy cause (way before Live Aid in 1987).

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What I didn’t like is something that bugs me about a lot of film footage taken in the 60s and 70s: the extreme close-ups and camera theatrics. Throughout the film several minutes of footage taken on the streets of Chicago, and elsewhere, is spliced in. It’s frustrating to be able to see someone so closely that we can see how worn down their shoes are, but we're unable to see their whole body or any kind of context.

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That gripe doesn’t affect the quality and power of the performances and speeches, though (most of the time).

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In addition to Jesse Jackson, we also get to see the dapper Don Cornelious speak! Awesome!

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I also really enjoyed the shots of the audience. People were more earnest back then.

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