"I have given many interviews stating that because of church proscriptions I saw no motion pictures before the age 16, when I did so w/o permission. That's not quite true. Several times a year my father would bring our family to National Geographic style traveloques shown at the Grand Rapids Civic Auditorium. There were also two feature films we went to see, "Martin Luther" in 1953 and "The Heart is a Rebel" in 1958. Both were shown at the Civic Auditorium. I just watched "The Heart is a Rebel" for this time time since. It's a coming to Jesus story bound together by the Ethel Waters' gospel singing. An often touching more often ludicrous 1950's time capsule. What made it stand out is aproximately 15 minutes of documentary footage from the Billy Graham historic crusade at the old Madison Square Garden. My father was deeply committed to Graham, Cliff Barrows and the crusade. We go to Chicago to hear them and I would step forward voluntarily "just as I am." Seeing Graham in this historic footage is stunning. The charisma is blinding. Then I realized what it reminded me off: it was Bruce Springsteen in 1976 descending like a charismatic avatar. A star is born. I'm going to see Bruce again on Monday. I wish I could see and hear Billy again."
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