Sing Your Song (2011)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sing Your Song is a documentary film which premiered in 2011.

 

The topic is the life and career of the famous singer, actor, and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte, who was born in New York City in 1927.

 

Here is some basic information about this film:

 

** Director: Susanne Rostock

** Producer: Michael Cohl

** Released on DVD in 2012

** Run time: 104 minutes

 

Many persons are interviewed in this film. Family, friends, and people who have worked with him. The list of names is long; too long to be included here. I will mention only one name: Harry Belafonte, who appears throughout the film, because he is the narrator.

 

The film follows a chronological line from the time when he was a young child until the time when the film was being made and he was an old man (more than 80). 

 

Harry Belafonte died in April 2023, aged 96.

 

The film covers the music he has made, the movies he has made, and his other activities, primarily his role in the Civil Rights Movement in the US.

 

Between the numerous talking heads, there are short clips from the music and the movies and the other activities.

 

What do reviewers say about this film? Here are the results of three review aggregators:

 

** 73 per cent = Meta

** 75 per cent = IMDb

** 79 per cent = Rotten Tomatoes (the audience)

** 95 per cent = Rotten Tomatoes (the critics)

 

If you ask me, the first two ratings are too low. When you look at Rotten Tomatoes, you can see that there is a gap between the general audience and the professional critics, but both groups are positive. In this case, I have to side with the critics, because this is a great film.

 

When a famous person is writing a book about himself – or, in this case, narrating a film about himself – there is always a danger that the account we get will be rather one-sided, because he tends to focus on the positive aspects of his life, while ignoring whatever negative aspects there may be.

 

In my opinion, we do not have this problem here. As far as I can tell, this film is what I call an ABC product:

 

** Accurate

** Balanced and

** Comprehensive

 

In addition, it is interesting and informative. The pace is brisk, and the story is quite captivating.

 

I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).

 

PS. Sidney is a documentary film which premiered in 2022. It is a biopic of the famous African American actor Sidney Poitier (1927-2022).

 

If you like Sing Your Song, about the life and career of Harry Belafonte, Sidney is definitely something for you.

 

REFERENCES

 

# 1. A book

 

My Song:

A Memoir of Art, Race and Defiance

By Harry Belafonte

With Michael Shnayerson

(Hardcover 2011)

(Paperback 2012)

This autobiography is a companion to the film

# 2. A documentary film

Legenden - Harry Belafonte

Run time = 90 minutes

(2022)

In 2023, this film was shown on German television (MDR)

This film covers the life and career of Harry Belafonte as an actor, a singer, and a civil rights activist with special focus on his connection with Germany

 

*****

Sing Your Song

A documentary film about the life and career of

Harry Belafonte

(2011)

*****