Star Rating:

Sing Your Song

Director: Susanne Rostock

Actors: Harry Belafonte

Release Date: Monday 30th November -0001

Genre(s): Documentary

Running time: 100 minutes

How great is Harry Belafonte? Pretty great as it turns out. I didn't know anything about him apart from the broad strokes and that my parents have one or two of his albums on vinyl somewhere in the attic. Like Liam Clancy and The Yellow Bittern, though, you don't have to be a fan of the music - calypso does nothing for me - but you can go ahead and be a fan of the man. He's irresistible.

Sing Your Song finds the eighty-five year old singer/actor/political activist in fine fettle. Talking straight to camera and not an unseen interviewer, Sing Your Song is lent a certain intimacy: the man is talking directly to you about his life, and what a life it was. Blessed with endless hours of footage, director Susanne Rostock takes us through his life that includes a flirtation with movie stardom before delivering ground-breaking (in form and content) TV shows. However, racial prejudice would stalk his career (he wasn't allowed to stay at the Vegas hotels where he was the headlining act) and, after meeting Paul Robeson, turned his attention to Civil Rights, rounding up his high profile friends (Sidney Poitier, Charlton Heston, Tony Bennett among others) to bring attention to the injustices in America. His drive didn't stop there, campaigning for Nelson Mandela's release and opposing American foreign policy at every step. Belafonte is still doing it, vowing to do something every day to make a difference.

The man is a class act all the way and it's admirable that he turns his success into an instrument to highlight the causes he holds dear. His achievements, which are laid out here, are remarkable. However, and you can accuse me of being a typical begrudging Irish bastard here, it gets a bit much after a while:

Harry: I'm also responsible for taking Hip-Hop to Cuba.

Me: No!

Harry: I am. Did you know I was involved in organising USA For Africa's We Are The World?

Me: I didn't.

Harry: I got humanitarian awards for fighting Aids and promoting child education in Africa.

Me: Oh yeah?

Harry: I also invented Ethernet cables, the colour violet and the bookcase.

Me: Get away.

Harry: And I played bass in The Fall.

Me: I thought that was you.

The thing is, because he's done so much, if Harry did state the above you might believe him. But who is he? What's he like when the cameras aren’t rolling? Rostock and Belafonte keep his personality hidden, lest something chip away at the saintly figure on display. His failed marriage is mentioned and the lack of time he spent with his kids is given a bittersweet makeover. Being a staunch opponent to the Bush administration, there is no mention of his calling of Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice 'house slaves'. More of the barbarous Belafonte would have gone a long way. But as a newcomer to the man, his music and his politics, Sing Your Song is a fascinating watch.