Nat King Cole: Afraid of the Dark

Yes, this documentary is made through rose-coloured glasses, but it's entertaining and sincere. It's been a long time since Nat 'King' Cole's death, but the producers give a respectable lineup of interviewees who knew Cole, including Tony Bennett and Harry Belafonte. But it's Cole's wife, the late Maria Cole, who is the most impressive witness to Cole's life, although she does admit he cheated on her. She has a lot of charisma and is a fine, elegant speaker. Thr doco points out that Cole's talents as a pianist were under-rated and forgotten, that he suffered racism, and that he was a good father. There's lots of great performance footage, and it makes you realise how many smash hits Cole had.