Product Details

• Actors: Theresa Randle, Natalie Cole, James McDaniel, Diahann Carroll, Randy J. Goodwin
• Directors: Robert Townsend
• Writers: Cindy Myers
• Producers: Natalie Cole, Carroll Newman, Elizabeth Selzer, Jeremy Kinnear, Robert Greenwald
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: December 26, 2000
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000056JQZ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,547 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "This Will Be" a great video to own!, January 7, 2001

By 

The Fancy One "blackprincess" (Westchester County, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Livin' For Love - The Natalie Cole Story [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Natalie Cole's story, which was based on her best-selling autobiography, comes to vivid life on screen. Like Ms. Cole's book, this movie pulls no punches about the seemingly fairytale life she had as a child to her bouts with drugs, her rise to fame as a singing star, her family life, only for it to all come crashing down due to her addiction--and her amazing comeback due to the one thing she was running away from all her life: acknowledging the legacy of her father, the legendary pop/jazz artist, Nat "King" Cole, who had died a tragic death from lung cancer at the age of 45. At the time of his death, Natalie had just turned 15, and has said that his death was something she never got over, but never had the chance to grieve, which eventually led her to drugs. That, and the need to be daring and experimental. But she explains that it wasn't until the mid-80s when she was in rehab for the second time that she realized this. Bottom line was, she missed her father tremendously.

Diahann Carroll is fantastic as Maria Cole, Natalie's strict disciplinarian mother, and James McDaniel captures the gentle and understanding man that Nat Cole was perfectly, even though his role is not a large one. The two young actresses who play Natalie as a child are enchanting, and Theresa Randle as the young adult Natalie pulls out all the stops for a Emmy-deserving performance.

One of the most touching and true scenes in the movie is when Natalie, playing herself, has to break the news to her young son right before a concert that his father has passed away, then she goes on stage and dedicates her hit song "Our Love" to her former husband. The emotion is very real, and you can tell that Natalie was reliving the pain she must've felt then. Also at the very end of the film, you see real footage of Natalie singing the smash "Unforgettable" with Nat on video at the 1992 Grammy awards. Another heart-touching moment. It also shows the ups and downs of the music industry and how certain situations are handled and overcome. A phenomenal story. Highly recommended! Now if only we can bring Nat's story to the screen....

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GREAT LOOK AT NATALIE COLE'S LIFE, December 28, 2000

By 

BRIAN (Holtwood, Pa 17532) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Livin' For Love - The Natalie Cole Story [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I SAW THIS MOVIE ON TV AND IT WAS FANTASTIC. IT SHOWS HOW SHE USED DRUGS AND HOW IT AFFECTED HER LIFE AND CAREER. IT SHOWS HOW SHE WAS NOT CLOSE TO HER MOTHER. HER MOTHER DIDN'T WANT HER TO BE A SINGER. UP UNTIL THE LAST 30 MINUTES OR SO, THE ACTUAL NATALIE COLE TAKES OVER AS HERSELF. THE MOVIE ENDS WITH NATALIE RECORDING A DUET WITH NAT "KING" COLE AND HER PERFORMING ON THE GRAMMYS. ALL TOGETHER: FANTASTIC

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Livin' For Love - The Natalie Cole Story, July 14, 2008

By 

Shawni Land "Shawni R. Land" (Los Angeles, Ca USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Livin' For Love - The Natalie Cole Story [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This movie really touched my heart. The Cole family lacked communication skills in connecting with each other. Natalie Cole used drugs to num her pain. Also, Natalie Cole and her ex-husband truly loved each other, but the drugs ruined thier marriage, because they were not in their right mind. This is a lesson on how people who claim love for one another, that take it for granted, and wish they could turn the clock back. The Natalie Cole story is highly recommed by me.