True Films 3.0 - Kevin Kelly

When We Were Kings
This is the most popular documentary in print. I recently did a survey of
industry awards, best-of-lists, and reviewer favorites: When We Were Kings
was on more lists than any other documentary. It tells of the triumph of
Muhammad Ali, the first global celebrity athlete. Even today he is probably
the most famous athlete world-wide. The story of his rise from small
time boxer Cassius Clay to draft resister, to poetry reader to world champ
after a famous fight in Zaire, Africa would be entertaining in itself. But
what puts this documentary about that famous fight in Africa (the rumble
in the jungle where Ali regained his championship) over the top is the
cast of characters – from Ali himself, to his antagonist (George Foreman),
announcer (Howard Cosell), reporters (Norman Mailer), entourage
(James Brown), promoters – all who loom way larger than life. If you
were to write a Hollywood version of Ali’s life and then try to cast actors
to juice up the roles, you simply could not cast more outrageous people
than the actual folks themselves – here forever documented with drama,
intrigue, and plot twists.
By Leon Gast
1996, 89 min.
Available from Amazon
Rent from Netflix
Muhammad Ali jokes before the fight (left).
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