THE GREATEST (MUHAMMAD ALI) (1977)

TOM GRIES

Documentary Blackness, Race & Ethnicity Civil Rights Sport

Cast

MUHAMMAD ALI ERNEST BORGNINE JOHN MARLEY LLOYD HAYNES ROBERT DUVALL DAVID HUDDLESTON BEN JOHNSON DINA MERRILL MUHAMMAD ALI RING LARDNER JR HERBERT MUHAMMAD RICHARD DURHAM

Plot

Sports heroes playing themselves in weird fictional stories rarely ever works and The Greatest is no exception. Meandering & gratuitous, this film is disappointing if only because of the talent involved. Ali is the only actor who emerges unscathed, perhaps because there was little expectiation, however, the direction portrays the story as a Rocky meets Malcolm X tale ending in ultimate hero-worship. Ham-handed.