The Greatest (1977)

Director:

Tom Gries

Writers:

Muhammad Ali (based on: "The Greatest: My Own Story" by), Herbert Muhammad (based on: "The Greatest: My Own Story" by),

Stars:

Muhammad Ali, Ernest Borgnine, John Marley

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Muhammad Ali	...	Himself
Ernest Borgnine	...	Angelo Dundee
John Marley	...	Dr. Ferdie Pacheco
Lloyd Haynes	...	Herbert Muhammad
Malachi Throne	...	Payton Jory
Lucille Benson	...	Mrs. Fairlie
Teddy Wilson	...	John The Gardener (as Theodore R. Wilson)
Annazette Chase	...	Belinda Ali
Mira Waters	...	Ruby Sanderson
Chip McAllister	...	Cassius Clay Aged 18 (as Phillip 'Chip' McAllister)
Drew Bundini Brown	...	Drew 'Bundini' Brown (as Drew 'Bundini' Brown)
Robert Duvall	...	Bill McDonald
David Huddleston	...	Cruikshank
Ben Johnson	...	Hollis
James Earl Jones	...	Malcolm X

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

adultery | friendship | boxing arena | glove box | based on autobiography | 

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Taglines:

Winner, Loser, Lover, Loudmouth... THE MAN

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 May 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

A legnagyobb ököl

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, EMI Films, Johsn Marshall Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Final project by director Tom Gries, who died over four months before the movie's May 1977 release.

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Connections

Edited into Afro Promo (1997)

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Soundtracks

"I Always Knew I Had It In Me"
Sung by George Benson
Music by Michael Masser
Lyrics by Gerry Goffin

User Reviews

Rope A Doped

It's not surprising how the impression from this movie is that "Ali can't act" -- but a distinction has to be made. Ali was plainly no dramatic actor; it doesn't mean he 'couldn't act'.

Quite the opposite; Ali was a natural in the ring, on TV, in interviews; he was a gifted, graceful athlete -- sports are now all about performance, about 'acting', largely because of his influence.

He was an intelligent, creative tactician, both physically and verbally, inside and outside the ring.

He invented trash talk. He invented the modern notions of relentless self-promotion and self-aggrandizement; psychological warfare in sport. By the time he started affecting young movie actors, it was clear that it had all come full circle. Wesley Snipes is probably his closest scion ("White Men Can't Jump").

But acting as himself in this hagiography, it's just no use.

If you want a good period example of a natural, unscripted Ali experience, read his interviews with Hunter S. Thompson (in his "Great Shark Hunt" compendium).