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When We Were Kings
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When We Were Kings (1996) More at IMDbPro »

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When We Were Kings (1996) -- Open-ended Trailer from USA Films

Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   5,782 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 18% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Leon Gast
Contact:
View company contact information for When We Were Kings on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
14 February 1997 (USA) more
Tagline:
The untold story of the Rumble in the Jungle
Plot:
A documentary of the 1974 heavyweight championship bout in Zaire between champion George Foreman and underdog challenger Muhammad Ali. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(13 articles)
Soul Power
 (From PasteMagazine. 10 July 2009, 5:00 AM, PDT)

Film: Review: Soul Power
 (From The AV Club. 9 July 2009, 12:02 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
The most elusive man outside the ring more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Muhammad Ali ... Himself
George Foreman ... Himself

Don King ... Himself

James Brown ... Himself
B.B. King ... Himself
Mobutu Sese Seko ... Himself (President of Zaire)

Spike Lee ... Himself
Norman Mailer ... Himself
George Plimpton ... Himself
Thomas Hauser ... Himself

Malick Bowens ... Himself
Lloyd Price ... Himself
Wilton Felder ... Himself (sax, The Crusaders)
Wayne Henderson ... Himself (trombone, The Crusaders)
Stix Hooper ... Himself (drums, The Crusaders)
more

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG for images of violence, brief nudity and some language.
Runtime:
89 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Company:
Das Films more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Though almost all of the footage in this documentary was shot by producer/director Leon Gast in 1974, one reason it took 22 years to complete was because the negative and rights to the film were entangled in civil suits involving the Liberians who financed the movie's making. more
Quotes:
[Responding to Howard Cosell]
Muhammad Ali: And you're always talking about, "Muhammad, you're not the same man you were 10 years ago." Well, I asked your wife, and she told me you're not the same man you was two years ago!
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The 50 Greatest Documentaries (2005) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
In A Cold Sweat more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful:-
The most elusive man outside the ring, 27 July 2008
Author: rdowb from Canada

Muhammad Ali is arguably the greatest sports figure of all time. He is remembered for his athletic achievement, political stances, and larger than life personality. Yet we never knew him.

Michael Mann made a decent movie called Ali a few years ago. He tried his best to draw a portrait of an elusive human being. But what he was trying to achieve had already been done before with When We Were Kings.

When We Were Kings is a phenomenal documentary. In my opinion, the prototype for all documentaries. Taking place in and around perhaps the best boxing match of all time, the Rumble In The Jungle, in which Ali faced George Foreman(of grill fame...). Ali is shown as a man brimming with confidence, yet his constant boasting becomes a coat of armor that protects him from his own self-doubt. Yet he endears himself to the African people who embrace him like he's one of their own. In these moments Ali appears both invincible and mortal.

There are some cool musical numbers by James Brown and B.B King as well as appearances by Spike Lee, Don King, and the controversial president of Zahire at the time, Mobutu Sese Seko. These appearances add depth to the amazing events of the film.

If you love documentaries, sports, or character stories, When We Were Kings is among the class of each.

Was the above comment useful to you?
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Message Boards

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Great Man flickfiend
'Boma ye' jerry4444
What did Ali say to Don King after the fight??? Pyro7291
The Great Myth About the Rumble in the Jungle crawsh
Best Documentary a_spike_lee_joint
where do i find the script for when we were kings s_jefcoate
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