A documentary of the 1974 heavyweight championship bout in Zaire, "The Rumble in the Jungle," between champion George Foreman and underdog challenger Muhammad Ali.
Director:
Leon Gast
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Title: When We Were Kings (1996)
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Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| 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 - Writer | |
| George Plimpton | ... | Himself - Writer | |
|
|
Thomas Hauser | ... | Himself |
| Malick Bowens | ... | Himself - Artist (as Malik Bowens) | |
|
|
Lloyd Price | ... | Himself - Concert Promoter |
| The Spinners | ... | Themselves | |
| Miriam Makeba | ... | Herself | |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
|
|
Drew Bundini Brown | ... | Himself - Ali's Ass't Trainer (as Drew 'Bundini' Brown) |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
It's 1974, Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the Heavyweight champion of the world. Promoter Don King wants to make a name for himself and offers both fighters five million dollars apiece to fight one another, and when they accept, King has only to come up with the money. He finds a backer in Mobutu Sese Seko, the dictator of Zaire and the "Rumble in the Jungle" is set. A musical festival, featuring the America's top black performers, like James Brown and B.B. King, is also planned. Written by Gary Dickerson <slug@mail.utexas.edu>
Plot Keywords:
title fight | africa | championship bout | rumble in the jungle | zaire |Taglines:
The untold story of the Rumble in the JungleMotion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated PG for images of violence, brief nudity and some language | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
14 February 1997 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Amikor királyok voltunk - Muhammad Ali See more »Filming Locations:
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic Of CongoEdit
Box Office
Gross USA:
$2,666,118, 8 June 1997Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby DigitalColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Written by Andy Marvel, Amy Powers and Arnie Roman
Liedela Music (ASCAP), W&R Group (ASCAP), World of Andy Music, Inc. (ASCAP)
Romanesque, Inc. (ASCAP), Powers That Be Music (ASCAP)
Performed by Brian McKnight and Diana King
Brian McKnight appears courtesy of Mercury Records
Diana King appears courtesy of The Work Group
Produced by Andy Marvel
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Almost all of the footage was shot in 1974. The film took 23 years to complete because the negatives and rights were caught up in civil suits involving the Liberians who financed it. See more »Quotes
Muhammad Ali: I'm young, I'm handsome, I'm fast, I'm pretty and can't possibly be beat.See more »
Soundtracks
When We Were KingsWritten by Andy Marvel, Amy Powers and Arnie Roman
Liedela Music (ASCAP), W&R Group (ASCAP), World of Andy Music, Inc. (ASCAP)
Romanesque, Inc. (ASCAP), Powers That Be Music (ASCAP)
Performed by Brian McKnight and Diana King
Brian McKnight appears courtesy of Mercury Records
Diana King appears courtesy of The Work Group
Produced by Andy Marvel
See more »
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It goes nearly without saying that Ali is a transcendent figure of his generation. For those currently in their twenties who did not grow up in Ali era, this film is a glimpse at why the world choked up upon seeing Ali light the flame at the Atlanta Olympiad.
While Gast's footage of Ali in Kinshasa is sparse, interview segments with Plimpton, Mailer and Lee, and a pulsing soundtrack fill in the blanks to tell a surprisingly complete tale. The characters are fascinating: A young Don King, who had not yet made his name; a sullen, menacing George Foreman bearing no resemblance to the huckster we see today; the creepy Mobutu, who is rarely seen though his presence is felt, and Howard Cosell, who appears briefly to predict the defeat of the man who practically created him. Far, FAR superior to Michael Mann's Ali, which lifted huge pieces from this documentary. While Mann's film provides much more for the eye, Gast's "Kings" is a superior example of pure storytelling.