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Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee

Original title: Muhammad Ali, the Greatest
  • 1969
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
691
YOUR RATING
Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee (1969)
DocumentaryBiographySport

He's the greatest fighter of all time. A sports icon that is loved throughout the world. A man driven by his ambition to be the best. Muhammad Ali is a name that to this day puts fear in the... Read allHe's the greatest fighter of all time. A sports icon that is loved throughout the world. A man driven by his ambition to be the best. Muhammad Ali is a name that to this day puts fear in the strongest of men. Hear from the people who knew him best, from experts of the world of bo... Read allHe's the greatest fighter of all time. A sports icon that is loved throughout the world. A man driven by his ambition to be the best. Muhammad Ali is a name that to this day puts fear in the strongest of men. Hear from the people who knew him best, from experts of the world of boxing, relive the legendary fights and explore the life of boxing's greatest symbol, Ali.

  • Director
    • William Klein
  • Writer
    • William Klein
  • Stars
    • Muhammad Ali
    • Sonny Liston
    • Angelo Dundee
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    691
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • William Klein
    • Writer
      • William Klein
    • Stars
      • Muhammad Ali
      • Sonny Liston
      • Angelo Dundee
    • 4User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos9

    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee (1969)
    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee (1969)
    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee (1969)
    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee (1969)
    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee (1969)
    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee (1969)
    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee (1969)
    Muhammad Ali in Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee (1969)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Muhammad Ali
    Muhammad Ali
    • Self
    Sonny Liston
    Sonny Liston
    • Self
    Angelo Dundee
    Angelo Dundee
    • Self
    Jack Nilon
    • Self
    Chris Dundee
    • Self
    Finlay Campbell
    • Self
    James X
    • Self
    Malcolm X
    Malcolm X
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Jersey Joe Walcott
    • Self
    Jimmy Braddock
    • Self
    • (as James J. Braddock)
    Floyd Patterson
    Floyd Patterson
    • Self
    Norman Mailer
    Norman Mailer
    • Self - In Crowd
    Stepin Fetchit
    Stepin Fetchit
    • Self
    Sam X
    • Self
    George Foreman
    George Foreman
    • Self
    Don King
    Don King
    • Self
    Mobutu Sese Seko
    Mobutu Sese Seko
    • Self - President of Zaire
    Joe Frazier
    Joe Frazier
    • Self
    • Director
      • William Klein
    • Writer
      • William Klein
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Includes rare footage of The Beatles cavorting in a training-camp gym with publicity-savvy young Muhammad Ali (then called Cassius Clay) in 1964.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Sanford and Son: The Camping Trip (1976)

    User reviews4

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Records the Greatest for all times.
    Superb fly on the wall documentary film footage about two of Ali's biggest fights. The first against Liston when Ali was a young sure to lose underdog and the second against Foreman when his age and Foreman's power had combined to lower him to major underdog status once more.

    The boxing is definitely not what it's about here (Ali was so much more than a boxer to many people all around the world) , but a slice of Americana from two periods of it's history, ten years apart. Attitudes glare out at us from a cross-section of American society, towards the man, his principles and his opponents, which are things barely seen on any fight footage...another reason for the fight footage being unnecessary is that it would detract from the interest of non-boxing fans, whilst boxing fans will most probably have seen the fights more than once and will surely not be in desperate need see them again. Their interest however should be more than held by this unique back-grounding footage which would then complete the picture for them.

    Boxing is a conflict, but conflict without drama is not terribly compelling and a drama is made up of attitudes and circumstances which surround an event or character, which is what this footage gives us, so it would not be so surprising that upon watching this some non-boxing fans may find themselves in search of the fight footage for which this movie is a backdrop. Top marks from this viewer.
    helpful•2
    0
    • sammy-balamy
    • Feb 4, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 9, 1974 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Languages
      • French
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Muhammad Ali, der Größte
    • Production companies
      • Delpire Productions
      • Films Paris-New York
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $20,073
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,093
      • Apr 13, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $20,073
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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