WHEN WE WERE KINGS
US, 1996, 92 minutes, Colour.
Muhammed Ali, George Foreman, Don King, James Brown, B.B.King, Spike Lee, Norman Mailer, George Plimpton.
Directed by Leon Gast.
In 1977, Muhammad Ali starred in The Greatest, a feature film based on his life story with Ali acting as himself. It is full of Ali's full-on hyperactive style. Twenty years later, with Ali handicapped by motor disease (as was evident at this year's Oscar ceremony), this Oscar-winning documentary is a tribute to the man, his career and what he stood for. (One reviewer noted, not without reason, that it seems like an obituary.)
Director Leon Gast went to Zaire in 1974 to film James Brown and B.B. King and other musicians who had gone to celebrate the world championship fight between Ali and George Foreman. Shady entrepreneur, Don King, who appears in this film, had to put the fight on hold for some weeks, which heightened the tension. Gast has had the material he shot for over two decades and has only now been able to edit it into a fascinating documentary, a record of Ali's life and Zaire, 1974, but also a social and political commentary on Ali and African Americans since the 60s. Ali emerges as a comically egotistic performer, as a shrewd sportsman and as a man who took the African American plight to heart. There is a sad irony at the time of the film's release at the plight of Zaire, civil war and refugees and President Mobutu who appears in the film.
In 2001, Michael Mann's biographical portrait, Ali, with Will Smith covered the period, 1964 when Ali beat Sonny Liston to 1974 and the rumble in the jungle. Ali endorsed Mann's film with enthusiasm.
1.Oscar-winning documentary? Its subject, style, impact? Relevance to the '90s?
2.The work of director Leon Gast? His going to Zaire in the '70s, his 300,000 feet of film, his lack of means to do anything with it, the passing of the decades, the idea of this film, his use of his original footage? A labour of love?
3.The impact of Mohammed Ali? Throughout the decades? In the '90s? His motor disease - yet his continuing intelligence? The film as a tribute?
4.The structure of the documentary: the voices and the witnesses and their being interspersed? The use of archival footage? The footage of Ali and his interviews, training, fights? The footage from Zaire, political, social, the fight? The chronological narrative and the build-up to the `rumble in the jungle'? The aftermath?
5.The impact of Mohammed Ali as an American of the 20th century? As an icon? As a sportsman, as a personality, as a social and religious figure? For African Americans?
6.The portrait of Ali's life, the Kentucky origins of Cassius Clay? The interview with his mother? Her explanation of his abilities, wanting to fight? His family, education? His youthfulness and going to the Olympics? His ambitions in the '60s, his sense of himself? The fight with Sonny Liston and his success? His world championship, the various fights and opponents? George Foreman? The social background and his social concern? His political action and commentary - especially at the time of his being drafted and his defiance? His concern about African Americans, about Africa?
7.The footage in Zaire? The rumble in the jungle and the build-up to the fight? The portrait of Don King, his patter, charismatic, persuasive? Quoting Shakespeare? Yet his prison background, the conman, the delay in the fight? The consequences for Ali being in Africa for so long, relationships with the people in Zaire, with President Mobuto and the government? (And the aftermath of Don King's career, especially with Mike Tyson?)
8.The musicians and their going to Africa? James Brown and the interviews, his perspective on African Americans? His music? The insertion of the concerts in the film? His entourage, the bands, the singers, B.B. King? The literally sweaty vigour of the songs? Their being used as social commentary on African Americans, on Ali, on the superstitions about Forman - especially for the succubus? The reprisal of this theme especially during the fight?
9.The political background of Zaire? Lomomba and his ejection, Mobutu and his government - and the ironies of the chaos and civil war in Zaire in '96-'97 at the time of the release of the film? The irony of Mohammed Ali's exhortations to the people of Africa - and the disillusionment of civil war and genocide in the '90s?
10.The portrait of George Foreman? His skill as a boxer, with Frazier and Ken Norton and his victories? His taciturn interviews? The delay with the fight, Don King and the money? His psyching himself up for the fight? His strength over Ali? Ali and his shrewdness in estimating Forman's weakness? The aftermath - and Forman being on hand, full of life and vigour, at the Oscar ceremony where the film won?
11.The portrait of Mohammed Ali, his zest for life, the abilities of his verbal patter, his inventiveness, his playing to the camera and to the audience? His athleticism, on the run, the dancing? The irony of the commentary, especially by Norman Mailer, about his fears?
12.The contribution of the witnesses: Spike Lee and his admiration for Mohammed Ali as well as for Black Muslims and Malcolm X? His regret about the short memories of children and their not knowing their history, the need for heroes? Norman Mailer and his memories, reporting on the fights, friendship with Ali, interpretation of his fears and demons? His amazement at the Zaire fight? His anecdote about Ali's praising him for his age and then making the comment when he left? George Plimpton and his sports reporting, the Harvard perspective on Ali, as a person, his career, social impact, the fight? His final anecdote about Ali's Harvard address and the poem: `Me We'?
14.The final collage recapitulating Ali's presence in the American consciousness, world consciousness? As a sportsman, as an icon? His social concern, his identification with Islam, with black Americans, the political implications?
