THE GREATEST
US, 1977, 102 minutes, Colour.
Muhammad Ali, Ernest Borgnine, Ben Johnson.
Directed by Tom Gries and Monte Hellman.
The Greatest is a biography of boxer Muhammad Ali from the time that he won his Olympic medals to the time of the Rumble in the Jungle in the mid-1970s and his regaining his title from George Foreman. It has to be said that Muhammad Ali is not the greatest of actors and perhaps this does not do a great service to him in communicating his personality to an audience.
Audiences interested in Muhammad Ali’s career have the options of watching a very strong documentary When We Were Kings which recreates the build-up to the Rumble in the Jungle or Michael Mann’s biopic with Will Smith, Ali.
There is a strong supporting cast including Ernest Borgnine as his trainer and James Earl Jones makes a cameo appearance as Malcolm X, giving the background of the transition of Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali.
The film was directed by Tom Gries, a director who, like many, began directing in television in the late 1950s and moved to making some feature films in the late 1960s including Will Penny (one of his best), 100 Rifles, Number One, The Hawaiians. However, he died prematurely after making The Greatest and the film is dedicated to him.
1. Audience interest in and response to Muhammad Ali? The title as referring to him, his use of it? Audience interest in his life and career?
2. Muhammad All acting himself? How authentic did this seem, even if a glamorous portrayal? How much insight into his background, character, success and failures, his future? How engaging a personality?
3. How interesting the biographical details? Sufficiently satisfying? Providing the basics for an understanding of his character? How much depth in the exploration of his career and personality? The importance of his Kentucky origins, the racial background, his own personality and outgoing style, his success in the Olympic Games, representing America, the origins of his career, the ups and downs of his promotion, his skill as a boxer, his conversion to Islam, his moral stances about Vietnam and his suffering in public opinion, his recovery of his career?
4. The use of genuine footage from his previous fights? Atmosphere of authenticity? The effect?
5. The introduction to him via his success at the Rome Games? The significance of his award, his age and skill? As an American, an African American? The presentation of his return to Kentucky and the jubilation? The prospects for his work? His working in the garden, his being treated as a black 'boy', his reaction against this? The humour of this via the character of John the gardener and his reaction? The lady of the house and her attitude towards him?
6. The transition to the world of big business and promotion? The Kentucky families wanting to promote him? Their faith in him as a boxer? The significance of the scene in restaurant and the racial tensions about his sitting down, drinking? The tensions in the white family? The seeming Innocence of the daughter?
7. The transition to Miami and the world of training? Ernest Borgnine's style impersonating his trainer? His skill as a trainer, devotion to Cassius Clay? The doctor and his following Cassius Clay's career?
8. The significance of Cassius Clay as a personality, and his promotion? Travel, caravan, incessant talk, the challenges and the spotlight, the journalists? How was this highlighted in the challenge to Sonny Liston? Liston's reaction, the sequence in the Las Vegas gambling place? The entourage of Cassius Clay?
9. His presentation of himself and his relationship with women, as a womaniser? The meeting with the prostitute and asking her if she knew who he was? Two, the girl that he encountered in his training, her following him, their going out together, the importance of the elaborate and society party where he criticised her dress? The reason for their clashes? Thirdly, his proposal to the girl in the cafe, the human touch, the Islamic background, her friends and their support of her, Clay and his seeking out permission from her parents? The growing in love, the bonds between the two, her presence at the fights, her suffering, breakdown, hospitalisation? The prospect of a family?
10. The importance of Malcolm X and James Earl Jones' characterisation of him? His significance In American recent history, black, Islam? The critique of Christianity and its identification with the whites? What does Islam offer the African American? The style of his meetings and his addresses? The bonds between himself and Cassius Clay? The significance of Cassius Clay changing his name, his genuine adherence to his religion? The importance of having managers with this Islamic background (the important sequences where Muhammad Ali's manager clashed with the white managers and their deals?)
11. The picturing of the world of promotion, the deals, the blackmail as regards his stating his adherence to his religion? His holding out? Hostility In Kentucky?
12. The issue of Vietnam, the atmosphere of America in the sixties? The picturing of the call-up, the treatment of Muhammad Ali - his name, religion? hostility? The possibilities of his being a celebrity in the Army and his refusal? The significance of the court cases, the losing of the cases? His reaction, the Olympic medal in the river? Public opinion against him?
13. The lonely years, arranging fights, legal bans? Forbidding him to go to Canada? The prospect of a fight in Georgia? Defeats and Injuries? The clashes with Frazier, Norton?
14. The joy of his vindication and the possibility of resuming his career?
15. The build-up to the final fight? The toughness of the champion? His strategy In staying in the ring and tiring the champion and thus winning? An appropriate stage to end the film?
16. The prospects of Muhammad Ali's future? His comments about the time for success and the time for retiring?
17. The cult of the personality In America? Self-promotion and confidence? Themes of success and failure, racial themes, boxing and sport themes? Muhammad Ali's career as a focus on America in the sixties and seventies?
