When We Were Kings (1996)

Director:

Leon Gast

Release Date:

14 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | History | Sport

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.

Plot Keywords:

Zaire | Underdog | Boxer | Boxing | Racism

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 3 nominations

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)

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

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | UK:PG | USA:PG

Company:

Das Films

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.

Quotes:

Malik Bowens: Muhammad Ali, he was like a sleeping elephant. You can do whatever you want around a sleeping elephant; whatever you want. But when he wakes up, he tramples everything.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Be Kind Rewind (2008)

Soundtrack:

Am Am Pondo

More than just a good boxing story, it's an examination of cultural history

To focus only on Ali (like or dislike), or just the significance of the boxing match alone, would be missing the point of this movie. Tell your friends that it's not just a sports movie! It is a Documentary that focuses not only on the fight, but on the black culture in the U.S. and Zaire. That's culture as defined by its people, music, athletes, politics, business and other innumerable parts, as observed by several different people, inside and outside.The insights offered by George Plimpton and Norman Mailer are priceless. It's history and entertainment together, and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. It would be simplistic and unjust to reject the Documentary because of personal prejudices or disagreement with Ali's politics. It is also a mistake to isolate and criticize colourful comments, chants and poetry (!)that were uttered purely to entertain and "psych" the opponent.

Not only was Ali a great boxer and a great entertainer, he is an intelligent and articulate man. He uses his high profile to deliver messages of racial pride, heritage, hope and peace. The fact that Parkinson's Disease has physically afflicted and almost silenced this man is a tragedy. We have been deprived of hearing what the 26 years of life experience since 1974 may have done to Ali's outlook and beliefs. Writing this has inspired me to go to the library; maybe he hasn't been silenced totally, and someone is talking for him. Like this film, it's a subject worth investigating!