Sports Leadership Resource Centre: Movies
Summary: In 1974, boxers Muhammad Ali and George Foreman came to the still-emerging and politically unstable African nation of Zaire for what Ali called the “Rumble in the Jungle,” a highly publicized world heavyweight championship fight. Documentarian Leon Gast flew to Zaire to film both the fight and a music festival (featuring B.B. King, The Pointer Sisters and Miriam Makeba) organised by promoter Don King. “When We Were Kings” provides a vivid portrait of the controversial Ali. At 33, he was considered past his prime for the Zaire fight and his refusal to serve in the U.S. military on moral grounds was still an issue in the minds of many. But here, Ali displays strength, skill, intelligence and tremendous charm, making it clear how he became one of the most renowned figures in the world of sports. George Foreman is seen as a strong, forbidding opponent, not especially articulate and seemingly unstoppable. “When We Were Kings” is a fascinating document of a great moment in sporting and cultural history.
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