Muhammad Ali: The Long-Lost Movie
Documentary Gives Glimpses of The Greatest in ’73 & ‘74
Muhammad Ali: The Long-Lost Movie
Unrated
Running time: 120 Minutes
Distributor: Anthology Film Archives
Film Review by Kam Williams
Excellent (3.5 stars)
In 1966, Muhammad Ali refused to report to an Army induction center when he
was drafted to fight in Vietnam, explaining: “I ain’t got no quarrel with
them Viet Cong. They ain’t never called me [N-word].” At the time, he was
undefeated and the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World.
However, Muhammad was soon arrested and convicted of draft evasion, and
subsequently stripped of his title and boxing license. And he was unable to
fight again for over four years, until his conviction was finally overturned
by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Muhammad’s arduous path to regaining the heavyweight crown culminated with
the classic, 1974 fight in The Congo against George Foreman forever
remembered as The Rumble in the Jungle. What makes Muhammad Ali: The
Long-Lost Movie so fascinating is the fact that it was shot in 1973 and 1974
when he was close to completing his amazing comeback to champ against what
were considered the longest of odds. After all, Foreman was then considered
unbeatable, given how he had just knocked Joe Frazier down six times in four
minutes in a two-round contest.
Directed by Anton Perich, the film was shot entirely on location at
Muhammad’s mountaintop camp located in rustic Deerlake, Pennsylvania. The
director was afforded free access to shoot Ali in the gym where he is seen
both sparring in the ring and working out with his legendary corner men Drew
“Bundini” Brown and Angelo Dundee.
More interesting are the tete-a-tetes with Muhammad during downtime, when he
is heard musing about everything from his faith to his training regimen to
racism to the Hurricane Carter case. He even confidently predicts that he
will prevail in the impending showdown in Zaire, asserting, “Foreman don’t
hit hard. He’s awkward. He can’t go five rounds. It’s going to be a shock to
the world.”
However, he does concede that “There ain’t but one thing can stop me from
winning the fight.” But you’ll have to see the movie to find out his very
surprising vulnerability.
Ever the philosopher, Ali reveals a very deep side of himself during moments
of reflection. Here’s a sampling of his many quips shared. “A man’s wealth
is in his knowledge, not in the bank.” “A worldly loss often turns into a
spiritual gain, and vice-versa.” And “The lover of nature is the true
worshipper of God.”
Vintage intimate footage of The Greatest on the verge of what would prove to
be his greatest moment in the ring.
Related Links
Ali [2001] - Film Review
http://aalbc.com/reviews/ali.htm
Interview with Muhammad Ali daughter, boxing champion, Laila Ali
http://aalbc.com/reviews/laila_ali.htm