Muhammad Ali: The Greatest (1969)

67% of critics liked it
(12 reviews)
58% of users liked it
(121 ratings)

Photographer William Klein's seminal, gritty documentary on Muhammad Ali concentrates on the athlete's career during his early fights circa 1964 through his later triumphs at the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle. Using an intimate, impressionistic and sometimes surreal style, Klein keeps the fight footage… More Photographer William Klein's seminal, gritty documentary on Muhammad Ali concentrates on the athlete's career during his early fights circa 1964 through his later triumphs at the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle. Using an intimate, impressionistic and sometimes surreal style, Klein keeps the fight footage to a minimum and concentrates more on the verbal punches that Ali hurled outside the ring at such opponents as Sonny Liston and George Foreman.

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 34 min.
Directed By: William Klein, Carlos Larkin
Genres: Documentary, Drama, Sports & Fitness, Special Interest

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1974 Wide
On DVD: Mar 8, 2005

Critic Reviews

Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
Has the advantage of immediacy.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
The material in Muhammad Ali has been enriched by time, but it leaves one yearning for a film that covers the entire Ali career in somewhat greater detail and depth than was ever, apparently, Mr. Klein's concern.
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
Hardly definitive ... contains some invaluable puzzle pieces to one of the most enigmatic and complex sports figures of all time
Donald J. Levit, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
The three fights covered in this documentary are not pictured at all beyond a very few grainy stills.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Quirky enough to blow smoke around most other boxing documentaries.
Rich Cline, Film Threat
Much better than the Oscar-winning When We Were Kings.
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The film's glories are in the details and its intimacy would be unimaginable in the rigidly spin-controlled atmosphere of 21st-century sports.
Jamie Russell, BBC
Offers a rare glimpse of America's greatest fighter before he became a legend.
Wade Major, Boxoffice Magazine
A work every bit as compelling as its subject.
Kevin N. Laforest, Montreal Film Journal
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!

Read all 10 critic reviews

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