#135: When We Were Kings
Release Date: October 25th, 1996
Format: Streaming (Max)
Directed by: Leon Gast
4 Stars
When We Were Kings is an absolutely incredible documentary that covers the 1974 heavyweight title fight in Kinshasa, Zaire between young champion George Foreman and former champion, now challenger, Muhammad Ali.
As a guy who has read a handful of books about Ali and seen the majority of his fights on YouTube, I will say that it is a tough task to capture the man’s complexity and the scope of his charisma in a scant 1 hour and 26 minutes, but director Leon Gast seems to have done it. Editing off-and-on for 22 years, and working from 138 hours of footage, Gast’s film is masterful. He immerses us in Third World Africa, where an older, overmatched Ali must summon the love of an entire continent, as well as every ounce of his considerable intelligence and courage, to once again become heavyweight champion.
If you only know Ali by name and would like to know more, this documentary would be a good place to start. When We Were Kings captures Ali as the Great Warrior of the People. Here is a man who relinquishes his heavyweight title belt in protest because he refuses to fight in the Vietnam War (famously stating, “No Vietcong ever called me nigger”). A man who brings joy and hope to the poor and working class all around the world. A hero to millions, and the most recognizable human being on earth.
And he has a wonderful antagonist in the film in the form of George Foreman. Behind closed gym doors, Gast shows Foreman hitting the heavybag and stalking his smaller opponents while sparring, and you’ll think there’s no way Ali can survive this man. Surely he’s being sent to a slaughter.
And beyond the boxing, the film features all kinds of wonderful appearances, from a young Don King (honing his sociopathic charlatan act as promoter of the fight), to interviews with Norman Mailer and Spike Lee and George Plimpton, to incredible footage of musical performances from B.B. King and James Brown, amongst others.
But Gast knows that the real star of the show is Muhammad Ali. He shows the champ jogging with villagers in the early morning hours in the Kinshasa countryside, and playfully and lovingly interacting with his African brothers and sisters. He’ll need them as much as they need need him.
Here is as big a hero as the world has ever seen, faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, and When We Were Kings is there to capture it all.
Ali, bumaye!
