The Trials of Muhammad Ali

2013 1h 26m EN

👍

7.1

SOLID

★7.1TMDB · 20

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Brash boxer Cassius Clay burst into the American consciousness in the early 1960s, just ahead of the Civil Rights movement. His transformation into the spiritually enlightened heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is legendary, but this religious awakening also led to a bitter legal battle with the U.S. government after he refused to serve in the Vietnam War. This film reveals the perfect storm of race, religion and politics that shaped one of the most recognizable figures in sports history.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Muhammad Ali
Self (archive footage)
David Susskind
Self (archive footage)
Eamonn Andrews
Self (archive footage)
Louis Farrakhan
Self
H. Rap Brown
Self (archive footage)
Abdul Rahman Barman
Self
Malcolm X
Self (archive footage)
Elijah Muhammad
Self (archive footage)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Bill Siegel
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

86 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 13 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Joshua Abrams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Muhammad Ali and David Susskind and Eamonn Andrews carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt2489734 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 20 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Bill Siegel directs. Joshua Abrams scores. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

186 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 13 years ago.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Original score by Joshua Abrams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Muhammad Ali and David Susskind and Eamonn Andrews carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt2489734 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 20 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.