Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Muhammad Ali, Ernest Borgnine, John Marley, Lloyd Haynes, Robert Duvall ... see more see more... , David Huddleston , Ben Johnson , James Earl Jones , Dina Merrill , Roger E. Mosley , Paul Winfield , Annazette Chase , Mira Waters , Phillip MacAllister , Dorothy Meyer , Lucille Benson , Theodore Wilson , Skip Homeier , Sally Gries , Arthur Adams , Nai Bonet , Drew Bundi Brown , David Clennon , Harold Conrad , Toni Crabtree , Don Dunphy , James Gammon , Ray Holland , Paul Mantee , Alberto Martin , Philip McAllister , Ben Medina , Pat Patterson , Stack Pierce , Malachi Throne , Richard Venture , Ernie Wheelwright , Elizabeth Marshall , George Cooper , Howard Bingham , Rahaman Ali , Richard Gullage , Sally Bondi , W. Youngblood Muhammad

With Muhammad Ali cast as himself, The Greatest covers Ali's life from his "Cassius Clay" days to the celebrated Ali/George Foreman bout. Along the way, the film focuses on Ali's conversion to Islam a... read more read more...nd his potentially career-breaking decision not to serve in the Army. Ernest Borgnine palys Ali's first trainer Angelo Dundee, while Roger E. Mosley shows up as Sonny Liston. The Greatest was the final directorial effort from the late Tom Gries. The same subject would later be covered in Michael Mann's Ali, starring Will Smith as the champ. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

27% want to see it

152 ratings

PG, 1 hr. 41 min.

Directed by: Monte Hellman, Tom Gries

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: December 11, 2001

Photos


None yet... Got one?

Your Rating



clear rating

Flixster Reviews (15)


  • December 14, 2010
    In this movie you can see the story told by the man himself... and played by him as well! Following young Cassius Clay`s struggle against prejudice and discrimanation from his Olympic cold win to the famous Rumble in the Jungle, the fight against George Foreman! Muhammad Ali is a... read more natural performer and in this film he is managing not to go overboard! The best part of the script is that just concentrates itself with hard facts . I'll have to say that without Ali we would never know about him turning up at Sonny Liston`s house at the dead of night to throw insults... and that is the advantage of this movie! It is like some kind of documentary reconstruction of a remarkable life... and it`s all true!

    I'll have to say that I enjoyed the performance of Phillip MacAllister playing the young Cassius Clay Jr displaying the engaging affrontery of a young talent so sure of himself that discretion in self-description knows no bounds... real Ali's characteristics which will later refine through formal discipline, professional conflicts and the controversial refusal to be inducted in the US Army.

    Movie with a message... and important part of a history story which should be told!

Critic Reviews


Vincent Canby
May 9, 2005
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
September 25, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Jules Brenner
August 5, 2004
Jules Brenner, Cinema Signals

No review available.

Derek Adams
June 24, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Ali
    Ali (75%)
  • Firmin
    Firmin (0%)

Facts


No facts approved yet. Be the first

The Greatest: Muh... : Watch Free on TV


Movie Quizzes


No quizzes for The Greatest: Muhammad Ali. Want to create one?

Video Clips


No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists


Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?