The Greatest

PG

Released May 19, 1977

1 hr. 41 min.

Biography

List

20%

5 Reviews

Tomatometer

47%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

Boxer Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) trains with Angelo Dundee (Ernest Borgnine), becomes heavyweight champion and converts to Islam.

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Audience Member

Muhammad Ali is better in boxing than in this movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

this movie is absolutely horrific. even though it's still an interesting story, the acting is, well, not the greatest.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I have seen this movie and the reason that I give it 5 stars is because it is an honest portrayal of Ali by Ali. There are a number of things that Ali could have white washed out of this movie and he didn't. And for a man to honestly present the good and the bad about himself is very rare and speaks volumes about the man. He is the hero of many people for a reason. This movie is definitely worth the watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

wow....wow....wow.....just seen this movie 4 the 1st time n think that this is a great movie 2 watch.....its got a good cast of actors/actresses throughout this movie.....I think that Muhammad ali, ernest borgnine (.R.I.P.), john marley, Lloyd Haynes, Robert duvall, play good roles/parts throughout this movie......I think that the director of this drama movie had done a great job of directing this movie because you never know what 2 expect throughout this movie....I think that this is such a fascinating movie 2 watch as it is a real-life movie 2 watch, its got a good soundtrack throughout this movie...... Rahaman Ali, Howard Bingham, Harold Conrad, Lloyd Wells, Pat Patterson, and Gene Kilroy appear as themselves. There are many uncredited roles in the film including some major characters such as Ruby Sanderson his girlfriend, Belinda Board who became his wife and Herbert Mohammed son of Elijah Muhammad and his manager at one point. James Earl Jones is uncredited in the film in his role as Malcolm X Robert Duvall is uncredited as a Miami promoter trying to get Ali to abandon the Muslim faith man this is such a powerful drama movie 2 watch, it is such an interesting movie 2 watch, its got a great cast throughout this movie...... The song "The Greatest Love of All" was written for this film and sung by George Benson; it was later remade by Whitney Houston as "Greatest Love of All". The movie is based on a book written by Muhammad Ali, Herbert Muhammad and Richard Durham. man this is such a powerful drama movie 2 watch, it is such a great classics movie 2 watch.....it is such a fascinating documentary movie 2 watch...... The film follows Ali's life from the 1960 Olympics to his regaining the heavyweight crown from George Foreman in their famous "Rumble in the Jungle" fight in 1974. The footage of the boxing matches themselves are largely the actual footage from the time involved. man this is such a great movie 2 watch, I think that this is such a really well written/acted/directed movie 2 watch, I think that this is such a brilliant classics movie 2 watch, its got a great cast throughout this movie, but it is such a great movie 2 watch with a great cast throughout this movie......its got good fight scenes throughout this movie....man this is such a brilliant movie 2 watch, it is such a interesting movie 2 watch with a great movie 2 watch it is such a great movie 2 watch...... .

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The greatest boxer of all-time is arguably the worst actor that I have ever seen.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Essentially this is two films: one with fascinating footage of the time around Ali's first title triumph and then subpar footage of the reclaiming of the title from George Foreman. You can't take your eyes off of Ali inevitably. The real man is still somewhat shrouded in mystery for me. This was a good glimpse.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

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Tom Gries

Director

Muhammad Ali

Self

Ernest Borgnine

Angelo Dundee

John Marley

Dr. Ferdie Pacheco

Robert Duvall

Bill McDonald

James Earl Jones

Malcolm X

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Here the question is to go see historical boxing matches, preserved with documentary fidelity, and to observe Mohammad Ali brave his greatest rival yet: a film camera. [Full review in Spanish]

Aug 16, 2023

Full Review

Roger Gentry

Los Angeles Free Press

The odds are seven to two that it won't go 15 rounds at the boxoffice.

Oct 23, 2019

Full Review

Ruth Batchelor

Los Angeles Free Press

The Greatest is about a once-great fighter but it isn't a great fight film.

Oct 23, 2019

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Sep 25, 2005

Full Review

Jules Brenner

Cinema Signals

Rated: 2/5

Aug 5, 2004

Full Review

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Synopsis

Boxer Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) trains with Angelo Dundee (Ernest Borgnine), becomes heavyweight champion and converts to Islam.

Director: Tom Gries
Screenwriter: Ring Lardner Jr.
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation, EMI Films Ltd.
Rating: PG
Genre: Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 19, 1977, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 4, 2017

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