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7 Reviews
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250+ Ratings
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kevin w
Ken Burns resurrects a great American story: that of a self-made man (and the country that stood against him) who became the first African American heavyweight champion. Simply a great story of rugged individualism. Worth more than one viewing.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
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Audience Member
One the best biographical documentaries I have seen. The depiction of Jack Johnson's life portrays one magnetizing human being. The documentary takes us through the context of the times, the atmosphere and the mores of that era, and one great soul that simply cannot be defined by his externalities.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/17/23
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Audience Member
Another Ken Burns' PBS Home Video. The greatest heavyweight boxer in American history...Jack Johnson. Confident, smiling and proud, Jack Johnson rose from oblivion to fight his way to the top of the boxing profession in the early 1900's. During a time of extreme bigotry and strict social rules, Johnson dared to be not just a black person, but a MAN. He lived hard and fast, dated and married white women, and became known as a "sport" because of his debonair clothing and manner. And he looked white men in the eye as an equal (NOT allowed at that time). Raw hatred by the "white race" against a black "animal" who dared to think himself equal to or even better than them!
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/13/23
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Audience Member
http://filmreviewsnsuch.blogspot.com/2016/02/unforgivable-blackness-rise-and-fall-of_12.html
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/25/23
Full Review
Audience Member
An amazing documentary about a complicated American. Further evidence that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/04/23
Full Review
Audience Member
A great historical documentary on boxing, black history and American culture through the larger than life figure Jack Johnson. http://youtu.be/Ex1TX2Vp3pQ
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/14/23
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Cast & Crew
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
Rated: 4/4
Aug 14, 2007
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Nick Schager
Slant Magazine
Proves that, no matter what punches were thrown at him, no one ever wiped that triumphant smile off of Jack Johnson's face.
Rated: 3.5/4
Oct 5, 2004
Full Review
Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts
Boston Phoenix
The archival footage alone justifies the entire enterprise.
Jul 2, 2018
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Greg Tate
The Nation
Burns's footage of Johnson in action is astounding, and the commentary from Stanley Crouch, Gerald Early and James Earl Jones provides acerbic, one-two punching Black male insights.
Apr 19, 2018
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Jason Gorber
Film Scouts
Burns brings forth many impressive historical details, all contextualized within the overarching story of Race in America. Hours later, you are left with what feels like a genuine sense of what made the guy tick, and the world that he inhabited. Yet anoth
Rated: A
Jun 21, 2007
Full Review
Donald J. Levit
ReelTalk Movie Reviews
The subject is admirably served here.
Oct 29, 2005
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