Facing Ali

It was 1964, I was 14 years old. It seems so long ago - well, it was. I was in the seminary in Subiaco Arkansas listening one night to Cassius Clay and Sonny Liston. It started a love of boxing that lasted a very long time.

This film was a blend of talking and boxing. It kept you glued to the screen so you wouldn't miss a word or a moment of action.

It was a well balanced film; giving the good and the bad. You gained a real insight into Muhammad Ali, and into those who fought him. A fight with Ali was literally a lifesaver for Ken Norton, who was broke.

An excellent documentary about a great man.

Not sure I understand why this film does not have a higher rating. It is a riveting look into the spirits and circumstances of some compelling people. The nature of Boxing was elevated to international proportions entirely by the character of Muhamed Ali. At the end you see the shadow of Don King, who ushered in its death. It is a portrait of a moment in time as remembered by the old dragons who lived it. It is a perfect film, describing a rare and luminous moment inside a deeply troubled country and among the black man and white society. There will never be a moment in time to match it, not in our lifetimes. Everything about this film is compelling.

FACING ALI is a fantastic documentary that is a befitting tribute to the man who is undeniably "The Greatest", Muhammad Ali. I absolutely loved this "career biography" that is told by some of his most significant former opponents like Joe Frazier and George Foreman. It is easy to see why Ali is the Greatest Fighter of all time. The film has a well blended combination of historical footage and contemporary interviews beginning with his early professional fights through his last fight with Larry Holmes. It recalls his conversion from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali and how he stood by his principles. We also get some insight into the men who fought him as they recount some of their own history. But mostly it is an affectionate tribute to great fighter and a great man.

The life of Muhammad Ali is told by ten of his boxing opponents; George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks, and Ernie Terrell. They also reveals some harrowing and deeply personal stories about themselves.

This is a compelling telling of Muhammad Ali's story from another angle. He is such a magnetic personality that his opponents have been mostly silenced by his gift of gab. It's a nice retelling of the familiar story by the other voices and it does much more. These voices are allowed to tell their own stories and some of it is harrowing while others are uplifting. It's a definite must for true fight fans and fans of the human condition.

This documentary cements itself as one of the greats in boxing history. Out of the numerous films, books, documentaries and other assorted material on Muhammad Ali, Facing Ali surely is in the top 5. With no interviews of the legend himself, Pete McCormack crafts an intimate and touching portrait of Ali through the eyes of his biggest rivals. George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks and Ernie Terrell all have unique voices into what it meant to fight the champ and on the legacy he left. Chuvalo in particular speaks exceptionally well, giving analysis to both Ali the man and the fighter. This is an unmissable treat.