I am the best

The title of this article is ambiguous. See also: I am the greatest .

Movie
German title	I am the best
Original title	The Greatest
Country of production	United States
original language	English
Publishing year	1977
length	101 minutes
Age rating	FSK 12
Rod
Director	Tom Gries , Monte Hellman
script	Ring Lardner Jr.
production	John Marshall
music	Michael Masser
camera	Harry Stradling junior
cut	Byron Brandt
occupation
Muhammad Ali : Himself Ernest Borgnine : Angelo Dundee John Marley : Dr. Ferdie Pacheco Lloyd Haynes : Herbert Muhammad Malachi Throne : Payton Jory Lucille Benson : Mrs. Fairlie Teddy Wilson : John The Gardener Annazette Chase : Belinda Ali Mira Waters : Ruby Sanderson Chip McAllister : Cassius Clay at 18 Drew Bundini Brown : Himself Robert Duvall : Bill McDonald David Huddleston : Cruikshank Ben Johnson : Hollis James Earl Jones : Malcolm X Dina Merrill : Velvet Green Roger E. Mosley : Sonny Liston Paul Winfield : Draft Lawyer Paul Mantee : Carrara Skip Homeier : Major David Clennon : Captain James Gammon : Mr. Harry Sally Bondi : Bess

I am the Greatest (Original title: The Greatest ) is a US American film biography about the boxer Muhammad Ali from 1977 . Directed by Tom Gries and Monte Hellman , Ring Lardner Jr. wrote the screenplay based on the book The Greatest: My Own Story by Muhammad Ali.

action

Boxer Muhammad Ali is sponsored by some rich people, after which he becomes a champion. His agent harshly negotiated the financial terms of participating in the fighting. He argues that most African American boxers would later become poor, which shouldn't happen to Ali.

Muhammad Ali converts to Islam . He later refuses to participate in the Vietnam War . This puts a strain on his career and leads to the trial that Ali wins. The film ends with Ali winning the fight against George Foreman , in which Ali first tires his opponent before knocking him out.

Reviews

The lexicon of international film rates the film as a "failed attempt" to write a biography of Muhammad Ali. He leaves "the social environment of the boxing star largely" and only touches on "important dates and stations of his life" . The built-in "short excerpts from famous fights" would "hardly satisfy" fans of boxing .

TV Direkt magazine criticized the film as "boring" . His "cardinal mistake" is that the fight scenes shown are too short, which disappoints the fans.

Awards

The film received the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' Film and Television Music Award in 1990 .

backgrounds

The film was shot in Atlanta , Houston and Miami , among others . Director Gries died while filming, so that the film had to be finished by his colleague Hellman.

Web links

• I am the greatest in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Entry in the All Movie Guide

Individual evidence

1. ↑ I'm the Greatest in the Lexicon of International Film , accessed June 8, 2008
2. ↑ TV direkt 12/2008, page 41
3. ^ Filming locations for The Greatest , accessed June 8, 2008