The Greatest (1977 film)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The Greatest is a 1977 biographical sports film about the life of boxer Muhammad Ali, in which Ali plays himself. It was directed by Tom Gries. The film follows Ali's life from the 1960 Summer 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.
The film is based on the book The Greatest: My Own Story written by Muhammad Ali and Richard Durham and edited by Toni Morrison.
The song "The Greatest Love of All" was written for this film by Michael Masser (music) and Linda Creed, (lyrics) and sung by George Benson; it was later covered and made a Billboard Hot 100 #1 single by Whitney Houston.
Cast
- Muhammad Ali as Himself
- Ernest Borgnine as Angelo Dundee
- John Marley as Dr. Ferdie Pacheco
- Lloyd Haynes as Jabir Herbert Muhammad
- Robert Duvall as Bill McDonald
- David Huddleston as Cruikshank
- Ben Johnson as Hollis
- James Earl Jones as Malcolm X
- Dina Merrill as Velvet Green
- Roger E. Mosley as Sonny Liston
- Paul Winfield as Mr. Eskridge
- Annazette Chase as Belinda Boyd Ali
- Mira Waters as Ruby Sanderson
- Drew Bundini Brown as Himself
- Malachi Throne as Payton Jory
- Richard Venture as Colonel Cedrich
- Arthur Adams as Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr.
- Stack Pierce as Rahaman
- Paul Mantee as Carrara
- Skip Homeier as Major Canlan
- David Clennon as the Captain
- Nai Bonet as Suzie Gomez
- Chip McAllister as young Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali
Rahman Ali, Howard Bingham, Harold Conrad, Don Dunphy, 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 and his girlfriend, Belinda Board, who became his wife, and Herbert Mohammed, son of Elijah Muhammad, who was Ali's manager at one point.
Lonette McKee was originally going to portray the role played by Annazette Chase.
Soundtrack
All music composed and produced by Michael Masser, and arranged by Masser and Lee Holdridge.
|title1= The Greatest Love of All |note1= George Benson |lyrics1=Linda Creed |length1= 5:32
|title2= I Always Knew I Had It in Me |note2= Benson; version 1 |lyrics2= Gerry Goffin |length2= 7:14
|title3=Ali's Theme |note3=Masser |lyrics3= — |length3=5:18 }}
