Summaries

Behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the Fight of the Century between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali.

On March 8, 1971, in Madison Square Garden, for an unprecedented purse of $5 million--Muhammad Ali met Joe Frazier to contest for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world. In cinema verité style, this film presents the build-up, the perspectives of the fighters, fans, and moneymen. Fans predictions were split down the middle: Ali was The Greatest; Frazier was terrifying. Frazier hit like a truck; Ali was quicker than lightning. The fight itself is presented in its entirety without any announcer commentary, and by today's standards, the film is grainy, worn-looking, and sounds terrible--all ultimately unimportant--as the crowd noise, the ring announcer, and the bell take you back to the beginning, and the tale of two fighters who would eventually become inextricably intertwined in boxing history.

Details

Keywords
  • fight
  • behind the scenes
  • title fight
  • heavyweight boxer
  • professional sportsman
Genres
  • Biography
  • Sport
  • Documentary
Release date Aug 31, 1975
Motion Picture Rating (MPA) G
Countries of origin United States
Language English
Production companies CinAmerica William Greaves Productions

Box office

Budget $50000

Tech specs

Runtime 2h 22m
Color Color
Sound mix Mono
Aspect ratio 1.33 : 1

Synopsis

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