The Trials of Muhammad Ali

Brash boxer Cassius Clay burst into the American consciousness in the early 1960s, just ahead of the Civil Rights movement. His transformation into the spiritually enlightened heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is legendary, but this religious awakening also led to a bitter legal battle with the U.S. government after he refused to serve in the Vietnam War. This film reveals the perfect storm of race, religion and politics that shaped one of the most recognizable figures in sports history.

Cast

Muhammad Ali

Self (archive footage)

David Susskind

Self (archive footage)

Eamonn Andrews

Self (archive footage)

Louis Farrakhan

Self

H. Rap Brown

Self (archive footage)

Abdul Rahman Barman

Self

Malcolm X

Self (archive footage)

Elijah Muhammad

Self (archive footage)

Sonny Liston

Self (archive footage)

Jerry Lewis

Self (archive footage)

Hana Ali

Self

Lester Maddox

Self (archive footage)