Review of a.k.a. Cassius Clay

An odd blend of documentary, hagiography, exploitation picture, and polemic about Muhammad Ali made with The Greatest's full cooperation during the lean period between his fall from favor—primarily for refusing to serve in Vietnam—and his triumphant comeback in Zaire. Ali may have been down when this was shot (one can't shake the sense that financial pressure is behind his participation) but he's far from out. The movie makes all the usual stops on the Clay tour: poor Louisville upbringing, Golden Gloves, meteoric rise to champ, etc., floridly narrated by Richard Kiley. What makes this movie worth seeing, though, are interstitial conversations between Ali and his lifelong mentor and coach, Cus d'Amato. They know one another so well and have been at this so long that their improvised dialogue shakes out like two old vaudeville pros taking potshots at one another. Ali keeps boasting and d'Amato keeps getting under the champ's skin; their bits are truly funny and fascinating to watch. (The segments where d'Amato taunts his pupil by suggesting he'd be no match for great boxers of the past are particularly rich.) We'll never see another superstar like Ali, whose trademark bravado was still no match for his enormous talent. This cheesy little picture gives us a glimpse into the dynamic behind the legend. The deep-seated love between this unlikely pair is unmistakable. We realize how lucky Ali was having d'Amato in his corner. The little guy is fearless of the giant towering over him; they're both butterflies and bees.