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When Cassius Clay embraced Islam and became Muhammad Ali, the "People's Champion" courted controversy. When he subsequently refused the draft, he went from "The Greatest" to persona non grata.
Muhammad Ali is, perhaps, the most famous athlete in the world. While most documentaries have focused on the heavyweight boxing champion's sporting career, Oscar-nominated director Bill Siegel (The Weather Underground) instead looks at Ali's toughest bout: his grandstanding showdown with the American government, sparked by his refusal to fight in the Vietnam War.
Archival footage and exclusive interviews offer revealing insights into Ali's conversion to Islam, as well as his complicated relationships with figures such as Malcolm X and the leader of the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrahkhan. The Trials of Muhammad Ali is a fascinating examination of the icon's life outside the ring.
D Bill Siegel P Rachel Pikelny Dist Madman Entertainment TD DCP/2013