When We Were Kings
1996 · Movie · PG · 89 min
★ 7.6(255)unSUB Rating
In 1974, a legendary heavyweight title bout is staged in Zaire, turning a boxing match into a global spectacle. As the fighters train and the hype builds, the event becomes a crossroads of sport, politics, and culture, boosted by a major music festival and intense international media attention.
Also known as Quando eravamo Re
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Details
- Years
- 1996
- Release date
- 1996-10-25
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG
- Runtime
- 89 min
- TMDB rating (input)
- 7.6/10 (255 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a gripping sports documentary that also explores culture, celebrity, and power around a major event; Not for you if you only want nonstop boxing action or a light watch like Stop Making Sense.
Pros: electric real-life stakes; rich cultural backdrop; memorable live music | Cons: heavy focus on one figure; politics can feel bleak; fight footage limited
Themes
- africa
- boxer
- black magic
- world champion
- zaire
- psychic power
- sympathy
- endurance
- sports documentary
- power of love
- heavyweight champion
- boxing
- +15 more
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Documentary Feature Film · 1997
- Sundance Special Jury Recognition · 1996
Cast & crew
Muhammad Ali
as Self
George Foreman
as Self
Don King
as Self
James Brown
as Self
B.B. King
as Self
Spike Lee
as Self
Mobutu Sese Seko
as Self
Norman Mailer
as Self
George Plimpton
as Self
Malick Bowens
as Self
Directed by Leon Gast