"Fresh and vivid portrait." –
Indiewire
Muhammad Ali’s celebrated career in the boxing ring is well known to many, having fought against such formidable opponents as Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier and George Foreman. But, The Trials of Muhammad Ali moves beyond those epic fights, telling a more personal story and presenting a more threatening foe: the US government. When Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali, he converted to Islam and also refused to serve in the Vietnam War. His decision to become a conscientious objector left him banned from boxing and facing a five-year prison sentence. Director Bill Siegel follows Ali’s attempts to overturn that sentence while he is buffeted by turbulent forces of fame and religion. With a wealth of remarkable archival footage and interviews with those closest to Ali, what emerges is a portrait of Ali’s transformation into the spiritually enlightened fighter that has become legendary, spotlighting a time in US history that saw volatile combinations of race, faith and politics.
Also screening with Sunday Salons: A thought provoking documentary, a glass of wine, and a stimulating conversation with fellow film lovers every Sunday in October.