In 1964 Muhammad Ali declared his status as a conscientious
objector based on his beliefs as a Black Muslim. The War in Vietnam was heating
up at the same time that the Civil Rights struggle was coming to a head. This
film covers the years between Ali’s initial declaration that he would not fight
and the culmination of the Supreme Court Case arising from the Draft Evasion charges,
for which he was fined $10,000 and sentenced to 5 years in prison.
During the time of his appeals he worked doggedly to keep
himself alive in the eyes of the public, knowing that someday he would be
coming back to the world of boxing. He had that kind of faith. From appearances
on TV shows, Civil Rights events and even a Broadway Show, he remained visible,
and proudly determined to win this, the toughest fight of his life; the United
States of America versus Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali.
The brilliance of this film is that no one plays the part
of Muhammad Ali. Instead, during the course of the movie, as the Supreme Court
Justices debate what to do about the case, the audience sees and hears actual
film footage of Mr. Ali on those TV shows, Civil Rights protests and even a
clip from the Broadway show. This manages to actually convey the reality of how
divorced he was from the actual proceedings. He simply went on with his life
while he waited the outcome, of which he never had any doubt. Those are his
words, not mine.
Playing the part of the Supreme Court Justices are a cast
of luminary actors; not the least of which are Frank Langella as Warren Burger; Ed Begley Jr. as Harry
Blackmun; and Peter Gerety as William Brennan. Christopher Plummer plays Justice
John Harlan, who is pitted against Burger in the struggle to keep the court
free of political influence.
Barry Levinson plays Potter Stewart; John Bedford Lloyd portrays
Byron 'Whizzer' White; Fritz Weaver takes a turn as Hugo Black; while Harris
Yulin and Danny Glover play Justices
William Douglas and Thurgood Marshall, respectively. All are excellent in their
roles. (Glover is especially humorous in his treatment of the wily Marshall, who
recused himself from the case because he had been involved in a lower court
ruling on the same case.)
The Chief Justice is beholden to the President, who wants
the conviction to stand. The justices are almost divided, but Ali loses the
case by a 5-3 vote. But then the astonishing happens; a law clerk assigned to Harlan
is actually able to change the minds of not only the Chief, but several others
along the way. When the Court debates the case again, Ali’s conviction is
overturned.
Remarkable for its acting and the events themselves, this
is a film you do not want to miss. It has everything you could hope for in the
treatment of this case. It is historically accurate and captures all the
tension of the era, while giving full view to what life is like behind the
closed doors of the Supreme Court.
