Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight

While revered today for his athleticism and exuberant personality, Muhammad Ali had more than a few detractors in the 1960s. Turned off by his brashness and perplexed by his embrace of the Nation of Islam and subsequent name change from Cassius Clay, Ali created an even greater fury among many Americans by refusing to be drafted into the U.S. military, which could have theoretically led to his being sent into the Vietnam War. Ali cited his Muslim religious principles for his opposition to the war, but his actions resulted in his being stripped of his boxing championship, as well as a prolonged judicial fight that went to the U.S. Supreme Court. In Stephen Frears' HBO-aired film, Ali's case is debated among the Supreme Court justices (and their clerks). The real treat here is the starry cast: Frank Langella as Chief Justice Warren Burger, Christopher Plummer as Justice John Harlan, Danny Glover as Justice Thurgood Marshall, and Ed Begley Jr. as Justice Harry Blackmun all offer entertaining displays of dramatic flourish as the court's members weigh the legalities of Ali's complex case. A nice surprise is filmmaker Barry Levinson, who proves equal to his costars in his role as Justice Potter Stewart. As for Ali, he only appears in TV news clips. Serving up an interesting behind-the-scenes look at Supreme Court machinations during a historic case, this is recommended. (P. Hall)