When We Were Kings
Brief Synopsis
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On September 25, 1974, in the wake of one of the greatest political scandals in its history, Watergate, America was poised to watch a knockout punch that would redefine it as a nation of champions. In the atmosphere of a three-ring circus, in a little known country ruled by a military dictator, on t
Cast & Crew
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Leon Gast
Director
Malick Bowens
Himself
Lloyd Price
Himself
Thomas Hauser
Himself
Mobutu Sese Seko
Norman Mailer
Himself
Film Details
Also Known As
Cuando éramos reyes
MPAA Rating
Genre
Documentary
Release Date
1996
Distribution Company
Gramercy Pictures
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 30m
Synopsis
On September 25, 1974, in the wake of one of the greatest political scandals in its history, Watergate, America was poised to watch a knockout punch that would redefine it as a nation of champions. In the atmosphere of a three-ring circus, in a little known country ruled by a military dictator, on the little noticed continent of Africa, two American fighters held the world's attention. One would capture the world's imagination. But, four days before the scheduled "Rumble in the Jungle," as the heavyweight championship match up between reigning title holder George Foreman and challenger Muhammad Ali was called, the promoters announced that there would be a six week delay. And in that time span, as the international media took in the rhythms of the music and the mysterious beauty of the land, and as anticipation for the fight mounted an entirely new phenomenon evolved: black Americans saw their own generational crossroads reflected in the contrasting images Foreman and Ali.
Director
Leon Gast
Director
Cast
Malick Bowens
Himself
Lloyd Price
Himself
Thomas Hauser
Himself
Mobutu Sese Seko
Norman Mailer
Himself
Spike Lee
Himself
B. B. King
Himself
George Foreman
Himself
Muhammad Ali
Himself
Don King
Himself
Miriam Makeba
Herself
George Plimpton
Himself
Jazz Crusaders
James Brown
Himself
Crew
Maryse Alberti
Cinematographer
Maryse Alberti
Other
Lonnie Ali
Special Thanks To
Muhammad Ali
Other
Stig Anderson
Song
Benny Andersson
Song
Jonathan Angier
Production Assistant
Ray Arcel
Other
Michael Barrow
Gaffer
Thomas Bell
Song
David Benjamin
Special Thanks To
Jaime Billet
Post-Production Assistant
Damon Bingham
Special Thanks To
Howard Bingham
Photography
Donald Blank
Post-Production Assistant
St Claire Bourne
Unit Manager
Malick Bowens
Other
Drew Bundini Brown
Other
James Brown
Song Performer
James Brown
Song
James Brown
Other
Ossie Brown
Unit Manager
Larry Bullard
Production Assistant
Wendy Caplin
Assistant Editor
Robert Cardelli
Sound Editor
Cassius Clay
Other
Odessa Clay
Other
John Condon
Other
Harold Conrad
Other
Howard Cosell
Other
Linda Creed
Song
Cus D'amato
Other
Frank D'angelo
Production Assistant
Bill Dalay
Sound
Gene Defever
Sound Recordist
Pete Denenberg
Music
Bill Durborow
Other
Richard Durham
Other
Everett Easton
Gaffer
Richard Edelen
Production Assistant
Alfred James Ellis
Song
Bob Fletcher
Other
Bob Fletcher
Cinematographer
George Foreman
Other
John Forté
Song Performer
John Forté
Song
Bernard Fox
Sound
Paula Frank
Special Thanks To
Kenneth D Freudlich
Special Thanks To
Joseph Fusco
Post-Production Assistant
Joseph Galloway
Cinematographer
Joseph Galloway
Other
Geri Spolan Gast
Special Thanks To
Leon Gast
Producer
Leon Gast
Editor
Eugenie Gavenchak
Special Thanks To
Wardell Gaynor
Cinematographer
Wardell Gaynor
Other
John Ginnes
Production Coordinator
Mark Ginsberg
Color Timer
Danny Goldberg
Special Thanks To
Paul Goldsmith
Other
Paul Goldsmith
Cinematographer
Lawrence Grauman
Other
Claudia Gray
Special Thanks To
Eileen Greene
Other
Taylor Hackford
Producer
Taylor Hackford
Editor
Alex Haley
Other
Jack Harris
Other
Jack Harris
Cinematographer
Thomas Hauser
Other
Wayne Henderson
Song
Cynthia Henry
Production Assistant
Bob Hewitt
Production Assistant
Lauren Hill
Song
Petur Hliddal
Sound Recordist
Harvey Horowitz
Special Thanks To
Laurie Horsley
Production Assistant
Jimmy Jacobs
Other
Vikram Jayanti
Coproducer
Wyclef Jean
Song
Joe Josea
Song
Kevin Keating
Other
Kevin Keating
Cinematographer
Gary Kelgern
Sound
B. B. King
Song
B. B. King
Other
B. B. King
Song Performer
Diana King
Song Performer
Don King
Other
Larry Kirsch
Key Grip
Marvin Kohn
Other
Bob Kragen
Key Grip
Peter Lasoff
Production Assistant
Spike Lee
Other
Norman Leigh
Gaffer
Stewart Levine
Special Thanks To
Stuart Levine
Producer
Jeffrey Levy-hinte
Avid Editor
Jeffrey Levy-hinte
Editor
Roy Lewis
Other
Roy Lewis
Cinematographer
Sonny Liston
Other
Ed Lockman
Sound Recordist
Joe Louis
Other
Franco Luongo
Song
Norman Mailer
Other
Miriam Makeba
Song
Miriam Makeba
Song Performer
Miriam Makeba
Other
Alan Manger
Sound
Rocky Marciano
Other
Bill Markle
Audio Post-Production
Louise Marshall
Production Coordinator
Andy Marvel
Song
Hugh Masakala
Producer
Albert Maysles
Other
Albert Maysles
Cinematographer
Scot Mccracken
Music Supervisor
Brian Mcknight
Song Performer
Bill Mcmanus
Sound
Tony Miller
Other
Tony Miller
Sound Recordist
Roland Mitchell
Cinematographer
Roland Mitchell
Other
Chip Monck
Line Producer
Frank Morrone
Sound Mixer
Elijah Muhammad
Other
Barney Nagler
Other
Bob Nolan
Other
Alan Pariser
Other
Mark Paturet
Sound Recordist
George Plimpton
Other
Amy Powers
Song
Lloyd Price
Other
Lloyd Price
Producer
Busta Rhymes
Song Performer
Warren Riker
Song
Keith Robinson
Editor
Keith Robinson
Coproducer
Sugar Ray Robinson
Other
Tabu Ley Rochereau
Music
Arnie Roman
Song
Rick Rowe
Music
Dave Samuel
Gaffer
Luis Saria
Other
Russell S Schwartz
Special Thanks To
Lana Shabazz
Other
Randal Shepard
Sound Recordist
Barrie Singer
Other
Barrie Singer
Production Manager
Trevor Smith
Song
David Sonenberg
Executive Producer
David Sonenberg
Producer
Sherrie Sonenberg
Special Thanks To
Michael Spolan
Other
Sara Spolan
Post-Production Assistant
Karma Stanley
Other
Karma Stanley
Cinematographer
Egon Stephan
Camera
Tony V Stevens
Consultant
Chris Stone
Sound
Stan Sztaba
Other
Steve Talbot
Other
Chip Taylor
Song
Malik Taylor
Song
Andrea Timpone
Other
Terry Tragianopoulos
Assistant Editor
Bj÷rn Ulvaeus
Song
Joe Violante
Advisor
Rick Wardell
Production Assistant
Robert Warmflash
Post-Production Supervisor
Richard Warner
Production Assistant
Burleigh Warter
Other
Burleigh Wartes
Other
Burleigh Wartes
Cinematographer
Brian Weirda
Other
Richard Wells
Sound Recordist
Fred Wesley
Song Performer
Fred Wesley
Special Thanks To
Mark Wolfe
Special Thanks To
Felipe Wynne
Other
Roderick Young
Cinematographer
Roderick Young
Other
Shane Zarantash
Sound Recordist
Film Details
Also Known As
Cuando éramos reyes
MPAA Rating
Genre
Documentary
Release Date
1996
Distribution Company
Gramercy Pictures
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 30m
Award Wins
Best Documentary Feature
1996
Articles
George Plimpton, 1927-2003
George Plimpton, the wry, self-effacing author whose engaging film appearances enlivened many movies over the years, died of a heart attack on September 25 in his Manhattan apartment. He was 76. George Ames Plimpton was born on March 18, 1927 in New York City. The son of a diplomat, he was well connected to high society. A scholarly man of the letters, hip, urbane bohemians knew him for decades as the unpaid editor to the much respected literary quarterly, The Paris Review, which introduced emerging authors such as Gore Vidal and Jack Kerouac. In 1963, the gaunt, unassuming Plimpton documented his time training with the Detroit Lions, and turned the antics into a shrewd, witty piece of sports fulfillment, Paper Lion. The film was adapted for the big screen by Alex March in 1968 with Alan Alda playing the role of Plimpton. That same year, he made his film debut as a reporter in Gordon Douglas' police thriller The Detective (1968) starring Frank Sinatra and followed that up with an amusing cameo as a gunman shot my John Wayne in Howard Hawks' Rio Lobo (1970). A few more cameos came up over the years, but it wasn't until the '90s that he proved he himself a capable performer and found regular film work: an appropriate role as a talk show moderator in Jodie Foster's Little Man Tate's (1991), the president's lawyer in Oliver Stone's Nixon (1995); a psychologist in Gus Van Zandt's Good Will Hunting (1997); a clubgoer in Whit Stillman's discursive drama The Last Day's of Disco (1998); and a very comical doctor in Jean- Marie Poire's Just Visiting</I&! gt; (2001). His acceptance as a pop culture icon came to a full head when he appeared in an episode of The Simpsons playing a professor who runs a fixed spelling bee! He is survived by his wife Sara Whitehead Dudley and four children. Michael T. Toole
George Plimpton, 1927-2003
George Plimpton, the wry, self-effacing author whose engaging film appearances enlivened many movies over the years, died of a heart attack on September 25 in his Manhattan apartment. He was 76. George Ames Plimpton was born on March 18, 1927 in New York City. The son of a diplomat, he was well connected to high society. A scholarly man of the letters, hip, urbane bohemians knew him for decades as the unpaid editor to the much respected literary quarterly, The Paris Review, which introduced emerging authors such as Gore Vidal and Jack Kerouac. In 1963, the gaunt, unassuming Plimpton documented his time training with the Detroit Lions, and turned the antics into a shrewd, witty piece of sports fulfillment, Paper Lion. The film was adapted for the big screen by Alex March in 1968 with Alan Alda playing the role of Plimpton. That same year, he made his film debut as a reporter in Gordon Douglas' police thriller The Detective (1968) starring Frank Sinatra and followed that up with an amusing cameo as a gunman shot my John Wayne in Howard Hawks' Rio Lobo (1970). A few more cameos came up over the years, but it wasn't until the '90s that he proved he himself a capable performer and found regular film work: an appropriate role as a talk show moderator in Jodie Foster's Little Man Tate's (1991), the president's lawyer in Oliver Stone's Nixon (1995); a psychologist in Gus Van Zandt's Good Will Hunting (1997); a clubgoer in Whit Stillman's discursive drama The Last Day's of Disco (1998); and a very comical doctor in Jean- Marie Poire's Just Visiting</I&! gt; (2001). His acceptance as a pop culture icon came to a full head when he appeared in an episode of The Simpsons playing a professor who runs a fixed spelling bee! He is survived by his wife Sara Whitehead Dudley and four children. Michael T. Toole
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Shown at Portland International Film Festival February 13 - March 2, 1997.
Shown at SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival (Retrospective Programs) June 15-22, 2009.
Shown at Wellington Film Festival in New Zealand July 16 - August 2, 1997.
Released in United States 1996 (Shown at MIFED in Milan, Italy October 27 - November 1, 1996.)
Released in United States 1997 (Shown at Newark Black Film Festival June 18 - July 30, 1997.)
Released in United States 1997 (Shown at Portland International Film Festival February 13 - March 2, 1997.)
Released in United States 1997 (Shown at Wellington Film Festival in New Zealand July 16 - August 2, 1997.)
Released in United States January 1996 (Shown at Sundance Film Festival (in competition) in Park City, Utah January 18-28, 1996.)
Limited Release in United States February 14, 1997
Expanded Release in United States February 21, 1997
Expanded Release in United States February 28, 1997
Winner of a "special recognition" award for artistic merit at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival.
Winner of the 1996 award for Best Documentary from the Broadcast Film Critics Association.
Winner of the 1996 award for Best Documentary from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
Winner of the 1996 award for Best Documentary from the National Society of Film Critics.
Winner of the 1996 award for Best Non-Fiction Film from the New York Film Critics Circle.
Expanded Release in United States February 21, 1997
Expanded Release in United States February 28, 1997
Expanded Release in United States March 14, 1997
Limited Release in United States February 14, 1997
Released in United States 1996
Released in United States 1997
Released in United States August 1997
Released in United States Fall October 25, 1996
Released in United States January 1996
Released in United States June 2009
Released in United States on Video July 8, 1997
Released in United States September 1997
Shown at Athens International Film Festival (Documentary) September 19-25, 1997.
Shown at MIFED in Milan, Italy October 27 - November 1, 1996.
Shown at Newark Black Film Festival June 18 - July 30, 1997.
Expanded Release in United States March 14, 1997
Released in United States June 2009 (Shown at SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival (Retrospective Programs) June 15-22, 2009.)
Released in United States on Video July 8, 1997
Released in United States August 1997 (Shown in New York City (Adam Clayton Powell Gallery) as part of program "Harlem Week 1997" August 1-15, 1997.)
Released in United States September 1997 (Shown at Athens International Film Festival (Documentary) September 19-25, 1997.)
Released in United States Fall October 25, 1996 (LA)
