'When We Were Kings' and 'Facing Ali': Honoring 'The Greatest'

Like so many Americans I am still reeling from the loss of Muhammad Ali. Not only was he arguably the most beloved athlete of is time but he was also one of the most photogenic, which is why -- besides his inspiring life story -- he was always compelling on screen.

It's hard to capture his greatest in a narrative film. The Will Smith vehicle, while reasonably well made, felt scattered. It tried to cover too much ground and never had much of a center. Smith did a terrific Ali impression, but didn't really delve deeper to reveal his inner life.

If you're looking to find the definitive cinematic takes on Ali you can do no worse than two brilliant documentaries.

One is the well known Oscar winner, which MSNBC has wisely been rebroadcasting this past weekend: 1996's When We Were Kings.

The film is largely focused on Ali's seminal 1974 fight against George Foreman, also known as the Rumble in the Jungle, but it's also a terrific overview of Ali's entire historic career up until that point.

The hook of that film is its remarkable found footage, culled from hours upon hours of on-the-scene coverage in Zaire, where the fight took place. This includes infectious concert performances from the likes of James Brown and B.B. King, as well as candid interviews with the then-former champ (Ali) and the reigning one (a terse George Foreman).

The Rumble in the Jungle

That film is a great primer for Ali fans and those who are still learning about the legend. And an ideal companion piece is 2009's Facing Ali, a documentary that tells the fighter's story from the perspective of the men who took him on in the ring.

These are compelling and in some cases broken men, who are incredibly incisive about Ali's skills and persona. This is no hagiography, but it both reaffirms Ali's greatness while elevating the unique brutality and beauty of the sport of boxing in under two hours.

Both films are filled with illustrious and colorful talking heads but the real star of both features if of course Ali himself. His distinct speech pattern, his humor, his warmth light up the screen. Even when he occasionally seems petulant or insensitive, it's impossible not to be charmed by him at every turn.

At the end of When We Were Kings, you see him at his highest point, basking in the glow of what would be the biggest upset of his career. With Facing Ali, you get a glimpse of a run in the ring that last far too long, and possibly cost him his voice and his body, if not his mind.

I've already shared my personal thoughts on why I believe Ali was truly the "greatest" athlete of his time (and one of the great men, too). He was the living personification of all that is exciting and inspirational about the American dream. If you don't believe me or want to see for yourself, watch these two films -- they deliver a knockout punch.