Sparks Commentary: A review of Ken Burns’ “Muhammad Ali” (PBS)

He was born Cassius Clay, but joined the Nation of Islam and then changed his name

He was one of the greatest athletes of the twentieth century. He was born “Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.,” but would later consider that to be his “slave name.” The name had been given to him by his parents, both of whom were African Americans. But the world would instead remember him by another name: “Muhammad Ali,” an Arabic name meaning “blessed of God.” This second name came partially from the seventh-century founder of Islam – that is, after the Prophet Muhammad. But, much closer to home, he had joined the “Nation of Islam” in the United States. This was a Black Muslim group, known for its radical politics. He would be good friends with Malcolm X, but would later abandon his friendship with Malcolm, when Malcolm X later broke with the Nation of Islam. Malcolm disapproved of the more “personal” conduct of Elijah Muhammad, the founder of the American “Nation of Islam.” That is, Elijah Muhammad had impregnated seven of his secretaries. Angry members of the Nation of Islam later murdered Malcolm X as revenge in 1965. Only later in his life would Muhammad Ali express some regret over his earlier break with the controversial Malcolm X.

Cassius Clay and his trainer, 1960

The Nation of Islam disapproved of boxing, but was nonetheless involved in his career

Muhammad Ali was certainly known for his radical politics, including his opposition to the Vietnam War. Indeed, his refusal to submit to being drafted by the military almost got him into legal trouble – and his case actually went all the way to the Supreme Court. His application for “conscientious objector” status was later granted, and he was spared from being conscripted. But he was known first and foremost as a boxer – one of the greatest boxers of all time. He would eventually become the Heavyweight Champion of the World three times. By the end of his career, he had fought 61 boxing matches – winning 56 of them, and losing only five. He had sacrificed much in his career to become associated with the Nation of Islam, and continued to donate to the sect even after his expulsion from it by Elijah Muhammad. But some of Elijah Muhammad’s lieutenants were involved in managing Ali’s boxing career. The Nation of Islam disapproved of the entertainment industry, including sports like boxing. This was a source of considerable friction between Muhammad Ali and his faith. He left the boxing profession multiple times, only to return to it several times when he needed the money. He was generous to a fault, and could quickly blow through millions of dollars’ worth of income. In that weakness, he is joined by countless professional athletes and entertainers. Thankfully, though, he seems never to have had problems with alcohol or drugs, which continue to afflict so many in the entertainment business today. His Muslim faith (wisely) counseled against these things, and he was willing to follow his faith that far.

Muhammad Ali

He was married four times, but also had tendencies towards infidelity and womanizing

His major vice was the one to which he admitted publicly: a tendency to womanize. He was married four times, and cheated on two of those wives. The first marriage was annulled, when his first wife refused to convert to Islam. His second and third wives were the ones to suffer his near-constant infidelity. He married his third wife in Africa, while he was still married to the second wife. His second wife actually befriended her competitors, including wife number three. She even introduced the other woman as Ali’s “other wife.” But, after a while, both of the spurned wives asked for divorces when the infidelity continued. Thankfully, though, Ali seems to have been faithful to his fourth and final wife. And his divorces were relatively amicable, if any divorces can be that way. This is part of why I still find Ali a more sympathetic figure than Jack Johnson, a prior boxer who was depicted by another Ken Burns film in 2005. Jack Johnson, too, had problems with infidelity and womanizing. But his actions crossed the line into domestic abuse, with a tendency to beat up his wives and girlfriends. Muhammad Ali, thankfully, never did that. He honored his faith enough, and was just a good enough guy, to avoid this particular problem. But his faith disapproved of his promiscuous ways – and, to some extent, so did Muhammad Ali himself. His vice, sadly, is rather a common one in the entertainment business. Something about the entertainer personality just likes to have fun, in public and in private. Again, though, Muhammad Ali avoided the two other great temptations of the entertainer personality, which are alcohol and drugs. He even avoided the performance-enhancing type of drugs, which protected the integrity of his athletic accomplishments from any serious scrutiny.

Muhammad Ali

Boxing is a brutal sport to watch, but it’s hard not to like the guy (particularly in his youth)

I still find boxing a rather brutal sport to watch. It’s certainly captivating, but it can be somewhat hard on the minds and bodies of those who lose the fights. Muhammad Ali’s body and mind took a lot of punishment, when he started to lose matches. After one fight in particular, he started to deteriorate somewhat, and it started to show. When he saw footage of himself in an interview, he noted that he looked like “a dying man.” But it’s hard not to like the guy (particularly the younger version of him), when you see him reciting poetry, doing magic tricks, and making boastful remarks with good-natured swagger. He certainly had presence when being interviewed by reporters, and won far more fans than he alienated. The lead-ups to his matches often had a political tone, as he and his opponents vied to be seen as the most authentically “Black” boxer. Some things haven’t really changed much in this regard. Sadly, though, the later part of his life would be compromised by his struggle with Parkinson’s syndrome (not to be confused with Parkinson’s disease). As anyone familiar with this disease will know, it is a terrible disease that remains incurable. Nonetheless, he was able to enjoy his life despite this struggle, at a time when some might have considered him to be “all washed up.” The later parts of the film are particularly moving in this regard. He probably stayed in boxing longer than he should have, and allowed himself to receive a lot of punishment that he probably should have avoided. When being moved by this film’s description of these things, the Ken Burns touch in this film is unmistakable. Ken Burns is a master biographer and storyteller, and it shows through in this film.

Muhammad Ali

Conclusion: A great biography of one of the greatest athletes of all time

The film has a very modern-sounding soundtrack, but that is appropriate to a film focused primarily on the sixties and seventies. A lot of period rock-and-roll is used, from some of the greatest musicians of the era. And, when they talk about his later years, they note how (thankfully) he disapproved of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. He said that the terrorists “did not represent Islam” (or words to that effect), and made sure to distance himself from groups like al-Qaeda. The later period of his life also saw the influence of his fourth wife, who helped him to reign in his spending somewhat. He wasn’t making as much money then, so (with her influence) he started to become a little more careful about his finances. The needed reductions in his generosity were finally implemented, as he could no longer afford to subsidize freeloaders. Interviews with his friends, associates, and family members (not to mention various journalists) are all used to great effect here. This film doesn’t lack for action, as you see footage of brutal boxing matches on screen. But this film also has a more personal touch, as it manages to get to the heart and soul of the man. This film may not suit everyone, but it may work for people with an interest in boxing, the civil rights movement, or well-done biographies in general. Thus, I recommend this film to anyone with at least one of these interests. It is a well-done examination of a most interesting subject.