Muhammad Ali has been called the greatest athlete of his century, but he was much more than a great boxer; he was one of the most compelling figures of his time, a leader in the civil rights movement, a fiercely principled man who nearly traded in his career rather than violate his religious beliefs, and a figure of remarkable charm and charisma in a sport hardly known for producing articulate men.

Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World is a feature-length documentary which uses vintage films clips and interviews with his friends, family, and admirers to tell the full story of Ali’s life and career. Celebrity interviews include James Earl Jones, Billy Crystal… (Barnes & Noble)

Muhammad Ali’s grace, charisma, and remarkable bravado shine through in this affectionate look at his life and career. Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World takes a fairly straightforward documentary approach, chronicling Ali’s life and career through film footage and interviews with journalists, loved ones, and a few bizarre commentators, like Scottish comedian Billy Connolly.

The film does an excellent job of conveying both Ali’s genuine importance as a historical figure and his incredible personal magnetism. Though the documentary doesn’t shy away from his faults, Ali is simply impossible to dislike. Most importantly, the film’s commentary and carefully selected fight footage make it clear even to those who don’t follow the sport what a remarkable boxer Ali was.

At one point, Lennox Lewis refers to the “sweet science” of not getting hit, and watching Ali dodge a barrage of punches, we understand exactly what he means. Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World doesn’t pack quite the dramatic wallop of When We Were Kings, but it is a compelling look at one of history’s… (Amazon)