Finally, Muhammad Speaks
By H. Lavar Pope, with comment by Matthew Holley
"And finally, there was a trace of antagonism when he refused to play the mild and socially uninvolved sports-hero stereotype and began to use the news conference as a platform for socio-political theory." -- Robert Lipsyte
"I know where I'm going and I know the truth and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want." -- Cassius X qtd. Robert Lipsyte
"Cassius Marcellus Clay was the greatest -- until I learned that he'd joined the Muslims." -- Letter to the Editors by Jim Knight
[1] Young Cassius Clay was a loud man, and from 1960 to 1964 he had earned a reputation as a loud trash talker. His topics were at first highly inoffensive: Clay babbled about his opponents, his artistic boxing style, his seldom scratched face, and the ease in which he knocked out his opponents. But on February 26, 1964, Cassius Clay began to speak about oppression, politics, and religion. This is the day Cassius Clay announced his affiliation with the Nation of Islam. This is the day Cassius Clay began to grow into Muhammad Ali, and this is the day his war against mainstream American society -- from the press to the average American -- began.
[2] Twenty-seven minutes into the film, Michael Mann establishes Cassius Clay/Cassius X/Muhammad Ali's character through this infamous press conference. Like many events in Mann's film, the film version of the conference can be checked against historical record. As I will discuss, the press conference is important -- both in historical terms and in terms of the film -- for a host of reasons. In the scene entitled "The People's Champ," Mann attempts to recreate a historically significant moment in American history and succeeds in presenting the viewer with a slanted, exaggerated, and limited view of the moment. Considering the historical significance of this moment, this alone is a major problem in Mann's film.
[3] The scene in question is a very shocking moment. The black world champion of boxing announces that he has joined a very hateful, scary, militant, and radical religious group. There had been other black champions, and they avoided making socio-political rifts. It was very clear that to be admired and well-liked by mainstream America, Cassius Clay merely needed to follow the precedent set by socially tame fighters like Joe Louis. Instead, Cassius X lead a controversial press conference that damaged his image in the eyes of many Americans. As the above letter to the editor of Life suggests, many people who were indifferent to -- or liked -- the rising champion began to look at the boxer in a different light.
[4] In a film sense, "The People's Champ" is vital because it is Cassius Clay/Cassius X's first real dialogue in the movie, and the press conference establishes his character. In other words, Mann creates the standard upon which we will judge all subsequent actions. In the film, Muhammad Ali does not undergo much change or maturity in character. Mann shoots this scene with a certain purpose in mind, and by examining his camera angles, dialogue, and other techniques used in this scene, we can learn a lot about his goals in recreating Muhammad Ali.
[5] Mann shows Cassius Clay/Cassius X and Malcolm X walking alongside each other on the road before being ambushed by fans and reporters. Both celebrities interact with the two groups, and through their modes of interaction, we can deduce a lot about their respective characters. I am mostly concerned with the portrayal of Cassius in this scene, and, first and foremost, I must compare the representation of Cassius Clay/Cassius X onscreen with historical resources that detail the informal press conference. This comparison indicates a host of problems with the film representation.
[6] First, the Cassius Clay/Cassius X character's message is softened when held against most newspaper and magazine accounts of February 26, 1964. Mann sets a mood of humor by screening the newly crowned champion telling jokes and throwing punch lines at fans. Mann's character entertains the crowd by starting: "If [the next opponent] talks a little jive, he's going down in five" (00:27:32). This humor is acceptable and enjoyable, but it takes away from the power of the moment, the message Cassius X will soon deliver, and the overall tension of the moment. Simply put, the humor in the scene acts as a distraction, and when Cassius X's speech about becoming "the people's champ" is delivered, it still seems tinted with humor. To convey Cassius X's message about "the people's champ," the scene needs to be full of both anger and pride. The real message was full of these things.
[7] The second problem with the portrayal of Cassius Clay/Cassius X in this scene involves the details and delivery of the message. First, we must look at the details of the message. In Mann's scene, only two questions are specifically directed to Cassius about his image or intentions as champ. A white reporter asks him: "Do you plan on being a champ like Joe Louis" (00:27:58). In turn, Cassius responds: "Well, yeah, I'm gone be the people's champ. Not like Joe Louis. You know, not exactly" (00:28:02). Mann also shows Cassius rejecting his old name in front of reporters. Cassius asserts: "Clay is the name of the people that owned my ancestors, and I no longer want to be called by that slave name" (00:28:13). Yes, this is a somewhat politically charged message in the scene, but most journalists have a more intense account of the message's details.
[8] Special reporter to the New York Times Robert Lipsyte quotes Cassius as saying: "I know the truth and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want" (Lipsyte 34). This is a much stronger claim than the one in the Mann scene; the film version shows Cassius mostly dodging or skirting the question about becoming "the people's champ," but the newspaper statement is intense, direct, and crystal clear. In the same article, Cassius was quoted as saying: "In the jungle, lions are with lions and tigers with tigers, and redbirds stay with redbirds and bluebirds with bluebirds. That's human nature, too, to be with your own kind. I don't want to go where I'm not wanted" (Lipsyte 34). Cassius X is beginning to defend the "separatist doctrine" (Lipsyte 34) of the Nation of Islam. This is a very important part of this press conference, and it is not even alluded to by Mann. Furthermore, Lipsyte records that Cassius also explained the reasons behind his decision to join the Black Muslims, and this is also neglected in the Mann scene.
[9] There are also some problems with the delivery of the message in Mann's scene. Cassius is obnoxious, loud, and confident in the Mann portrayal. It seems to be an announcement or a coming out party. Again, the Lipsyte newspaper account of the press conference is a bit different. Lipsyte describes the champion: "[He was] calm, poised, genial, but rarely smiling...Speaking softly (for the first time in recent memory) he talked of the fight, of his unresolved immediate plans, and of the tenets of the Black Muslim movement" (Lipsyte 34). Life magazine also offers an account of Cassius's temperament. In an article entitled, "Champ 23: A Man-Child Taken in by the Muslims," the author hints that Cassius's decision to enter the Nation of Islam was much more calculated, passive, and reactionary (McDermott 38). We must compare the journal account of Cassius as a serious, new man with a big message to deliver with the Mann portrayal of Cassius as a comedian or entertainer.
[10] There is, however, evidence in one magazine article that seems to support Mann's version of the scene. In a Time article, Cassius's decision to join the Black Muslims is viewed as one of his antics or just another joke. Time jokes: "Now Clay rummaged around in his bag of tricks. And what did he come up with? A white rabbit? No -- a Black Muslim" ("Prizefighting: With Mouth and Magic" 69). This article views his conversion as a hoax, but there is one major difference between the Time article and Mann's scene; the article views the entire press conference as a joke, but Mann tries to move from a jeering Cassius Clay to a serious powerful, loud, and declarative Cassius X in the scene. In this rapid and abrupt transformation, Mann succeeds in displaying a sort of show. He intensifies this show effect with a specific camera technique and other elements.
[11] In the scene the camera angle immediately makes the audience a spectator in the show (00:27:05). The camera is street-level and in the middle of the relative mayhem. Although the camera does pan and move, as an audience we are trapped in the crowd. We are eye-level with Cassius, the other fans, and the interviewers; we hear the sounds from the streets, experience the flashing cameras, and vividly hear the competing voices from fans. In fact, there is only one moment when the camera moves from the street-level view (00:27:30), and the new camera angle only provides us with a brief glance at Cassius Clay/Cassius X fans on a staircase. In other words, this brief camera angle change does not detract from the original mood of the street-level camera. So, what effect does the eye-level camera have? By forcing the film audience into the crowd, we cannot fully examine the moment. Our view is both limited and controlled. In contrast, a higher view or a overhead view would allow viewers to choose where to look. This camera work is powerful, and it is imperative that we scan the crowd that we have joined in the scene.
[12] The crowd is almost entirely black, and women and children are very prominent. This is arguably Cassius's best support group, and we are forced to become a part of this group. They walk alongside him and Malcolm X, and they are smiling, joking, and, most importantly, proud of the new champion. One middle-aged woman jokes that she will "see [his] next fight" (00:28:21). She is clearly a recent acquisition in his fan base or a "bandwagon" fan; she cannot be a fan of Cassius Clay/Cassius X without seeing him fight! Yes, these fans are feeble and newly acquired, but they are also very excited and wild. Most, like the middle-aged woman, probably received the news in the morning paper and are still riding an emotional high over Cassius's victory. Cassius interacts verbally with most of his fans, but in the scene he also grabs a young boy and playfully swings him around (00:27:48). This moment is both heartwarming and comedic. Finally, the effect of the crowd dims and the questions start (00:27:53), but the crowd re-emerges verbally by agreeing with Cassius's answers (00:28:09) (00:28:35). The combined effect of the camera angle and support group cannot be overemphasized. We, as viewers, have to become one of Cassius Clay/Cassius X's supporters in this scene. In most pictures, including the one above, the crowd is a bit more distant in relation to Cassius and Malcolm X. For example, the picture shows no one directly behind Cassius or Malcolm X. The film shows them swarmed by fans. Mann has simply intensified this crowd to contribute to the show.
[13] So, there are at least two competing versions of this moment in history. On one hand, we have Mann's show, and it is juxtaposed against Lipsyte's "socio-political theory" talk. Why did Mann chose to recreate or invent the show element? There are several reasons. First, the show idea works a lot better in this type of film. It is a feature film, and a social-philosophical- political talk would possibly be too heavy for his audience. Second, this scene forces the audience into Cassius X/Muhammad Ali's corner. We are aligned with him through the scene, and we are more apt to root for him later. Third, and probably the driving reason, Cassius X's real message was too heavy and too controversial to deal with in this film. Mann glosses over the message by hitting important quotes and phrases but neglects the real reasons behind the speech. In this scene Michael Mann puts a shiny finish or gloss on Muhammad Ali's image and continues to do so throughout the movie. This is a problem; it edits Ali's very serious objections to problems in American society and reduces him to a boxing legend and comedian. (see comment by Matthew Holley)
Comments
After considering the varied different degree of accounts on the day of that press conference, how is it possible any one version can be relied upon with any degree of certainty? Furthermore, I don’t think the overall image of Ali as a man positioned against the mainstream is lost in the film because of any potential mishandling over this particular scene. Many of Ali’s actions in life had multiple different accounts and perceptions, and perhaps the director had to chose a particular area to highlight some of Ali’s likable characteristics. It is my assumption that Michael Mann definitely chose to employ the discussed camera techniques and editing choices to help align the audience with Ali. Much of the film addresses several of the huge issues in Ali’s controversial public life, but there needed to be plenty of moments in the film in which Ali gets to be his famous jokester likable self. In fact, after watching the scene again, I think there is still a considerable amount of absolute business, like defiance of the reporters.
Knight, Jim. "Letters to the Editors: Cassius Clay." Life 27 March 1964: 23.
Lipsyte, Robert. "Clay Discusses His Future, Liston and Black Muslims: The Champion Speaks, but Softly." New York Times 27 February 1964: 34.
McDermott, John R. "Champ 23: A Man-Child Taken in by the Muslims." Life 6 March 1964: 38-39.
"Prizefighting: With Mouth and Magic." Time 6 March 1964: 66.
