The potential pitfalls of a movie that brings together Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown for a night on Feb. 25, 1964, seem so numerous, so prone
One Night in Miami
, focuses on real-life heroes in a fictional story. Adapted from the play by Kemp Powers, it follows boxer Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali), civil rights leader Malcolm X, NFL star Jim Brown, and singer Sam Cooke, all in a motel room after Clay wins the title of heavyweight champion of the world. But instead of ringing in the victory with a big party, the quartet have a laid-back night in, falling into deep conversations and debates about race, faith, freedom, and what true equality really means.
These four men did meet.
The historic specifics of the night are unclear, but such a gathering did occur. Powers came across an account of that fateful meeting while researching the intersection of sports and the civil rights movement, and was ultimately inspired to write the play. “The focus was Muhammad Ali and it mentioned that specific night and the fact that when Cassius Clay beat Sonny Liston, he went back to Malcolm X’s hotel room with Sam Cooke an
One Night In Miami: Cerebral yet witty
By IANS |
Published on
Mon, Jan 18 2021 5:42 IST |
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One Night In Miami
Direction: Regina King
BY VINAYAK CHAKRAVORTY
On February 25 in Miami of 1964, Cassius Clay became World Heavyweight boxing champion beating Sonny Liston. The win is widely believed to be the point from which Clay s career soared. Name, fame and wealth followed for the budding boxer, who would become a phenomenon. He would also become Muhammad Ali.
Actress Regina King s debut directorial feature is about what happened after Clay s momentous victory, over the course of the night that follows.
King calls the shots on a story that captures a truly interesting moment in Black history one where iconic human rights activist Malcom X invites over soul legend Sam Cooke and American football star Jim Brown, to celebrate Clay s famous victory.
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Duration: 110 mins
Story line: A fictional account of a meeting between four powerful Black icons in February 1964
The movie is also a poignant reminder that two of the men, Malcolm and Cooke will be dead before the anniversary of the meeting Malcolm was assassinated on February 21, 1965 and Cooke was shot dead on December 11, 1964.
Malcolm’s sniping at Cooke with, “Entertaining white people in the south will bring out the truculence in any black man,” and “You are a wind-up toy in a music box,” sees Cooke give back as good as he gets with, “Everybody talks about how they want a piece of the pie. Well I don’t, I want the recipe”.