Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed

Overview

An American story. Traces the career of Joe Louis (1914-1981) within the context of American racial consciousness: his difficulty getting big fights early in his career, the pride of African-Americans in his prowess, the shift of White sentiment toward Louis as Hitler came to power, Louis's patriotism during World War II, and the hounding of Louis by the IRS for the following 15 years. In his last years, he's a casino greeter, a drug user, and the occasional object of scorn for young Turks like Muhammad Ali. Appreciative comment comes from boxing scholars, Louis's son Joe Jr., friends, and icons like Maya Angelou, Dick Gregory, and Bill Cosby.

Details

Status

Released

Release date

February 23, 2008

Original language

English

Countries

United States of America

Production

HBO Sports

Cast

Liev Schreiber,Gerald Early,Lester Rodney,Dick Gregory,Joe Louis Barrow Jr.,Paul Schulder,Jack Johnson,Jimmy Carter,Bill Cosby,Randy Robertsand 2 more

Director

Ouisie Shapiro

Writer

Ouisie Shapiro

Budget

Not recorded

Revenue

Not recorded

IMDb

View on IMDb