Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed

Feb 23, 2008

1h 15m

★ 7.0

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.

Genres

Documentary

Production Companies

HBO Sports

Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed Trailers

No Trailers found.

Cast

Self (archive footage)

Joe Louis

Self

Joe Louis Barrow Jr.

Self

Dick Gregory

Self (archive footage)

Jack Johnson

Narrator

Liev Schreiber

Self

Randy Roberts

Self

Gerald Early

Self

Maya Angelou

Self

Bill Cosby

Self

Jimmy Carter

Self

Paul Schulder

Self

Lester Rodney

Afonsinho, Paulo Cézar Caju and Nei Conceição started their careers in the mid-1960s, a time of strong political repression in Brazil. Originally teammates of a celebrated generation of the Botafogo football team superstars, they did not give up their freedom when the military dictatorship decided to take control of the field.

7.6

When We Were Kings

Oct 25, 1996

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6.0

The Black List: Volume Two

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7.5

Didier face à Deschamps

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No overview available.

7.3

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7.1

Pumping Iron

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0.0

Dance for All

Sep 22, 2007

No overview available.

0.0

Autodeclarado

Jul 11, 2022

No overview available.

8.0

La Ballade des sans-papiers

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No overview available.

6.8

Standard Operating Procedure

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6.6

The Venerable W.

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0.0

The L.A. Riots: 25 Years Later

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7.0

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8.0

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6.4

Benito Mussolini: Anatomy of a Dictator

Jan 20, 1962

No overview available.

9.0

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0.0

Rap, O Canto da Ceilândia

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0.0

Staden brinner

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When a group of Eritrean refugees arrive in the small town of Härnösand there is a growing sentiment against them from the locals. 17-year old Sara Westin decides to found an anti-racist group to combat these feelings but when Sara and her best friend are murdered by Sara's Eritrean ex-boyfriend the feelings in the city reach a boiling point.