Director Steve Read and producer-narrator Robert Douglas take viewers into the ring with their documentary “In the Company of Kings.” Released in 2024, the film presents a tribute to the sport of boxing through the words of those closely involved.
Douglass guides us into the rich but rough world of the game, sharing how it shaped his journey from Liverpool to Philadelphia. We’re introduced to young boxers finding purpose at an inner-city gym, putting in rounds to stay on their feet.
The film moves between memorable figures who graced the sport, like Bernard Hopkins, and those who knew The Greatest, Muhammad Ali. Read complements these portraits with vivid glimpses into gyms and urban streets.
Despite taking detours, its mosaic emerges compelling. We see boxing as a complex force, rewarding challengers who confront hardship in and out of the ring.
Origins in the Ring
Robert Douglas takes us into the world of boxing through his own journey. Growing up biracial in Liverpool’s rough neighborhoods, the sport captivated him from a young age.
It offered escape from tough streets but also connection to a community. We see that this shaped his path to Philadelphia, where trouble flowed freely in his area. But Douglas found home in the gym, watching young men spar. Their dedication pushed past hardship, which Douglas knew all too well.
These boxers open the film. Trainer Steve Breed guides them through drills with care and skill. Their form shows hours spent perfecting each move. But more than skills unfold—we see hope light their faces. This gym provided structure, discipline, and a place to channel energy positively.
These young men learn not just to fight physically but to fight for their lives with purpose. Their talent brightens otherwise dim prospects. In their focused work, we glimpse how the how the wrestling spirit from violence’s grip could define a different future. Through boxers’ commitment, Douglas demonstrates how boxing lifted him and so many others from tough corners of the streets and themselves.
Legends in the Ring
Throughout its journey, this documentary pays tribute to boxing greats through memorable profiles. We meet the charismatic and intense Bernard Hopkins, who found his path in prison after a life of crime. Hopkins holds court, transporting viewers to tough Philly neighborhoods that still hail him as a hero. His rise from inmate to champion in two weight classes inspires.
We’re also given ringside seats for those who knew The Greatest. Larry Holmes takes us back to defeating Muhammad Ali in Ali’s final bout, a watershed moment. Brothers Michael and Leon Spinks share what it meant to face their idol. But perhaps most riveting are tales from Tim “Terrible Tim” Witherspoon. As Ali’s devoted sparring partner in training camps, he offers an inside view of what drove the champ. Witherspoon’s passion for those grinding sessions in rural Pennsylvania shines through.
Read supplements these legendary profiles with evocative cinematography. Striking shots of Hopkins revisiting the streets that shaped him and glimpses into Deer Lake’s rustic charms immerse us in their worlds. Through the directors’ eyes, we step through Ali’s training regimen and into the shadowy corners these figures once inhabited. Such vivid portraits bring to life those who leave an indelible mark on boxing’s story, ensuring their names remain in its record books.
Directors in the Ropes
These directors clearly love the sweet science. From the opening moments, Steve Read and Robert Douglas’ passion for boxing pulsates through every frame. Douglas transports us to his childhood, sharing boxing’s grip from an early age. His hometown streets shaped harsh beginnings, but the ring offered hope seen through veteran eyes.
Now, behind the lens, their adoration brings former greats to vivid life. Read’s shots linger in the corners these legends once inhabited, on tough blocks where triumph started. His camera reflects time in places worn rough from struggle. Through intimate portraits, we sense the directors’ reverence for fighters soldiering through hardship into glory.
Thanks to Douglas’ narration, interview excerpts burst with raw emotion. Subjects open up to these directors as confidantes. Admiration is repaid with compassion for boxers’ sacrifices and the impact of injuries borne. Editing weaves discussion seamlessly to portray a family bound by fists. The result? A documentary love letter. Read and Douglas ensure boxing’s battered souls find solace as their own passion finds form to honor the ring warriors who never left their hearts.
Capturing the Count
This director knows how to craft a picture. As a filmmaker, Steve Read wields his camera like a nimble boxer, always angling for the perfect shot. From dingy gyms to neighborhoods worn by time, his lens seeks glimpses into boxing’s soul.
We follow a young Philly pugilist floating through packed workout routines, sweat flying fast as fists. Read catches each droplet’s flight, the contender’s grit shining through. In Hopkins’ old haunts, neon signs glow against fading brick walls. Alleyways hold secrets of struggles surmounted, success snatched from shadows where others found only nightmares.
Read transports us inside ring ropes too, capturing Ali’s sparring in rural solace like a tranquil eye at a storm’s center. We feel timber floors’ thuds beneath feet as light as air and witness greatness brewing in droplets beading iconic brows above eyes alight with dreams of destiny.
Subtle details stitched together tell stories that boxing’s tape can’t. A street corner crowd bears witness to heroes passing by, pride flowing free where once only poverty wandered. Faces creased by decades in the chase still beam with youth’s passion, lighting up each scene.
In Read’s care, clanging bells and thwacks of fists on flesh bring the documentary to life far more than mere talking heads ever could. His visual verse ensures boxing’s poetry maintains perfect rhythm, its giants immortal in images that pack more punch than any combination could.
Rhythm and Style
This documentary packs a mighty punch, thanks to the folks behind the scenes keeping things flowing. The editors ensure a natural ebb and flow, even as topics occasionally shift like a well-schooled boxer. Scenes splice together seamlessly, keeping viewers engaged from the first bell to the last.
And what a way to end things! As credits roll, a jazzy gem takes hold: “It’s the Peace that Deafens.” The melody wraps the perfect bow around stories shared over the film’s run. This soulful song feels born to soundtrack victory laps and quiet reflection. Its notes linger long after the final fade, a fitting coda for those who brought such passion to the ring.
Despite some tangents along the way, Read and Douglas’ mosaic vision stays centered around boxing’s heartbeat. Their collective eye guides the journey’s rhythm, allowing elegant transitions between eras, arenas, and archives alike. Characters introduced come full circle by the finale, like rounds of a well-matched bout. Throughout, editorial intuition keeps material dancing to its own dynamic drums—as smooth and slick as any champ between the ropes. In the editing suite, as in competition, timing, pace, and flow prove just as vital as the force behind each shot. On that technical front, this film truly is a champion.
Rings of Stories
By the final bell, one thing’s clear: this film packs a wallop. Though occasionally weaving between topics like seasoned pugilists, Read and Douglas more than land their share of blows. They craft a compelling portrait of folks for whom boxing wasn’t just a sport but salvation.
Through interviews and imagery, we feast on ringside seats to lives lifted by gloves and guts. From Ali’s heyday stars to prospects blazing new trails, each story hits with power and heart. Hardscrabble roots entangle tales of struggle surpassed by resilience that still rallies local legends decades strong.
Any sports fan intrigued by boxing’s past, or hustlers who scrapped for brighter days, will find hooks aplenty here. Casual viewers too feel the punches of respect for grit displayed and bonds formed inside and outside the ropes. This film ensures boxing’s poetry survives on screen whenever its characters step through, immortal in spirit if not body.
Even with topics occasionally reeling all over like a dizzy-legged boxer, Read and Douglas’ mosaic coheres in the end. Their tribute honors boxing not just as a game but as a as a gift, sparking hope in hearts and neighborhoods alike. For a glimpse into the greats who rose against it all, with cameras courtside, this documentary is well worth your time in the ring.
The Review
In the Company of Kings
While the documentary occasionally meanders, Read and Douglas have ultimately crafted a compelling portrait of boxing through stirring words and imagery. Featuring fascinating figures of the ring past and present, In the Company of Kings packs an emotional punch for anyone with an appreciation of the sport's history and struggles.
PROS
- Features many interesting figures from boxing's past who share compelling life stories.
- Vivid cinematography that brings the scenes and subjects to life
- Honors boxing's role in empowering those from disadvantaged backgrounds
CONS
- The structure is a bit rambling and unfocused at times.
- Jumps between many topics without exploring any single subject in great depth.
