The Great White Hope

1970
PG-13
1h 43m

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

2.9K

YOUR RATING

James Earl Jones and Jane Alexander in The Great White Hope (1970)

A black champion boxer and his white female companion struggle to survive while the white boxing establishment looks for ways to knock him down.

Play trailer2:46

1 Video

51 Photos

Tragedy Drama Romance Sport

A Black champion boxer and his white female companion struggle to survive while the white boxing establishment looks for ways to knock him down.A Black champion boxer and his white female companion struggle to survive while the white boxing establishment looks for ways to knock him down.A Black champion boxer and his white female companion struggle to survive while the white boxing establishment looks for ways to knock him down.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

2.9K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 2 wins & 8 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 2:46

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Photos51

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Redd Foxx, who knew former heavyweight champ Jack Johnson, whose career and struggle against racism inspired the original play, turned down a role in the film as he believed it was not a true picture of his old friend.

Goofs
In the first scene in which we see Jefferson practicing, the sweat on his shirt changes from shot to shot in a way that wouldn't be predicted by evaporation.

Quotes
Reporter: Now you're the first Black man in the history of the ring who's ever had a crack at the heavyweight title. Now white folks, of course, are behind Brady. He's the redeemer of the race and so on. But you, Jack Jefferson, are you the Black hope?
Jack Jefferson: Well, I'm Black and I'm hopin'.
Goldie: Answer him straight, Jack.
Jack Jefferson: Hey, look, man, I ain't fighting for no race, I ain't redeeming nobody. My mama told me *Mr. Lincoln* done that. Ain't that why you shot him?

Crazy credits
Screenplay by Howard Sackler Based on his play

Connections
Edited into The Loving Story (2011)

Soundtracks
Let Me Hold You In My Arms Tonight
Written and Performed by Jesse Fuller

User reviews38

Review

Featured review

Good Drama

Great White Hope, The (1970)

*** (out of 4)

James Earl Jones plays Jack Jefferson, a black boxer who must battle himself and white racists trying to keep him down. I've been meaning to check this film out for a while now but just now got to it and I think it's somewhat overrated but it's still an entertaining film. Perhaps due to the time it was released, the film beats the viewer over the head with the rebellious Jefferson and most of this comes from his relationship with a white woman (Jane Alexander). I'm going to guess this was an early film in showing a relationship between a black man and white woman but it seems like director Martin Ritt goes to the extremes in trying to say that there's nothing wrong in what's going on. After a while we certainly get the point and after a while it gets tiresome hearing more political talk. Jones is brilliant as the troubled boxer and the supporting cast is also very strong. I've become a big fan of Chester Morris throughout the year and it was great seeing him here in his final role. Hal Holbrook is also here and entertaining.