Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed
Synopsis
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.
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Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Ouisie Shapiro
- Screenplay & Story
- Ouisie Shapiro
- Original Title
- Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 15m
- Production Studios
- HBO Sports
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Ouisie Shapiro
Ouisie Shapiro
Ultan Byrne
Department Leadership Roster
Ouisie Shapiro
Writer
Ultan Byrne
Editor
Ouisie Shapiro
Director
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed about?
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.
Who directed Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed?
Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed was directed by Ouisie Shapiro.
Who stars in Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed?
The principal cast of Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed includes Joe Louis, Joe Louis Barrow Jr., Dick Gregory, Jack Johnson, Liev Schreiber.
When was Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed released and how long is it?
Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed was released in 2008 with a total runtime of 1h 15m.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed?
Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).