Jack Johnson (film)


Jack Johnson is a 1970 American documentary film directed by Jimmy Jacobs about the American boxer Jack Johnson. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Cayton asked jazz artist Miles Davis to record music for the documentary, which resulted in Davis' 1971 album of the same name.

Production

Johnson had been the subject of the 1967 play The Great White Hope written by Howard Sackler which was later adapted into a 1970 film. Jacobs and Clayton had previously collaborated on boxing documentaries Legendary Champions and A.k.a. Cassius Clay.