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What: “Don King: Only in America”

Where: HBO

When: Premiere showing, Saturday,

8 p.m.

Don King may not think so, but HBO is evenhanded in telling his story in this two-hour presentation. The problem, though, is King is such a complex figure, with so many well-documented successes and failures, that telling his story in two hours is impossible. Thus, the film often moves too quickly and at times is confusing even for those familiar with King.

To make the story easier to follow, Ving Rhames, who does a tremendous job of playing King, periodically talks to the camera. These moments alone are enough to earn Rhames a CableACE nomination at least, and possibly an Emmy nomination.

In his final talk with the audience, Rhames, or rather King, explains why HBO, despite an unceremonious split with the boxing promoter in the early 1990s, has chosen him as the topic of the HBO original movie. “It’s because I’m exciting,” he says in language considerably more colorful. “You’re not making a movie about Bob Arum, are you? If you didn’t have Don King, you’d have to invent him.”

In an earlier “talk,” King says of HBO, “We’re both in the storytelling business.”

The jabs at itself give this film some needed credibility.

The film mainly deals with King’s early years, opening with King shooting and killing a man in Cleveland in 1954. The victim is one of three men who burst into his apartment looking for money because young Don King, a reputed numbers runner, is known to have been holding lots of cash.

King’s more recent history, such as his relationship with Mike Tyson, is pretty much glossed over. It seems HBO simply runs out of time.

It’s doubtful the film will change anyone’s opinion of King. Admirers and antagonists will see evidence to support their points of view. And for that, HBO deserves credit.