Tomboy and the Champ

A right tedious hunk of celluloid, celebrating 4-H smalltown virtue in the saga of Tommy Jo and Champy. TJ is the titular tomboy, who weasels her way into a bull-wrestling contest only to bring the belligerent Champy back to her poor parents' farm, attempt to raise him to be a nice prize-worthy bull, and to learn the lessons of dedication and perseverence that lead to...aww, but I couldn't spoil the surprise! The defiantly rural outlook of this thing is easy to laugh at but is actually kind of fascinatingly unique; most of the time these values are celebrated only in retrospect. Which is certainly not to make any claims for competence here, because the good memories come from the howlers; like whenever anybody touches a piece of music, especially the jocular bouncing organist; or when Tommy Jo recovers from polio in about five minutes. But then she gets pneumonia! Which leads us to the capper, a sentimental hospital-bed reunion stolen directly from "L'Age D'Or". Ben Johnson's in there too, and so, playing himself, is Rex Allen the narrator of "Chickenomics" himself!

Tomboy and the Champ, produced and in honor of 4-H clubs throughout America circa 1961, is a perfect timepiece of what the youth of the corn belt were fed by rock-and-roll fearing authority which, today is a screamingly funny and almost touching display of church and community standards. The scene where a critically ill girl (Candy Moore as Tommy Jo) is inspired to health by a bull who is brought into her room (Champy), whose success with her leads to his being named Champion and subsequently butchered as Prime Rib on the open market is already considered infamous. A nurse should be required to be in attendance as death by hysteria is likely. How Jesse White as the conniving salesman (for the umpteeth time) got involved in this would be a story in itself. Looks like his nefarious buffoonery was a popular advertisement for anti-semitism. No doubt this 4-H production was shown in small town auditoriums for a year or two after its release but is surprisingly available on video from numerous companies. Colorful, corny to the bone and oh-so by-the-numbers, it is truly a feel-good camp time capsule and on that level a rollicking good time.

Saw movie way back in the day...haven't seen the movie since 1965. I grew up not but a few miles from the farm scene. I was also in the crowd during the parade and at the rodeo. My stepbrother and his cousin are the bronc and roping performers. Had fun at the opening, ashamed I can't find a copy. I was about 10 years old and fell head over heals for the starlet. She gave her heart into the movie as well. I remember having group discussions during our 4H meetings. It helped cast a good light on that organization. Watching the film being made and being a very small part in it made the whole town and myself proud to have been a part of it. Would love to see it again...

The Tomboy and the Champ was a very nice movie with nice characters in a small Texas ranching town area. It is a good movie for youth interested in 4-H club work. The child actors showed talent and were pleasurable to watch. If you like ranch and farm animals and rural life you will like this movie. It is very well done. I would have liked more of Norman Sherry's character Stockton to have been in the finished movie. If a DVD is to be made maybe adding more scenes of him could be done; assuming the original film still exits and could be added when making a DVD. Norman Sherry was a very good stage actor that I would like to have seen more of in this film.