Le champion

Original title: The Champ

1931
Approved
1h 26m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

3.8K

YOUR RATING

Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, and Irene Rich in Le champion (1931)

Trailer for this drama directed by King Vidor

Play trailer1:26

1 Video

26 Photos

Boxing Drama Family Sport

An alcoholic ex-boxer struggles to provide a good living for his son.An alcoholic ex-boxer struggles to provide a good living for his son.An alcoholic ex-boxer struggles to provide a good living for his son.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

3.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 2 Oscars
- 5 wins & 3 nominations total

Sponge
(as Rosco Ates)

Edward Brophy

Hale Hamilton

Tony

Jesse Scott

Jonah

Marcia Mae Jones

Mary Lou

Dannie Mac Grant

Boy Taunting Dink
(uncredited)

Frank Hagney

Manuel Quiroga - Mexican Champ
(uncredited)

Dell Henderson

The Doctor
(uncredited)

Tom McGuire

Los Angeles Promoter
(uncredited)

Walter Percival

Los Angeles Promoter
(uncredited)

Bob Perry

Referee
(uncredited)

Lee Phelps

Louie - the Bartender
(uncredited)

Andy Shuford

Boy at Racetrack
(uncredited)

Dan Tobey

Ring Announcer
(uncredited)

More like this

6.3

Skippy

7.9

Capitaines courageux

7.2

Des hommes sont nés

7.2

Les Quatre Filles du docteur March

7.1

7.3

7.0

7.6

7.2

6.5

Une petite ville sans histoire

7.3

La loi du Seigneur

7.2

Dear Heart

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
Wallace Beery actually got one less vote than Fredric March in the 1931/1932 Academy Awards voting for best actor, but the rules at the time considered anyone with one or two votes less than the leader as being in a tie. So both got Academy Awards.

Goofs
As Dink plays on the balcony awaiting his meeting with Linda, he steals chewing gum and candy for himself off of a table on the balcony. He then steals the contents of a box of cigarettes, saying that he'll "bring some home for the Champ", and stuffs them into his right jacket pocket. However, during the ride home, Andy reaches into Dink's right jacket pocket and finds cigars rather than the cigarettes which we clearly saw Dink steal.

Quotes
[Dink compares the swanky home to his own]
Dink Purcell: The Champ and I ain't fixed up swell as this, but our joint's more lively.

Connections
Edited into The Our Gang Story (1994)

Soundtracks
The Monkeys Have No Tails in Pago Pago
(uncredited)
Composer uncertain
Sung a cappella by Wallace Beery

User reviews41

Featured review

Only someone with ice water in their veins could fail to be moved

The central relationship of the adoring street-wise kid (Cooper) and his devoted, boozing, gambling ex-champ Dad (Beery) is astonishing. We are observing behavior here, not acting. Cooper gives the best child performance I've ever seen and Beery is utterly human, flawed and unforgettable.

This film is full of terrific moments - comedy and heartbreak. The friendship between Cooper and his black pal is beautifully color-blind. When Cooper states, "He's colored," it's with a child's open, untainted honesty. I find King Vidor's films to always resonate with humanity and compassion. He was one of our greatest filmmakers as Frances Marion was one of our greatest screenwriters.