The Champ (1931/I)

Writers:

Frances Marion (story)
Leonard Praskins (dialogue continuity)
(more)

Release Date:

21 November 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Sport

Tagline:

Don't fail to get a ringside seat!

Plot:

Dink Purcell loves his alcoholic father, ex-heavyweight champion Andy "Champ" Purcell, despite his frequent binges...

Plot Keywords:

Half Sister | Stepfather | Boxing | Gambling | Horse

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Wallace Beery	...	Champ
Jackie Cooper	...	Dink
Irene Rich	...	Linda
Roscoe Ates	...	Sponge (as Rosco Ates)
Edward Brophy	...	Tim
Hale Hamilton	...	Tony
Jesse Scott	...	Jonah
Marcia Mae Jones	...	Mary Lou
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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)
Bob Perry	...	Referee (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	Louie, the Bartender (uncredited)
Andy Shuford	...	Boy at Racetrack (uncredited)
Dan Tobey	...	Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Directed by
King Vidor		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Frances Marion		(story)
Leonard Praskins		(dialogue continuity)
Wanda Tuchock		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
King Vidor	....	producer
Harry Rapf	....	producer (uncredited)
Irving Thalberg	....	producer (uncredited)
William M. Weiss	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Gordon Avil		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Hugh Wynn

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1931) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Filming Locations:

Agua Caliente Racetrack, Baja California Norte, Mexico

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

This film ranked second as best picture in the 1932 Film Daily poll of national critics, being beaten only by Grand Hotel (1932).

Goofs:

Continuity: During the fight, The Champ sustains a cut above his left eye, but when he goes back to his corner it is gone. The cut comes back when the fighting resumes and stays for the duration of the film.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Sanford and Son: Pops 'n' Pals (#2.20)" (1973)

Soundtrack:

Lullaby

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.