I knew there was something familiar about this movie, and then it hit me. This was a thinly veiled reworking of the 1931 film, "The Champ", the Wallace Beery version. However in that picture, Beery's portrayal of former boxing champ Andy Purcell makes it difficult for the viewer to warm up to his character, he's a broken-down bum and all-around heel with no redeeming social qualities and constantly screws things up in the father-son relationship with Dink. Red Skelton's role as Dodo Delwyn is a bit more sympathetic, and you feel for his character and want to see him rise above the alcoholism and misfortune that comes his way. Tim Considine might not deliver the same kind of emotion as Jackie Cooper, but he's a faithful son nevertheless, and sticks by his Dad, even after Mom Paula (Jane Greer) opens his eyes to a better life.
For a reworking though, there's quite a few surprises in this film. That flashback scene of Red Skelton wearing a tutu in dance class was lifted from his 1944 movie "Bathing Beauty". It's odd that the filmmakers did that, especially while keeping the name of Red's character in that story, it was Steve Elliott. Then there's that uncredited appearance by Charles Bronson from the dice game in which Dodo lost his two hundred dollars. At the time, Bronson was still using his real name in credited parts; it was Charles Buchinsky.
And of course, there's Red trying out characters and gimmicks he would much better become known for when he hosted his own TV variety show in the Sixties, "The Red Skelton Hour". My Dad and I never missed a weekly show. With those familiar recollections in mind, it was kind of tough to see Dodo Delwyn collapse from a heart attack and die to close out this story. One really isn't ready for it, and you kind of wish he's rushed off to a hospital to recover and carry on as a newly made performer and father to a devoted son. The ending offers a somewhat different emotional response than the one in "The Champ".
For a reworking though, there's quite a few surprises in this film. That flashback scene of Red Skelton wearing a tutu in dance class was lifted from his 1944 movie "Bathing Beauty". It's odd that the filmmakers did that, especially while keeping the name of Red's character in that story, it was Steve Elliott. Then there's that uncredited appearance by Charles Bronson from the dice game in which Dodo lost his two hundred dollars. At the time, Bronson was still using his real name in credited parts; it was Charles Buchinsky.
And of course, there's Red trying out characters and gimmicks he would much better become known for when he hosted his own TV variety show in the Sixties, "The Red Skelton Hour". My Dad and I never missed a weekly show. With those familiar recollections in mind, it was kind of tough to see Dodo Delwyn collapse from a heart attack and die to close out this story. One really isn't ready for it, and you kind of wish he's rushed off to a hospital to recover and carry on as a newly made performer and father to a devoted son. The ending offers a somewhat different emotional response than the one in "The Champ".