SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Steineded How sad is this?

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Claudio Carvalho While traveling to California in a cargo wagon, the clandestine Michael "Midge" Kelly (Kirk Douglas) and his crippled brother Connie Kelly (Arthur Kennedy) are robbed and thrown off the train. They hitchhike and get a lift from the famous boxer Johnny Dunne (John Daheim), who is traveling with his mistress Grace Diamond (Marilyn Maxwell) to Kansas City for a fight. They explain that they have bought a share in a restaurant. In Kansas City, Midge gets in trouble while seeking a job and is invited to fight box for 35 dollars. He takes a beat and the promoter pays only 10 dollars to him, but the trainer Tommy Haley (Paul Stewart) invites Midge to go to his gym in Los Angeles to be trained in box. When the brothers arrive at the restaurant, they learn that they have been cheated in the business and the owner Lew Bryce (Harry Shannon) hires them to work in the restaurant waiting table and washing dishes. Soon Midge seduces Lew's daughter Emma Bryce (Ruth Roman) and when her father finds their affair, Emma with Midge are forced to get married to each other. However Midge decides to flee to seek out Tommy and leaves Emma alone after the wedding. He learns how to fight with Tommy and defeats several fighters. When he is scheduled to fight Johnny Dunne, the organized crime orders him to lose the fight. However Midge defeats Dunne and is black-listed and can not fight any more. But Grace convinces him to leave Tommy and be managed by Jerome Harris (Luis Van Rooten), who is connected to the crime world. Now Midge begins a successful career betraying his friends and stepping on women, including Harris' wife Palmer Harris (Lola Albright). How far will he go to make money and be champion? "Champion" is an awarded film-noir based on the story of an ambitious boxer that is capable to betray friend to climb in his career reaching fame and money. The direction and performances are excellent with good choreography in the fights, and the film was awarded in Film Editing category (Oscar) and Best Cinematography (Golden Globe). In addition, it achieved several nominations. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "O Invencível" ("The Invincible")

Riley Porter This movie is essentially a boxing noir where the emphasis is more on the characters than the boxing. If you have seen Ace in the Hole then the performance that Kirk Douglas gives in this movie will be very reminiscent of that. Midge Kelly, as played by Douglas, basically functions as a rags to riches villain who appears to onlookers as a people's champion, and appears to the people close to him as the actual person that he is. Much in the way that we treat our idols today, Midge Kelly is to the people whatever they want him to be, and like many idols his life outside of the ring is nothing to be sought after.This movie is a commentary on champions in sports and likely elsewhere, as well as a fine display of acting by Kirk Douglas and the supporting cast. This is basically the Kirk Douglas show as he occupies the majority of the screen and brings the bulk of the talent. The supporting cast does their part but are frankly overshadowed by Douglas, with his absences being fairly noticeable when they occur. The boxing will probably appear lack luster to fans of Rocky or actual boxing matches. Despite that, the important matches are engaging and the montage material gets the point across. This film is a hidden gem and is worth some recognition if nothing else but for a great performance and some intelligent insight on champions.

gaston-rivera Due to current technology, last night I was able to watch "Champion" (1949) for the first time, at home, on my schedule, without having to wait for a commercial TV showing. This powerful, independent, black and white film is a credit to the motion picture industry demonstrating how a good story, expert direction, and a riveting lead performance may successfully substitute standard movie making with higher budgets, special effects, and outdoor locations. The world of boxing is painfully presented, and despite the ambiance, and rawness of it all, one cannot stop watching scene by scene, until the powerful, no nonsense end. Special mention goes to Kirk Douglas' outstanding performance as the strong, unlikeable, and cynic box champion. He pours realism and passion. One of his very best. Arthur Kennedy and Paul Stewart add excellent support. This gem is a must film for movie lovers as myself privileged to watch it 62 years after its original release.

ilprofessore-1 Stanley Kramer produced but did not direct this classic. That job went to the 36 year old Mark Robson who had been part of the editing team of Orson Welles' two RKO films "Citizen Kane" and "The Magnificent Ambersons." Undoubtedly influenced by his association with Welles and the innovative camera-work of James Wong Howe and the editing of Bob Parrish on Robert Rossen's "Body and Soul" shot two years earlier, Robson had the good fortune to surround himself with excellent collaborators. "Champion" (1949) is spectacularly photographed in B&W by the Austro-Hungarian cinematographer Franz Planer and edited by Harry Gerstad. (Gerstad, ironically, was the only one of the four above technicians to win an Oscar for his artistic achievement.) The style of the film --the fluid camera work, the subjective camera angles, the deep shadows, the tight punch-by-punch cutting-- set a style for boxing films from there on. The same year as the release of "Champion" Robert Wise, who had been Robson's editing boss at RKO, dealt with the same brutal business in "The Set Up."