Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

ChampDavSlim The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

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

bombersflyup Champion is a below average boxing tale that doesn't pack a punch.It's not a bad film, it was engaging, that said Midge was a nasty fellow. Connie should of seen Midge's actions towards Emma coming and he shouldn't of let him treat him like dirt. It's just weak writing. Why did Midge want Grace? Why? His wife was more attractive and sweet and Grace was a snob just using his money. Then he gives up on Palmer for money, when he probably just wasted a bunch on Grace. The boxing wasn't memorable, so you basically have a drama about an unlikable character that hurts people in and out of the ring.

evanston_dad "Champion" has a satisfyingly gritty, noir-like look, but its style is unfortunately wasted on a story that's pure melodrama.Kirk Douglas plays a boxing phenom, whose meteoric rise is due to his charisma and animal magnetism, and whose fall is due to his hubris. The problem is that you have to find Douglas irresistible in the first place, or at least understand why he might be so irresistible to others, to make his rise make sense, and to make you feel any compassion for his fall. Since I don't particularly like Douglas and never have, the movie left me cold.The sleazy boxing underworld that serves as the film's setting provided ample opportunities to craft a juicy little drama, but instead the movie focuses on the various love interests of Douglas and becomes a parade of scenes featuring women, all interchangeable, suffering over the wrongs done to them. Who cares?This film received an Academy Award for Best Film Editing, which, when taken with the editing awards given to "Body and Soul" and "Rocky" over the years, shows that the Academy really likes to give this particular award to boxing movies. It was also nominated for Best Actor (Douglas), Best Supporting Actor (Arthur Kennedy, as Douglas's brother and the film's conscience), Best Screenplay (Carl Foreman), Best Black and White Cinematography (Frank Planer), and Best Dramatic or Comedy Score (Dimitri Tiomkin).Grade: B-

ackstasis I love how 'Champion (1949)' presents itself as one sort of film, and then, quite knowingly, becomes something else. The opening sequence follows boxer Midge Kelly (Kirk Douglas) as he presses through the cheering crowds and into the boxing ring. A sports announcer touts the legend of Kelly's meteoric rise, from penniless drifter to middleweight boxing champion of the world. Right then, I fully expected to watch an inspirational underdog success-story, with shades of 'Rocky (1976)' rather than 'Raging Bull (1980).' However, by the end of the film, 'Champion' has removed its mask to expose a face coloured with noir. Success does, indeed, find this determined underdog, but only through a history of exploitation and betrayal. Along the way, this "champion" leaves behind a crippled brother, a fatherly manager, an innocent wife, and a succession of blonde beauties whom he invariably dumps after he's made use of them.Director Mark Robson (best known for his RKO horror collaborations with Val Lewton) cunningly forces his audience to rewatch the film's opening sequence, but this time through different eyes. No longer do we see in Midge Kelly the triumphant underdog, but the wasted vestiges of a man. The sports announcers' words ring false; the film's title – "Champion" – is to be spoken with scorn, not reverence. 1949 was an excellent year for boxing dramas: Robert Wise also released his gritty, superior 'The Set-Up (1949),' which starred Robert Ryan as a washed-up fighter who refuses to take a dive. 'Champion' is the lesser of these two pictures, held back by an occasional tendency for melodrama, but nevertheless packs a strong emotional punch. Kirk Douglas' fierce, fearless portrayal is relentlessly intense, a man so hypnotised by the prospect of power and success that he will stop at nothing to attain it.

ma-cortes A selfish boxer (Kirk Douglas in the title role playing one of his earliest characters as main star) alienates the people around him , his captivating wife (Ruth Roman as the victimized spouse), his loving brother (a restrained Arthur Kennedy) ,trainer (a moderate Paul Stewart) and other women (Marilyn Maxwell, Lola Albright).This interesting movie based on a screenplay by prestigious Carl Foreman is a noir drama about boxing world with an ambitious starring well personified by Kirk Douglas. The violent boxing images shocked audiences of the 40s and still retains quite power nowadays. It's a grueling boxing tale with tough realism full of face-blistering, punch, knocks until ¨Raging Bull¨ surpassed it years later. Top-notch acting by Kirk Douglas as merciless, ruthless boxer in his usual hard-driving style and winning a deservedly best actor Academy Award nomination. Dark cinematography in black and white plenty of of lights and shades by Franz Planer. Atmospheric musical score by the classic Dimitri Tiomkin.The motion picture is well realized by Mark Robson. In the early 40s Robson was much involved with the low-budget terror unit in charge of producer Val Lewton , for whom made ¨Seventh victim¨, ¨The ghost ship¨, and ¨Island of the dead¨. In the late 1940s Robson joined Stanley Kramer's independent company and directed his biggest commercial hit to date with ¨The champion¨. Years later Robson made another good film about corruption in boxing world titled ¨The harder they fall¨ with Humphrey Bogart. In the late 1960s, his work did decline . His last movie was a jinx one titled ¨Avalancha express¨. Robson and his main star, Robert Shaw, died suddenly from heart attacks. Rating : Above average, well worth seeing. This is certainly one of the best movies ever made about boxing world