Champion (1949 film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Champion

DVD cover
Directed by Mark Robson
Produced by Stanley Kramer
Written by Story:
Ring Lardner
Screenplay:
Carl Foreman
Starring Kirk Douglas
Marilyn Maxwell
Music by Dimitri Tiomkin
Cinematography Franz Planer
Editing by Harry W. Gerstad
Distributed by United Artists
Release date(s) April 9, 1949
(U.S.A.)
Running time 99 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Champion (1949) is a American film noir drama based on a short story by Ring Lardner. Filmed in black-and-white, it recounts the struggles of boxer "Midge" Kelly fighting his own demons while working to achieve success in the boxing ring. The drama was directed by Mark Robson, with cinematography by Franz Planer. The drama features Kirk Douglas, Marilyn Maxwell, and others.[1]

Contents

[edit] Plot

The drama tells the story of Midge Kelly (Kirk Douglas) a boxer who pushes himself to the top of his game and rises by stepping on heads aplenty.

He has no qualms about deceiving the various females he encounters and he eventually double-crosses Tommy Haley (Paul Stewart) the manager who found him and helped pave his road to fame.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Critical reception

When the film was released, Bosley Crowther, the film critic for The New York Times, believed the drama was not exactly faithful to the original Lardner story, which had a very hard-edge. Still, he gave the boxing drama a positive review, and wrote, "However, Director Mark Robson has covered up story weaknesses with a wealth of pictorial interests and exciting action of a graphic, colorful sort. His scenes in training gymnasiums, managers' offices and, of course, the big fight rings arc strongly atmospheric and physically intense. Except that the fighting is more furious than one can credit, it is virtually all right. As the hero and "Champion," Kirk Douglas does a good, aggressive job, with a slight inclination to over-eagerness at times, which might amuse an old fight fan. Arthur Kennedy is dour as his crippled brother who distrusts the slaughterous sport, and Marilyn Maxwell, Ruth Roman and Lola Albright are attractive as the "champ's" various girls. Paul Stewart is most convincing as a quiet, hard-bitten manager."[2]

The staff at Variety magazine gave the picture a good review and also noted the difference between the screenplay and the original story. They wrote, "Adapted from a Ring Lardner short story of the same title, Champion is a stark, realistic study of the boxing rackets and the degeneracy of a prizefighter. Fight scenes, under Franz Planer's camera, have realism and impact. Unrelenting pace is set by the opening sequence. Cast, under Mark Robson's tight direction, is fine. Kirk Douglas is the boxer and he makes the character live. Second honors go jointly to Arthur Kennedy, the fighter's crippled brother, and Paul Stewart as the knowing manager."[3]

[edit] Awards

Wins

Nominations

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Champion at the Internet Movie Database.
  2. ^ Crowther, Bosley. The New York Times, film review, "Kirk Douglas Plays the Hero in 'Champion,' Film of Ring Lardner's Fight Story," April 11, 1949. Last accessed: December 30, 2007.
  3. ^ Variety. Film review, April 11, 1949. Last accessed: December 30, 2007.

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:


v • d • e
American films of the 1940s
1940 •1941 •1942 •1943 •1944 •1945 •1946 •1947 •1948 •1949