Product Details

• Actors: Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Irene Rich, Roscoe Ates, Edward Brophy
• Directors: King Vidor
• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Warner)
• VHS Release Date: December 21, 1994
• Run Time: 87 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302004411
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,255 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #9 in	Video > Drama > Sports
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars CLASSIC HOKUM, November 17, 2001

By	"scotsladdie" (GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Although this flick is essentially sheer hokum, THE CHAMP was made with such superb professionalism in all departments that it achieved record business in depression - stricken 1931; it also gave Wallace Beery and screenwriter Frances Marion Academy Awards. It was M-G-M's biggest smash hit of the year. This third ideal role Marion wrote for Beery was that of a broken-down boxer who made a comeback for the sake of his idolising son, Jackie Cooper. The nine-year-old graduate from OUR GANG got even praise from the critics - and audible sobbing from audiences! The great director, King Vidor, extracted genuine pathos from both stars and there is also good work from the likes of Roscoe Ates, Irene Rich and Hale Hamilton.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of King Vidor's Best, July 12, 2006

By	Quilmiense (USA/Spain) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Champ (DVD)

This is a wonderful drama, social, human and familial. As all good classics there's more to the story than just surface plot. You can see it from multiple perspectives, among them the social one is always very present in Vidor's films.

But first of all this is a great, great movie. One of those that will make you cry in a couple of scenes at least; if you don't, you'd better check your pulse.

Now, here are the subterraneous plots that I see:
1) The familial, the relation between a divorced father and his little son, whom he loves immensely and by whom he is likewise corresponded. This, actually, is not a plot but a naturalistic depiction of this relationship thru story details and characterization.
2) The social. The incompatibility between high-class minded people and simple minded/humble people.
3) The individual relationships between the three main characters or roles: the uneducated and loving father, the apparently educated and classy mother and the innocent child. This triangle gives a lot of food for thought about the mysteries of the human soul. And every viewer will have his own take on this side of the story.

I hope we'll be able to see soon on dvd more of Vidor's great classics, like "The Crowd", "The Fountainhead", "Our Daily Bread", or the great "The Big Parade".

One more thing: The quality of the dvd is exeptional. It doesn't seem like you are watching an old movie at all.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An old-time favourite, March 13, 2000

By	DONNA M METZ - See all my reviews

Take a sentimental journey but don't forget to bring your Kleenex! This old time film classic will transport you right back to the 30's like few else can. As a kid I remember waiting up til 11 o'clock at night to see the Late Show or even the Late Late Show just to see Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper....who said big girl's don't cry? DMM