The Champ / Champion

Monday | August 13, 2007 7:00 pm

The Champ

Directed by King Vidor

Champion

Directed by Mark Robson

A classic tearjerker, The Champ stars Wallace Beery as a broken-down fighter whose drinking and gambling have left him nearly destitute. He struggles to make a comeback to the ring thanks to the support of his devoted son. Beery improvised much of the dialogue for his Oscar-winning performance. In a very different portrait of the boxing world, Kirk Douglas plays Midge Kelly, a boxer on the rise who leaves behind his impoverished background (and those who love him) to achieve fame and fortune. One of the great sports films of all time, Champion was a hit with audiences and earned Douglas his first Oscar nomination.

PROGRAM

The Champ

Directed by King Vidor.
With Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Irene Rich.
US, 1931, 35mm, black & white, 85 min.
Champion

Directed by Mark Robson.
With Kirk Douglas, Arthur Kennedy, Marilyn Maxwell.
US, 1949, 35mm, black & white, 99 min.