A right tedious hunk of celluloid, celebrating 4-H smalltown virtue in the saga of Tommy Jo and Champy. TJ is the titular tomboy, who weasels her way into a bull-wrestling contest only to bring the belligerent Champy back to her poor parents' farm, attempt to raise him to be a nice prize-worthy bull, and to learn the lessons of dedication and perseverence that lead to...aww, but I couldn't spoil the surprise! The defiantly rural outlook of this thing is easy to laugh at but is actually kind of fascinatingly unique; most of the time these values are celebrated only in retrospect. Which is certainly not to make any claims for competence here, because the good memories come from the howlers; like whenever anybody touches a piece of music, especially the jocular bouncing organist; or when Tommy Jo recovers from polio in about five minutes. But then she gets pneumonia! Which leads us to the capper, a sentimental hospital-bed reunion stolen directly from "L'Age D'Or". Ben Johnson's in there too, and so, playing himself, is Rex Allen the narrator of "Chickenomics" himself!
Review of Tomboy and the Champ
