Champion (1949)

Director:

Mark Robson

Writers:

Carl Foreman (screenplay)
Ring Lardner (story)

Release Date:

9 April 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

This is the only sport in the world where two guys get paid for doing something they'd be arrested for if they got drunk and did it for nothing.

Plot:

Boxer Midge Kelly rises to fame...mainly by stepping on other people.

Plot Keywords:

Boxing | Waitress | Boxer | Hitchhiking | One Word Title

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 9 nominations

Cast

Kirk Douglas	...	Midge
Marilyn Maxwell	...	Grace
Arthur Kennedy	...	Connie
Paul Stewart	...	Haley
Ruth Roman	...	Emma
Lola Albright	...	Palmer
Luis Van Rooten	...	Harris
Harry Shannon	...	Lew
John Daheim	...	Dunne (as John Day)
Ralph Sanford	...	Hammond
Esther Howard	...	Mrs. Kelly
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bill Baldwin	...	Bill Brown - Ringside Broadcaster (uncredited)
Sam Balter	...	Championship Fight Announcer (uncredited)
Polly Bergen	...	Radio and Jukebox Singer (voice) (uncredited)
Don Brodie	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Reporter at Benefit (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing	...	Reporter at Benefit (uncredited)
Paul Dubov	...	Gangster (uncredited)
Jimmie Dundee	...	Tough Tramp in Boxcar (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Fight Stadium Guard (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Well-Wisher in Nightclub (uncredited)
Hal March	...	Mobster (uncredited)
George Meader	...	Fight Doctor (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Speaker at Benefit (uncredited)
Jack Perry	...	Referee (uncredited)
Tim Ryan	...	Al - Kansas City Manager (uncredited)
Court Shepard	...	Fighter (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock	...	Dunne's Cornerman (uncredited)
Charles Sullivan	...	Kansas City Referee (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark Robson

Writing credits
Carl Foreman		(screenplay)
Ring Lardner		(story "Champion")

Produced by
Stanley Kramer	....	producer
Robert Stillman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Franz Planer		(director of photography) (as Frank Planer)

Film Editing by
Harry W. Gerstad		(as Harry Gerstad)

Production Design by
Rudolph Sternad

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle

Makeup Department
Gustaf Norin	....	makeup supervisor (as Gus Norin)
Gertrude Wheeler	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Clem Beauchamp	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ivan Volkman	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Jean L. Speak	....	sound engineer (as Jean Speak)

Camera and Electrical Department
Perry Finnerman	....	second camera operator (uncredited)
Tom Ouellette	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Dave Ragin	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Morris Rosen	....	grip (uncredited)
Scotty Welbourne	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joe King	....	wardrobe: men
Adele Parmenter	....	wardrobe: ladies

Music Department
Dimitri Tiomkin	....	music director
Joseph Dubin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Manuel Emanuel	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Herbert Taylor	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Mushy Callahan	....	technical adviser
Don Weis	....	dialogue director
Sally Hamilton	....	executive secretary (uncredited)
Ace Hudkins	....	boxing coach (uncredited)
Stanley Kramer	....	presenter (uncredited)
Dale Tate	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Screen Plays (presents) (as A Screen Plays Corp. Production also)
• Stanley Kramer Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• United Artists (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (as A United Artists Release)
• Astor Pictures Corporation (1955) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• United Artists (1949) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1949) (France) (theatrical) (as Les Artistes Associés)
• Artisan Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Herbert Richers Produções Cinematográficas (Brazil) (VHS)
• Olive Films (2012) (Canada) (DVD) (DVD and Blu-ray)
• Olive Films (2012) (USA) (DVD) (DVD and Blu-ray)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Marcus and Kessler  furs by
• Sound Services  sound recording by (as Sound Services, Inc.)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-16 | West Germany:16 | Iceland:12 | USA:TV-PG | USA:Approved (certificate #13642) | UK:PG | UK:A (original rating) | Portugal:M/12

Company:

Screen Plays

Trivia:

"Screen Director's Playhouse" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on March 17, 1950 with Kirk Douglas reprising his film role.

Goofs:

Continuity: Midge mangles the sculpture that Palmer has made of him, twisting the head out of alignment. In next shot, the head of statue is back in its original location.

Quotes:

Connie Kelly:Oh, this rotten business!
Midge Kelly:Awww, lay off the business. It's like any other business, only here the blood shows.

Movie Connections:

Featured in ... A Father... A Son... Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Never Be It Said

Breakthrough film for Kirk Douglas

Hollywood loves prize fighting stories. The films about this subject are too numerous to mention, but encompass nearly all decades and include "The Crowd Roars," "The Prizefighter and the Lady," "Golden Boy," "Humoresque," "Body and Soul," "The Harder They Fall," "Million Dollar Baby," "Raging Bull," "Cinderella Man" - I could go on and on. "Champion" is the story of a prize fighter who makes it to the big time by stepping on those who care about him - also not a new topic for Hollywood. This film was the one that made Kirk Douglas a star, winning him an Oscar nomination. Like the character he plays here, Midge Kelly, Douglas was on his way to the top.

The story begins at the fight for the championship as Midge reflects on his life. The story is then told in flashback. At the last minute, with the promise of $50, Midge (real name Michael) steps into a prize fight. A manager thinks he has talent and gives Midge his card. Midge and his lame brother Connie (Arthur Kennedy) make their way to Los Angeles, believing they have purchased an interest in a coffee shop there. When they arrive, they learn that their cousin has bilked them and someone else owns the place. The owner gives them both a job and they both fall for the waitress there, Emma (Ruth Roman), the daughter of the owner. When dad catches Emma with Midge, he forces them to marry, after which Connie and Midge take off. They seek out the fight manager but by now, he is retired. However, Midge convinces him to take him as a client.

Along the way, Midge gets involved with a tough blond, Grace (Marilyn Maxwell), fires his manager and goes with someone else, dumps Grace for another woman (Lola Albright), spends money like water, and basically gets everyone to hate him. Connie talks Emma into moving to Chicago and staying with Connie and Midge's mother who is ill; Midge of course never shows up until he learns she's dying. He then has his final confrontation with Emma, which gets ugly.

This is a dark, absorbing film - two brothers who deal with life very differently, one with anger and the other with gentleness. The focus is on Midge who as he rises higher and higher becomes colder and colder. Strangely, because we understand the genesis of his need for applause and power, we can't hate him, only feel pity.

Kirk Douglas, with his fantastic build, the tight jaw, the dimples and the cleft chin made an ideal movie star. Watching him at this age (32) you can see Michael's resemblance to him. Douglas' intense way of speaking and tense jaw have made him easily imitated for years. Though his acting is often dismissed today, he is a very good actor, even if now he seems at times a little over the top. The style of acting has changed, that's all. He gives a very complete performance as Midge - passionate, tough, angry, and needy. Arthur Kennedy, a more subtle actor and one much more appreciated even now, is wonderful as Connie. Young Ruth Roman does a good job as Emma but perhaps is too classy for the role.

Be advised one of the fights is particularly gruesome, and the director, Mark Robson, sought to give a realistic picture of the fight game using real announcers and referees.

Recommended as good drama, good early Kirk Douglas, and if you like boxing.