Even though I don't like boxing as a sport, I always end up watching movies about boxers. And, while I'm the first to admit that seeing a bunch of rugged, half-naked, sweaty guys is a bonus, it might not be the main reason why I continue to watch them. Then again, it might. Kirk Douglas probably spends more of the movie with his shirt off than on.
In Champion, we see the story of a poor, angry young man who wants respect and adoration. Due to a chance right-place-at-the-right-time meeting with a well-known boxer, he ends up in the ring for some quick, easy money and finds out he's pretty good! But in his quest to become a champion, what is he willing to throw away?
The real reason why I keep watching boxing movies is because of that age-old, always interesting story of learning what's really important when you think you've got it figured out. They're wonderful stories, because the hero is always terribly flawed and makes tons of mistakes, and the suspense lies in two questions: will he get punished for what he's done, and will he be forgiven and get a happy ending?
Kirk Douglas was nominated for Best Actor for his performance in Champion, so if you're a fan, you're definitely going to want to rent this one and see him in his early days. He's got an incredible "Oscar clip" scene at the end of the movie; even though he was only nominated three times during his career, you can tell he more than earned it in this movie. Only three years after his first film The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, he plays his typical bad boy, only worse. If you've never seen a Kirk Douglas movie, this is not the one to start with. He's awfully mean, so you might always associate him with this role and not like him in the future. Check out The Glass Menagerie first, and then when you see him act so mean, you'll be shocked and impressed!
The make-up in Champion is really impressive, especially given the constraints of the Hays Code, which didn't allow for gruesome gore or violence. Arthur Kennedy plays Kirk Douglas's brother, and while I'm not usually his biggest fan, he was easily the most likable person in the movie! All in all, it's not my favorite boxing movie in the world, but I'm never one to turn down a movie with a half-naked guy in the lead.
In Champion, we see the story of a poor, angry young man who wants respect and adoration. Due to a chance right-place-at-the-right-time meeting with a well-known boxer, he ends up in the ring for some quick, easy money and finds out he's pretty good! But in his quest to become a champion, what is he willing to throw away?
The real reason why I keep watching boxing movies is because of that age-old, always interesting story of learning what's really important when you think you've got it figured out. They're wonderful stories, because the hero is always terribly flawed and makes tons of mistakes, and the suspense lies in two questions: will he get punished for what he's done, and will he be forgiven and get a happy ending?
Kirk Douglas was nominated for Best Actor for his performance in Champion, so if you're a fan, you're definitely going to want to rent this one and see him in his early days. He's got an incredible "Oscar clip" scene at the end of the movie; even though he was only nominated three times during his career, you can tell he more than earned it in this movie. Only three years after his first film The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, he plays his typical bad boy, only worse. If you've never seen a Kirk Douglas movie, this is not the one to start with. He's awfully mean, so you might always associate him with this role and not like him in the future. Check out The Glass Menagerie first, and then when you see him act so mean, you'll be shocked and impressed!
The make-up in Champion is really impressive, especially given the constraints of the Hays Code, which didn't allow for gruesome gore or violence. Arthur Kennedy plays Kirk Douglas's brother, and while I'm not usually his biggest fan, he was easily the most likable person in the movie! All in all, it's not my favorite boxing movie in the world, but I'm never one to turn down a movie with a half-naked guy in the lead.