The Champ

Directed by King Vidor, The Champ details the relationship between a washed-up, alcoholic boxer (Wallace Beery’s Andy) and his doting son (Jackie Cooper’s Dink) – with the narrative following the pair as they attempt to overcome a series of personal obstacles (including the unexpected reappearance of the boy’s mother, Irene Rich’s Linda). It’s a fine premise that’s employed to watchable yet entirely unspectacular effect by King Vidor, as the filmmaker delivers a deliberately-paced (and often sluggish) endeavor that generally unfolds exactly as one might’ve surmised – with the periodically stylish visuals and decent performances ultimately going a long way towards cultivating a passable vibe. There’s little doubt, as well, that the picture benefits substantially from Vidor’s willingness to unabashedly emphasize the story’s more melodramatic aspects, with this never more true than in the manipulative yet undeniably affecting closing few minutes. The end result is a fairly forgettable early talkie that’s probably more entertaining than it has any right to be, with the movie ultimately faring better than its more polished (and much longer) 1979 remake.

**1/2 out of ****