Starring
Wallace Beery
Wallace Beery
Jackie Cooper
Irene Rich
Roscoe Ates
Hale Hamilton
and
Marcia Mae Jones
Today let’s continue talk Classic Movie Child Star – Jackie Cooper. One of our favorite C
ooper movies is The Champ, 1931. Directed and produced by King Vidor, MGM’s The Champ was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. The movie stars Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Irene Rich, Roscoe Ates, and Hale Hamilton.
The Champ tells the story of a washed up alcoholic boxer who tries to put his life t
ogether for the sake of his young son. A little rough around the edges and currently living in Tijuana, Andy Purcell (Beery), also known as “Champ”, is an ex-world heavyweight boxing champion who is trying to make a comeback. His career ended as a result of drinking, a vice which may thwart his chances at the comeback. Andy's adolescent son, nicknamed Dink (Cooper), is his father's protector. Dink loves his father and does whatever he can 
for him. Despite vowing to lay off his other vice, gambling, Andy comes into a gambling windfall and based on a dream that Dink has, Andy buys him a race horse, who they rename Little Champ. At the racetrack, Dink meets a fellow race horse owner, the elegant and kindly Linda Carleton (Rich), who he eventually learns is his biological mother. She believes that the life that Andy has provided for their 
son is not the type of life an impressionable young boy should have. She holds no grudges against her ex-husband, but she, with her wealthy husband Tony (Hamilton) at her side, want custody of Dink. The foursome, collectively and individually, need to decide what is best for all, including if Andy should pursue his boxing comeback.
But fight-night arrives. Tony and Linda arrive at the arena, and Tony talks to Champ
. Tony says he and Linda realize Dink wants to stay with Champ, but he is concerned that Champ might be injured in the fight. Tony even offers to pay Champ not to box, but Champ says he can beat his opponent and refuses the offer. The fight is a brutal one. Champ is brutally beaten by the Mexican, but stays on his feet round after round in a vain attempt to win the purse. Champ is finally beaten to the ground by a flurry of vicious blows, and he collapses. He is saved by the bell. In the Champ's corner, a weeping Dink begs him to throw in the towel, but Champ refuses. Champ returns to the ring, and defeats the now-overconfident young Mexican fighter.
As he leaves the ring, Champ apparently in great mood shows his son the horse he managed to regain, but suddenly has a heart attack. He is taken to his dressing room and dies. Linda takes the hysterical Dink in her arms and takes him away. Dink, weeping on Linda's shoulder, finally turns his face toward her and cries, "Mother!"
We highly recommend watching the 1931 version of The Champ. But when you do, make sure that you have plenty of tissues for this tear-jerker ending. Jackie Cooper performs an astounding crying seen that will tear at your heart strings.
Join “Let’s Talk Classic Movies” every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for more classic movie presentations and trivia.
**Trivia Question for Today: The Champ was rescripted by writer Frances Marion for a 1950 picture to star Red Skelton. What was the name of the film?
Trivia Answer for Previous Post: The sequel to Skippy was named Sooky, after the character portrayed by Robert Coogan in Skippy.
ooper movies is The Champ, 1931. Directed and produced by King Vidor, MGM’s The Champ was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. The movie stars Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Irene Rich, Roscoe Ates, and Hale Hamilton.The Champ tells the story of a washed up alcoholic boxer who tries to put his life t
ogether for the sake of his young son. A little rough around the edges and currently living in Tijuana, Andy Purcell (Beery), also known as “Champ”, is an ex-world heavyweight boxing champion who is trying to make a comeback. His career ended as a result of drinking, a vice which may thwart his chances at the comeback. Andy's adolescent son, nicknamed Dink (Cooper), is his father's protector. Dink loves his father and does whatever he can 
for him. Despite vowing to lay off his other vice, gambling, Andy comes into a gambling windfall and based on a dream that Dink has, Andy buys him a race horse, who they rename Little Champ. At the racetrack, Dink meets a fellow race horse owner, the elegant and kindly Linda Carleton (Rich), who he eventually learns is his biological mother. She believes that the life that Andy has provided for their 
son is not the type of life an impressionable young boy should have. She holds no grudges against her ex-husband, but she, with her wealthy husband Tony (Hamilton) at her side, want custody of Dink. The foursome, collectively and individually, need to decide what is best for all, including if Andy should pursue his boxing comeback.But fight-night arrives. Tony and Linda arrive at the arena, and Tony talks to Champ
. Tony says he and Linda realize Dink wants to stay with Champ, but he is concerned that Champ might be injured in the fight. Tony even offers to pay Champ not to box, but Champ says he can beat his opponent and refuses the offer. The fight is a brutal one. Champ is brutally beaten by the Mexican, but stays on his feet round after round in a vain attempt to win the purse. Champ is finally beaten to the ground by a flurry of vicious blows, and he collapses. He is saved by the bell. In the Champ's corner, a weeping Dink begs him to throw in the towel, but Champ refuses. Champ returns to the ring, and defeats the now-overconfident young Mexican fighter.
As he leaves the ring, Champ apparently in great mood shows his son the horse he managed to regain, but suddenly has a heart attack. He is taken to his dressing room and dies. Linda takes the hysterical Dink in her arms and takes him away. Dink, weeping on Linda's shoulder, finally turns his face toward her and cries, "Mother!"
We highly recommend watching the 1931 version of The Champ. But when you do, make sure that you have plenty of tissues for this tear-jerker ending. Jackie Cooper performs an astounding crying seen that will tear at your heart strings.
Join “Let’s Talk Classic Movies” every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for more classic movie presentations and trivia.
**Trivia Question for Today: The Champ was rescripted by writer Frances Marion for a 1950 picture to star Red Skelton. What was the name of the film?
Trivia Answer for Previous Post: The sequel to Skippy was named Sooky, after the character portrayed by Robert Coogan in Skippy.
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