Champion (1949)

Directed by Mark Robson. Starring Kirk Douglas, Ruth Roman, Arthur Kennedy, Paul Stewart, Marilyn Maxwell, Lola Albright, Luis van Rooten, John Daheim, Harry Shannon, Ralph Sanford.

Standard but engrossing boxing yarn based on a Ring Lardner short story. Portrait of Douglas’ thuggish pugilist ruthlessly rising from scrappy amateur to corrupted champ is doughy and not altogether convincing, but the storytelling apparatus and a parade of meaningful characters in his orbit (crippled brother, cynical manager, a cycle of dames, etc.) provide enough seasoning on top of the star’s dynamic, intensely brutish portrayal. Although a bit dated in their technique and arrangement by later standards, the fight scenes are clear and hard-hitting; Harry Gerstad’s editing won the Academy Award. Screenplay adaptation by Carl Foreman.

77/100