Champion (United Artists) (1949)

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Still SK-S-67 Mat (ID) Produced by Stanley Kramer 35% Associate Producer ROBERT STILLMAN 15% Directed by MARK ROBSON is% Screenplay by CARL FOREMAN 15% Musical Score by DIMITRI TIOMKIN is% RELEASED THRU UNITED ARTISTS is* Running Time: 99 Minutes SYNOPSIS » * (Not for Publication ) Midge Kelly (Kirk Douglas) and his crippled brother Connie (Ar¬ thur Kennedy) are making their way by boxcar to California to take over an interest in a roadside eat¬ ery, purchased from a Navy chum during war days by Midge. They are stripped of their last $10 in a desperate battle with hoboes and are tossed from the moving train. A prizefighter, Johnny Dunne (John Day) gives them a ride in his car as far as Kansas City, much to the disgust of Johnny’s flashy blonde girl friend, Grace Diamond (Mari¬ lyn Maxwell). In Kansas City, where Dunne is fighting a main event, Midge gets a chance to earn a few dollars in a preliminary bout and attracts the attention of a manager, Tommy Haley (Paul Stewart). Midge turns down Tommy’s offers and goes on to California. At the Step-Inn eatery, on the Roosevelt Highway, Midge learns from the owner. Lew Bryce (Harry Shannon) and his lovely brunette daughter, Emma (Ruth Roman), that his supposed partnership was just a swindle. Broke, Midge and Connie take jobs at the Step-Inn. Connie begins to fall in love with Emma, but she is attracted by the strength and virility of Midge. Her overly suspicious father forces Midge and Emma to marry. Imme¬ diately after the ceremony, which Midge denounces as a frameup, he deserts Emma. Connie, still loyal, goes away with Midge. Midge Becomes a Fighter At a gymnasium in downtown Los Angeles, Midge looks up Tommy Haley and agrees to be¬ come a fighter. After rigorous months of training, a careful build¬ up, fixed fights and assimilation of every dirty trick known to boxing. Midge becomes a main eventer. Midge has never forgotten the flashy blonde girl friend of Johnny Dunne. Her cool disdain rankles. He is determined to get even with her and gets his chance when he is matched with Dunne. He is told at the last minute that he must throw the fight to Johnny because the “syn¬ dicate” wants it that way. Reluctantly, Midge agrees to lose the fight. Just as he steps into the ring, however, he sees Johnny’s girl friend, Grace, sitting at the ringside. Enraged, Midge can think of nothing but revenge. When the bell rings for the start of the fight he charges out of his corner, smashes his fists into the face of the unwary Dunne, and in his rage, batters his foe into a bloody, help¬ less hulk. Haley, panic-stricken at the thought of vengeance by the “syndi¬ cate,” pleads with Midge to leave the arena without bothering to dress. Before they can escape, they are trapped in the arena and Haley is badly beaten. Midge is saved from possible death only by the timely arrival of the police sum¬ moned by Connie. A Big-Shot Now Grace telephones Midge and in¬ vites him to her apartment. She has fallen for him. Besides, she looks on him as an investment now that Johnny’s future holds no promise. Haley can do nothing to square Midge with the “syndicate.” But Grace has an angle with Jerome Harris (Luis Van Rooten), a pro¬ moter who knows how to handle the situation. Harris offers to square Midge, on condition that Midge get rid of Haley. It is now Harris’ turn to be in¬ jured by contact with Midge. Midge falls hard for Harris’ beautiful wife. Palmer (Lola Albright). Her cool patrician beauty is something he had never encountered before. Grace looks coarse and cheap by contrast. She is tossed out of Midge’s life and he turns his charm on Palmer. The split with Haley is too much for Connie. He finds Emma, takes her to live with his mother in Chi¬ cago, and convinces her of his love. She agrees to divorce Midge and marry him. Meanwhile, Midge wins the cham¬ pionship and becomes the idol of the public. Harris learns that his wife, Palmer, has fallen for the rough charm of the champ, and, be¬ fore her eyes, he proves that Midge can be induced, for money, to drop her. Recovered from his beating, Dunne seeks and is granted a chance to meet Midge in a cham¬ pionship fight. Midge brings Haley back to train him. On the eve of the fight Midge learns his mother is dying. He arrives too late. Be¬ fore he leaves, he agrees to a di¬ vorce from Emma, so that she can marry Connie. Connie and Emma agree to join him at the training camp before the divorce is started. At the camp, Midge pursues Emma again. Connie denounces him and is knocked to the ground in return. Still Champion On the night of the fight. Midge is given a tremendous ovation. But Dunne discovers Midge is not up to his old form. As the rounds go on. Midge absorbs murderous pun¬ ishment. Haley wants to throw in the towel, but Midge refuses and he wins by a knockout. It is obvious that Midge is hurt seriously and his mind wanders as his life quickly ebbs away. Connie is asked for a statement by the press. He does not disillu¬ sion the public. “He was a cham¬ pion, and he went out like a cham¬ pion,” says Connie. “He was a credit to the fight game to the very end.” THE CREDITS THE CAST Midge Kelly Kirk Douglas Grace Diamond Marilyn Maxwell Connie Kelly Arthur Kennedy Tommy Haley.Paul Stewart Emma Bryce Ruth Roman Mrs. Harris (“Palmer”) Lola Albright Jerome Harris Luis Van Rooten Johnny Dunne John Day 0 Lew Bryce.Harry Shannon Kansas City Promoter Ralph Sanford Produced by.Stanley Kramer Associate Producer.Robert Stillman Directed by.Mark Robson Screenplay (from the Ring Lardner Story, “Champion”).Carl Foreman Production design by.Rudolph Sterad Music composed and directed by Dimitri Tiomkin Song, “Never Be It Said” by Dimitri Tiomkin and “Goldie” Goldmark Director of Photography.Frank Planer, A.S.C. Production Manager Clem Beauchamp Assistant Director Ivan Volkman Set Direction Edward G. Boyle Men’s Wardrobe Joe King Ladies’ Wardrobe Adele Parmenter Furs by Marcus and Kessler Film Editor.Harry Gerstad Make-Up Supervision Gus Xorin Sound Engineer Jean Speak Hair Stylist Gertrude Wheeler Dialogue Director.Don Weis Sound Recording hv.Sound Services, Inc. Fighting or loving, Kirk Douglas is always the champion! This high- tensioned scene is from United Artists’ “Champion,” based on the Ring Lardner yarn, and the lady giving a good imitation of the bear- hug is Marilyn Maxwell. The film opens at the Theatre. Still SK107 Mat (2L) Arthur Kennedy, Ruth Roman, Kirk Douglas and Harry Shannon in a dramatic scene from United Artists’ “Champion” at the Theatre. Still SK33 (Mat (2J) Arthur Kennedy and Kirk Douglas come to grips in United Artists’ “Champion,” now playing at the . Theatre. Still SK-84 Mat (2C) Page Seventeen