I didn't cry, but I thought the chemistry between Schroder and Voight was just so real. They could really have been father and son. I expected to dislike Schroder (prejudice against child actors, maybe), but he was excellent. But what was Dunaway doing in that movie? One wonders what she and someone like Billy Flynn could have ever seen in each other. Total miscast.
And why did Billy have his child calling him "Champ", especially when he clearly wasn't the champ anymore? That was kinda weird.
Still I'd watch it again for Voight (yum) and Schroder.

I agree with geode, who thinks this is an avarage film. You can see, from the very beginning, that it's a "lacrimose" film, were you have to prepare (or the director wants you to prepare) to finish with tears. I should recognize there are good scenes and plots, like the 10 dollar debt that T.J. has with Alice (specially when T.J. makes the visit to Annie in her ship). But, as geode says, there are many forced emotions, like the blind admiration that T.J. has with his father, Billy's drunk scenes or Billy's stubbornness against Annie. And I must say theres is also a guilty backround in the "origin" of T.J. In the last scene T.J., where he says that "your mom and I made some bad things long time ago". Bad things? What "bad things"? Having a child? I'ld had liked to be more informed about Billy and Annie's past, somthing you dont know too much about.

You are sooooo right in that 'The Champ' is a favorite movie of all time! Since I first saw it in the theater, it changed me, and ever since it came out on VHS, I've watched it every year!

For any Champ fans in Ireland, RTE One are showing the film at 3pm Wed 5thJan, just in case you miss it!
how annoying tho - why cudnt they show it at the weekend?

Every time my family and I saw this movie we would try to see who would be the first one to cry And my older(only ) brother was always the one who cried. first, bye the end of the movie we were all crying.I teased him about that as we grew up..it became a family joke.."jim cries when he watches "the champ".. I bought him that movie one year for Christmasboy did i get an evil look from him with a smile.This movie was awesome and holds some very fond family memories with itMy brother passed away 2 years ago .. I have shared this movie with my children and husband and I am the 1st to cry now
watch it with a box a tissues

The Champ is absolutely an undervalued movie.
it is the only film that makes me cry like a baby everytime i see it.
Ricky Schroder breaks my heart in the last scene, i still can't believe how realistic he was.
Jon Voight is also adorable in his role
It is consistently in my Top 10 of all time and im always trying to persuade others to watch it

Watch original
http://us.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=4995990
Top 1000 Voter

I saw this movie on TCM and i almost cried.Best father and son movie i've evern seen.
I'm shaking so godamn much i feel like i'm dancin

I'm glad that so many of you found so much to like in this film, but I do not think that on balance it is better than just average.
I don't like re-makes in general, and this is not an exception. The 1931 version is so much superior to this that I wondered at the time why anyone had decided to try a re-make. Did any of you see the one with Wallace Berry and Jackie Cooper ? I thought they were more convincing together. I didn't care for Jon Voight's performance and thought his casting really stretched credibility. Schroder was pretty good, but his is not a subtle performance. Faye Dunaway gave one of her poorest performances in this film. I think that the film was too artificial, and it tries too hard to manipulate emotions. It was too obvious and over-the-top. It really didn't move me much for that reason. Nobody was crying as they left the showing that I attended.
I have to admit that I saw this in 1980 and have not seen it since, so my impressions are the ones that I had then. I actually was surprised to see it as high as 5.6for I gave it a 5. I guess that its heart is in the right place, but it isn't particularly well-written or directed. Zefferilli went into a slump at this, and it shows here. True, this film is not as bad as the next one he didthe awful, "Endless Love"but it is not up to his potential.
I just looked up Maltin's opinion to see if my impressions were out of line with everybody. He gave it only ** out of **** which was worse than my rating.
On the Rotten Tomatoes site it scored 50%..short of the 60% is needed to be considered "fresh".apparently I am close to the concensus opinion about this film.

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Is there anybody who disagrees with me?

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I totaly agree!!! This is one of my favourites movies!!

I agreeI saw this movie again for the 3rd time a few days ago and it still has the same affect as it did when I saw it for the first time years ago. Rick and Jon should have won some award for their outstanding performances.

This my favorite boxing movie also my favorite father& son movie too it such classic movie.

I love this movie. Ricky Schroder is the best! I got to meet him back in April, he's just the nicest person in the whole world. I think he needed an Oscar for this!

The movie was emotional and moving. The sad scene is when liitle "T J" screams "Champ, champ!" upon his father dying in front of him. One would have no feelings,if he were not teary eyed.
Schroeder and Voight were wonderful in this drama.