There are success stories ;"the champ " is a "failure" one.The first version was released at a time people were not smiling because of the world crisis.In 1979,after stuff like "Rocky" ,"the champ number two" was not a blockbuster.The problem is that Jon Voigt is much too good-looking ,too healthy ,too fit to portray a wreck successfully.Wallace Beery was the champ and it's him that will be remembered .On the other hand ,although a bit too clean and too cute ,the young Ricky Schroeder's performance compares favorably with that of Jackie Cooper. The part of the mother was fleshed out ,because it was Oscar-winner Faye Dunaway who reprised Irene Rich's role.Franco Zephirelli was more talented when he filmed "Romeo and Juliet and his Jesus remains the best of the genre.Not as "swell" as the 1931 movie,but children fond of melodrama will like it.

Details are a little vague (I saw this back in 1979) but here's what I remember: Story about an ex-boxer (Jon Voight) who's bringing up his son (Ricky Schroder) alone when his wife (Fay Dunaway) left them. Then she returns and wants her son back. She's rich now. Voight has to become a boxer again to provide for his kid...but it might kill him. OK--it's well acted (all three leads are great) and well-done but man is it SYRUPY! The movie is just so cloying and sweet that I started to get annoyed watching it. Also the story is old and has been done many times before. You know how it's going to end. And yeah--I cried at the end but how could you not? This movie went out of its way to wring tears from the audience. I don't mind tearjerkers but this one is so openly trying to make you cry that it gets ridiculous. When a movie starts forcing reactions from its audience that's not good. This gets a 3 only for the actors and a well-done production.

A young Rick Schroder makes his cute-as-all-get-out film debut in this 1979 tearjerker from director Franco Zeffirelli. Jon Voight plays Billy Flynn, a former champion boxer now given to drinking, gambling, and raising his son T.J. (Schroder, billed here as Ricky) as best he can. The ups and downs of the devoted codependent pair might be enough movie on their own, but soon enough Annie (Faye Dunaway) shows up and displays a strangely protective interest in T.J. Though the plot jumps around too much to quite hold together, The Champ is certainly affecting, and all three leads take the film so earnestly that somehow it works. Voight is believable both as a boxer and as a well-intentioned screwup of a dad, and Schroder is a fine young actor (and irresistibly adorable). Special DVD features include audio commentary from Jon Voight and Rick Schroder and the documentary Behind the Scenes with the Champ.

If you're a bloke and you don't like the idea of anybody seeing you cry, watch this film on your own. Yes it is that sad.Really well made and brilliant performances all round, the kid TJ is one of the sweetest kids I've ever seen on screen, absolutely adorable with bags of talent. John Voight was brilliant as well as a down on his luck ex boxer who's just trying to make a good life for himself and his son. The story is one that I'm sure many can relate with, whether you're a single parent, have a great relationship with your father or can simply appreciate a film with strong acting. If you have a son that loves you as much as TJ loved 'the champ' your very lucky and should treat each day as your last. The only other film that had me welling up like this was the Imitation of Life also well worth a look , but have tissues to hand! This review is coming from a cynical bloke too! CBR