The Champ (1979): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Champ is a 1979 sports drama directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Joan Blondell, Elisha Cook Jr. and Faye Dunaway. It runs 2 hours 1 minute and earned $30.4 million worldwide. It was nominated for 1 Oscar. Critics gave it 38 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 1m (121 min)
- Director
- Franco Zeffirelli
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Champ About?
The premise of The Champ without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A former boxing champion, Billy, seeks redemption both personally and professionally. Struggling with a troubled past and longing to rebuild his relationship with his estranged wife, he dedicates himself to training for one last fight. His motivation extends beyond the ring, as he hopes to prove himself a worthy father to his young son, T.J., and reclaim his family.
The Champ Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- boxing
- young
- horse trainer
- fashion designer
- debt
- racetrack
- hialeah florida
- ex husband ex wife relationship
- tears
- horse racing
- boxer
- mother son relationship
+38 more Show fewer
- remake
- grief
- father son relationship
- title spoken by character
- scene during opening credits
- bare chested male fighting
- bleeding wound
- boxing champion
- boxing gym
- death of protagonist
- fistfight
- gambling addiction
- racehorse
- swimming in the ocean
- boxing training
- horse race bet
- nude art
- runway fashion show
- double vision
- ireland
- bare chested man
- tragedy drama
- boxing sport
- boy horse relationship
- girl horse relationship
- man horse relationship
- woman horse relationship
- mother
- son
- miami florida
- rain
- flamingo
- child abandonment
- crying
- lawyer
- guilt
- arrest
- anger
The Champ Cast
Joan Blondell leads the cast, with Elisha Cook Jr. and Faye Dunaway. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli; 10 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Franco Zeffirelli
Also Starring in The Champ
· 6 moreMore from Franco Zeffirelli
More films directed by Franco Zeffirelli, best-rated first: Romeo and Juliet, Tea with Mussolini, Hamlet and Callas Forever.
The Champ Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Champ 38 on Metacritic.
-
Metacritic 38 Metascore
See on Metacritic
The Champ Plot Summary
What happens in The Champ from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
At the Hialeah racetrack in sunny Miami, Florida, we find the once-renowned boxing champion Billy “The Champ” Flynn, who now embraces a different vocation as a horse trainer, living above the stables with his beloved eight-year-old son, T. J.. After a lengthy seven-year hiatus from the boxing scene, Billy contemplates making a return to the ring. He takes T. J. along for a visit to the Ninth Street Gym, where he hopes to connect with his manager, Charlie Goodman. T. J., who idolizes his father and affectionately calls him “Champ,” is ecstatic at the prospect of Billy possibly stepping back into the boxing limelight.
Full summary
The whole story of The Champ, scene by scene
The Champ Box Office
The Champ grossed $30.4 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$30.4M
- US & Canada
- $30.4M
The Champ Awards & Nominations
The Champ was nominated for 1 Oscar. The 3 nominations come from 2 ceremonies, the most at the Golden Globes 1980.
3 nominations2 ceremonies
-
Golden Globes 1980 2 nominations- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actor) – Jon Voight
- Nominated New Star of the Year – Actor
-
Oscars 1980 1 nomination- Nominated Music (Original Score)
The Champ Trailers & Videos
3 videos: 3 trailers.
- Trailer The Champ Trailer 1979
- Trailer The Champ ≣ 1979 ≣ Trailer ≣ Remastered
How Well Do You Know The Champ?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What sport did Billy 'The Champ' Flynn previously participate in?
Cars in The Champ
18 cars on screen, including the 1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible and the 1974 Cadillac Coupe DeVille.
-
1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible Main role -
1974 Cadillac Coupe DeVille Minor role -
Eagle Model 05 Minor role -
1978 Pontiac Catalina Minor role
The Champ Also Known As
18 alternative titles, including “天涯赤子心” and “赤子情”.
- Also known as
-
- 天涯赤子心
- 赤子情
- 父子情
- Der Champ
- Il campione
- Campeón
- Le Champion
- סיפורו של אלוף
- A bajnok
- Şampiyon
- Чемпион
- 챔프
+6 more Show fewer
- O Campeão
- El campeón
- 舐犊情深
- แชมป์, ჩემპიონი
- Mistrz
- Utmaningen
Seen The Champ?
Movies Like The Champ
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Champ, Champion and Resurrecting the Champ.
The Champ FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Champ, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Champ?
The Champ runs 2 hours 1 minute (121 minutes).
When was The Champ released?
The Champ was released on April 4, 1979.
Who directed The Champ?
The Champ was directed by Franco Zeffirelli.
More films by Franco Zeffirelli Who is in the cast of The Champ?
The Champ stars Joan Blondell, Elisha Cook Jr. and Faye Dunaway, among 10 credited actors.
How much did The Champ make at the box office?
The Champ grossed $30.4 million worldwide.
How is The Champ rated?
The Champ has 38 on Metacritic.
Was The Champ nominated for any awards?
The Champ received 3 nominations across 2 ceremonies.
Does The Champ have a post-credit scene?
No. The Champ has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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