The Champ (1931)

This is the audio track from our very first VIDEO podcast. If you’d like to see the video version of this episode, you can find it on YouTube or on our website at www.ClassicMovieRecall.com. In this episode, James and Lara discuss THE CHAMP (1931) while on location at the legendary Beverly Hills estate built in the 1920s by the film’s director, King Vidor. We get a glimpse inside this ultra-exclusive home (later owned by actor John Barrymore and director Tony Scott), and also a drone’s-eye view of the beautiful grounds. We praise Jackie Cooper’s astonishing performance, Wallace Beery’s plan to become the highest paid actor in Hollywood, and the innovative way that King Vidor moved the camera to capture some exciting boxing sequences in the early days of “talkies.” We also discuss Frances Marion’s terrific script, and the power that women had as Hollywood was just becoming Hollywood. (Our regular audio podcast will continue, but from time to time we’ll post a video version too.)