The Champ

"The more you love... the harder you fight."

1979 2h 1m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

🥫

40%

ROTTEN

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

6.8

IMDB

★7.0TMDB · 217🥫40%Rotten Tomatoes●38Metacritic★6.8IMDB · 9,440

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Billy used to be a great boxer, but he's settled into a hardscrabble life that revolves around drinking, training horses, and the one bright spot in his existence — his young son, T.J. Although Billy has had custody of T.J. since his wife, Annie, left the family years ago, her return prompts a new struggle for the former fighter. Determined to hold on to his son, Billy gets back into the ring to try and recapture his past success.

“The more you love... the harder you fight.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Jon Voight
Billy
Faye Dunaway
Annie
Ricky Schroder
T.J.
Jack Warden
Jackie
Arthur Hill
Mike
Strother Martin
Riley
Joan Blondell
Dolly Kenyon
Mary Jo Catlett
Josie

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Writers: Frances Marion, Walter Newman
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

47 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Franco Zeffirelli, shot by Fred J. Koenekamp. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Dave Grusin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Michael J. Sheridan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Jon Voight and Faye Dunaway and Ricky Schroder carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The more you love... the harder you fight.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0078950 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Franco Zeffirelli directs. Fred J. Koenekamp behind the camera. Dave Grusin scores. Michael J. Sheridan cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

147 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Franco Zeffirelli, shot by Fred J. Koenekamp. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Dave Grusin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Michael J. Sheridan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Jon Voight and Faye Dunaway and Ricky Schroder carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "The more you love... the harder you fight.".
7IMDB entry: tt0078950 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 13 themes, including "sports", "gambling", "boxer", "remake".