THE CHAMP

US, 1979, 122 minutes, Colour.
Jon Voight, Faye Dunaway, Ricky Schroder, Jack Warden, Arthur Hill, Joan Blondell.
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli.

From theatre and opera to Shakespeare, St. Francis and Jesus of Nazareth, Franco Zeffirelli now directs a Hollywood film - a remake of a popular 30s feature set in Miami training and racing circles and climaxing in a boxing title match.

With Jon Voight sympathetic as Billy and Faye Dunaway an ultra-glamorous fashion designer, it is all glossily attractive entertainment. But young Ricky Schroder also stars (and has acting ability) and is torn in his love for his would-be successful father. The result is tears a-many on-screen and, at least, moist eyes and sniffling in the audience. While it is all obviously contrived, the material has appeal.

1. This film was very popular - why? Its presentation of people, the boxing background, family, father and son, the mother and her son? The importance of the sentiment, tears? The perennial appeal of this kind of material?

2. The film is the work of Franco Zeffirelli, his visual style, feeling? An Italian making a particularly American film?

3. The film as a remake of a popular film of the 30s? A 30s story brought into the 70s? The basic story and its appeal - Billy and his being down and out and his making a comeback, the relationship of father and son? The particular view of values, relationships?

4. The presentation of the United States, Miami - the background of horse racing, training, the races, gambling, the boxing world, the world of the wealthy and their yachts? Audiences identifying with this world and its characters - with a touch of glamour and fantasy? Colour photography, the score and its feeling?

5. The world of sport and its ethos? The opening with the training of the horses., the atmosphere of the races? Boxing and its competitiveness, the need for rigorous training and getting in shape, the gymnasiums and the style of training., the championships, the fight?

6. The film's appeal with presenting a child? Ricky Schroder and his charm, acting ability? How credible a young boy? His boyish style, strength yet tears? His relating to his father.. to his mother, to the various adults in his life? His coping with his father and helping him? His views on life and what he learnt from Billy? His happy life, the sadness of its mysteries? The hurt in discovering the truth about his mother? The solution to his problems and the change for the future?

7. The presentation of adults - Billy and his atmosphere of failure. irresponsibility? His being a bum? His potential career and his losses? Clashes with his wife and the failure of marriage? His various mistakes, the need to prove himself, prove himself to his wife? The importance of parenthood? The significance of death? The adult point of view on the events compared with that of the child's point of view?

8. How attractive a character was Billy? Jon Voight's style? Seeing him training the horses and his happy attitude towards life, dancing and skipping, his feel for the horses? The bond with T.J. and their rapport together? Simply at how , driving around, buying things, training? Billy and his gambling and his risks. his drinking? T.J. taking him home and putting him to bed? The various wise things that he said that T.J. would remember? His ever-intentions to reform? His winning money and buying presents for everyone? A genial character? The continued hopes of a come-back and his son calling him 'Champ'? His fight in the bar,, his losing money. his desperation,, the buying of the horse and its hopes. the need to sell it? The continued disillusionment with himself? The encounter with his ex-wife, the pain that this caused, trying to cope? Having to appeal to her for money? The decision about the comeback? How had he been a father to T.J. in practice,, with what success? A sympathetic character despite himself?

9. T.J. within this context, an attractive young boy, the range of experience that he had in growing up, the various friends around the racetrack especially Josie and her help, the vet, his receiving the horse and his loving care of it, train it, racing it?

10. The build-up to the race. the dramatics of the horse's fall? The irony of the race being the occasion of his meeting his mother, the introduction to Annie and their discussion about vets, meting Mike? The humour in the discussions with Dot about racing? T.J. and his flirting with Annie, the bet, the beginning of tensions?

11. The character of Annie - was it credible that she should have been married to Billy? The encounter at the racetrack, her affluent background, marriage to Mike, her career? The arranging of the visit, the presents for T.J., the happiness of the swim, her affection and her showing of this? The decision to send Mike to plead for having T.J.? Inviting him to stay? How wise was she in telling the truth? His reaction and inability to cope? The clash in the stables with Billy? Seeing her at home in New York with Mike and explaining to him her feelings? T.J.'s invitation for her to go to the fight and her presence there? The end and her grief at Billy's death? The fact that she had made mistakes, walking out on Billy and T.J.? Her career - and the fashion parade as highlighting this? Billy's borrowing the $2000 from her and her lending it? What would happen after the film ended and her care of T.J.? The portrait of a woman who made a mistake, a mother?

12. Billy and his trying to cope with Annie's presence, not going on the yacht, going to the shooting gallery, gambling, losing the horse, fighting? The decision to make a comeback, having goals, the build-up to the return match and his vigour in training? Annie's being present at the fight?

13. T.J. and the changes in his life after he learnt the truth, his return to his father, helping him train? His writing to Annie and her presence at the fight?

14. The gallery of characters from the racing and boxing world - authentic, especially Jack and his friendship with Billy, decisions about the fight, training him, helping him during the fight?

15. The dramatic build-up to the fight, the training sequences, the hoax, the motives? How well staged was the fight? The long fight, the sequences between rounds, the victory? The final talk and the bond between father and son? How credible was Billy's death - appropriate for this film, avoiding of the issues of what was to happen to T.J.?

16. T.J. and the final dramatic sequence with his father, the tears, his having to cope? What did this leave the audience with?

17. The appeal of the portrait of relationships, needs, love, mistakes, tears?