probably the great disconnect among film personality in history be that of wallace beery . on the screen he play these lovable oaf type and even when he be a bad guy . off the screen he be a violent man and give to fit of temper and i can not recall anyone have a good word to say about him . possibly for that reason beery could lay claim to the fact he be the great actor in film . the crown achievement of his career be his oscar win performance in the champ . of course beery could not have do it without little jackie cooper as well . it their scene together that make the film as memorable a it be . instead of split the academy award with fredric march who be also award the best actor for dr. jekyll and mr. hyde and possibly beery should have give half of his half to cooper . beery be actually a former champ in this film . he an over the hill and alcoholic pug who live a hand to mouth existence with his young son cooper . he split from his wife irene rich year ago and take cooper and she would like to get him back . she pretty well fix now with a new and rich husband and a daughter by that marriage . the fly in the ointment be that cooper be really attach to his father and blind to the fault he have . and beery really do love his son and the only really happy part about his life . he probably way too old to be seriously in the fight game and but he need the dough for his kid . the champ be guarantee four handkerchief film even now almost eighty year after it debut . a remake be do in 1979 with jon voight and rick schroder in the main two role and but it wasn not a patch on this one .