The Chump Champ (1950)

A Major Disappointment

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

One of the first Droopy cartoons I've seen, managed to find it on the internet and catch it again. It's a funny one, where Droopy and Spike compete in a host of sports events, but one ends up being a cheater. Easy to figure out who it was. Plenty of slapstick comedy and laughable moments. Droopy definitely gives Spike a run for his money!Grade A-

Even a disappointing MGM cartoon from Tex Avery is still a very good one. And, compared to many other Droopy cartoons, this isn't particularly great. But, as I said, it's STILL pretty good and well worth your time.The cartoon consists of Spike and Droopy participating in a variety of sporting events to determine who will become the King of Sports. Naturally, Spike acts like he usually does in these cartoons--he cheats constantly and ends up hurting himself each and every time. In many ways, it plays a lot like a Wiley Coyote and Roadrunner cartoon. And, begin an Avery cartoon, there are tons of insane sight gags as well as a goof-ball ending that will make you chuckle. Cute and worth your time.

We're at "Yank-Um Stadium" for the "Ham-American Sports Carnival" Inside the big track oval is a swimming pool, boxing ring, basketball court, other tracks with hurdles and even an ice-skating rink! This is some outdoor stadium!The main contest for best all-around male athlete pits two familiar guys: Droopy (the poodle from Cukamunga"), and the big dog usually known as "Spike." Here, the bulldog is "Gorgeous Gorillawitz" from Brooklyn. An added prize will be a kiss from "the queen of sports." Gorillawitz assumes it's going to be the beautiful woman, but there are others....and you just know he isn't ever going to kiss a beautiful woman. Meanwhile, "Gorgeous" promises to play fair-and-square. Yeah, right. The first event sets the tone: a quick-but-hilarious 100-yard dash. The results in all the events are predictable but very funny to watch with some inventive visuals. Even though their is a big twist at the end which doesn't involve a fair decision, Doopy sums it up best when he says, "You know, cheaters never win."This is another great entry from The "Tex Avery's Droopy - The Complete Theatrical Collection" DVD.

This short, as is usually the case with a Droopy directed by Tex Avery, is heavy with sight gags (the ones with another director, particularly by Dick Lundy, were more driven by dialogue than Avery's were), although dialogue is more in evidence here than is normal in a Tex Avery short. Generally speaking, in an Avery short, if there is more verbal humor, it's either narration or one character dominates conversations and/or talks to the audience. This cartoon brings home the old saying, "Be careful what you ask for, you might get it." The ending is great! Good to see it's in print. Recommended.