Champion (1949)

While traveling to California in a cargo wagon, clandestine Michael "Midge" Kelly and his crippled brother Connie Kelly are robbed and thrown off the train. They hitchhike and get a lift from famous boxer Johnny Dunne, who is traveling with his mistress Grace Diamond to Kansas City for a fight; they explain that they have bought a share in a restaurant. In Kansas City, Midge gets in trouble while seeking a job and is invited to fight box for 35 dollars. He takes a beat and the promoter pays only 10 dollars to him, but the trainer Tommy Haley invites Midge to go to his gym in Los Angeles to be trained in box. When the brothers arrive in California, they learn that they have been cheated in the business and the owner Lew Bryce hires them to work in the restaurant waiting tables and washing dishes. Soon Midge seduces Lew's daughter Emma Bryce and when her father finds out, he forces them to marry. But Midge flees after the wedding, leaving Emma alone, and seeks out Tommy. He learns how to fight with Tommy and defeats several fighters. When he is scheduled to fight Johnny Dunne, the organized crime orders him to lose the fight. However Midge defeats Dunne and is blacklisted and cannot fight any more. But Grace convinces him to leave Tommy and be managed by Jerome Harris, who is connected to the crime world. Now Midge begins a successful career betraying his friends and stepping on women, including Harris' wife Palmer. How far will he go to make money and be champion?