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Cult Review
Archivist John
Senior Editor
So, Sampion. Is it actually worth your time today?
Only if you have a soft spot for silent films that feel like they were found in a box in someone's dusty attic. People who love the 'history of cinema' stuff will probably dig it, but if you need fast cuts and loud explosions, you will absolutely hate this.
The plot is basically 'Guy Boxed Good.' He wants the title, he wants the girl, and he probably wants a decent meal because everyone looks very hungry in this movie.
It is simple. Maybe too simple for some people, but it gets the job done without trying to be too smart for its own good.
There is this one shot where the lead guy is looking in a mirror. He is trying to look tough and mean, but he just looks like he is checking for a piece of spinach stuck in his teeth. It goes on for a long time. Way too long.
The lighting in the gym is actually pretty cool, though. It has these long, heavy shadows that make the boxing ring look like a cage. I wonder if they meant to do that or if they just didn't have enough lamps in the studio that day.
Compared to something like Naked Hearts, this feels a lot more rugged and dirty. It is not trying to be pretty. It is just trying to be... there.
The fight scenes are the best part, mostly because they are so bad by modern standards. They aren't really hitting each other at all. You can see about six inches of daylight between the fist and the face every single time someone gets 'knocked out.' It is actually kind of endearing.
I noticed a lady in the front row of the crowd during the big match. She is wearing a hat that looks exactly like a dead bird. I spent about five minutes just staring at the bird-hat instead of the boxing.
The movie gets noticeably better once the main guy stops moping around his apartment. He mopes a lot in the first half. Like, we get it, you are poor and life is hard. Just go hit the heavy bag already.
The version I saw had this tinkly piano music that didn't really match what was happening on screen. It felt like someone playing at a fancy brunch while two guys bleed on the floor. A bit of a weird vibe, honestly.
I kept thinking about The Barricade while watching this. Both movies have that weird 'post-war' energy where everyone looks a bit tired of existing. But Sampion is less about politics and more about biceps and sweat.
The ending is exactly what you think it is. I won't spoil it, but the movie is called 'The Champion,' so you can probably do the math yourself.
It is a weirdly short film, or maybe it just felt short because nothing happens for twenty minutes, then everything happens at once. The pacing is like an old car that keeps stalling at every single traffic light.
I liked the intertitles, though. They have these little hand-drawn borders that are actually quite pretty. Someone clearly put more effort into those drawings than the actual choreography of the fights.
Is it a masterpiece? No way. Is it better than Robinson's Trousseau? Yeah, probably. At least the characters in this one seem to have a goal other than just walking around looking confused.
You should watch it if you are bored on a Sunday and want to see what people thought was 'action' a hundred years ago. It has that dusty, old-book smell to it, which I kind of liked. 🥊
I also noticed a guy in the background of the final fight who is literally just eating an apple. He doesn't care about the boxing at all. He is just there for the snacks. That guy is my favorite part of the whole movie.
The film doesn't try to be deep or meaningful. It just tries to be a story about a guy who hits things until he wins. Sometimes that is enough for a Friday night.
The mustache on the trainer is also a work of art. It is perfectly symmetrical. I bet he spent more time on that than he did on his acting.
There is a scene where they eat soup in a small kitchen. Why is silent movie soup always so thick? It looks like gray paste or wet cement. It made me feel slightly sick just looking at it.
Anyway, Sampion is fine. It is a fine piece of history. Don't expect it to change your life or make you cry. Just expect to see some guys in very high-waisted pants.
I wonder if the director knew this would be on a computer screen one day. He probably thought it would be lost or burnt in a warehouse fire by 1930. Surprise! We are still watching your weird boxing movie, buddy.
One last thing—the referee. He keeps getting in the way of the camera. The cameraman is trying to film the punch, and the ref's big back is just there, blocking everything. It is so realistic in its clumsiness that it almost feels like a documentary.
Go watch it if you like old hats and people pretending to be hurt. Otherwise, maybe skip it and watch Hills of Hate instead. This one is just a guy, a ring, and a bird-hat. And that's okay. Sampion.
IMDb —
1917
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