As Maggie heads back to her corner after the end of the round, however, the Bear ambushes her with a blow to the head. Daddy used to tell me Id fight my way into this world, and Id fight my way out., Living in Los Angeles, where she trains at the Hit Pit, a grimy downtown gym. But is Maggie indeed Frankie's million-dollar baby? Million Dollar Baby (2004) On the strength of believing in herself, Maggie reaches the pinnacle of success and is about to become world champion. Maggie Fitzgerald is a hillbilly who is poor, works as a waiter, and steals food to put together some savings (Swank, Eastwood and Freeman, Million Dollar Baby). I cant help but to get really choked up when I write about Margaret Maggie Fitzgerald, the protagonist in the 2004 Academy Award-winning film, Million Dollar Baby. Shes a Wow! Frankie Dunn: It wasn't fault. People cheered her name and watched her in awe- she was wondrous and captivating. Maggie is tired of washing dishes and waiting on tables. She ignited, flared, and became the brightest flame that lit up the night sky. No one would consider it moral to yell "jump" to a person standing on a high ledge. In Million Dollar Baby, what is presented as a question of the right to die is perhaps a distraction from the deeper question of responsibility to help our fellow human being. If Im too old for this, then I got nothing.. I was wrong to say that. The film was named the third "Best Film of the 21st Century So Far" in 2017 by The New York Times.[26]. Appearances The message is that disappointment over a shattered dream is a greater tragedy than death itself. [28] It was the first Best Picture winner released on either high-definition optical disc format in the U.S.; it and Unforgiven (also starring Eastwood and Freeman) were the only ones released in the U.S. on HD DVD prior to the first one released in the U.S. on Blu-ray, Crash. The film follows Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald (Swank), an underdog amateur boxer who is helped by an underappreciated boxing trainer (Eastwood) to achieve her dream of becoming a professional. View the profiles of people named Maggie Fitzgerald. He trained under Dub Huntley, who taught him the tricks of the trade while also introducing him to some well known names in boxing. Let us analyze the issues raised by the movie: Why would someone ask to die and should we be willing to oblige? 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Maggies decision to end her own life is tragic because it is, in fact, exactly what a gal like her would do when shes up against those particular ropes . I think I did all right. Frankie says that he doesn't usually train girls, until he meets the tenacious Maggie. When Frankie sees that Maggie is a girl, he tells her to get out . Actors/Actresses So perhaps the real question is not whether we should be assisting those who wish to die, but rather how we can help people like Maggie choose not to die. ", So we need to ask: Is Maggie's decision to die reasonable? Omissions? Out of the several short stories in the book, the ones that are merged together to form the script of the film are The Monkey Look, Million $$$ Baby, and Frozen Water. But that doesn't mean I think that's a proper thing to do". Maggie is devastated, and she and Frankie leave. Ms. Million Dollar. Maggie, it seems, has just as much talent as she has pure drive. Please select which sections you would like to print: Pat Bauer graduated from Ripon College in 1977 with a double major in Spanish and Theatre. Your email address will not be published. It was after 'Million Dollar Baby' was released that her boxing career came to the limelight. We, as a society, do not feel they are in a position to make prudent decisions. People die everyday, Frankie - mopping floors, washing dishes and you know what their last thought is? On the strength of believing in herself, Maggie reaches the pinnacle of success and is about to become world champion. All we know, from the montages of her workouts at the Hit. Heres the answer. Maggie asks Frankie to train her, but he refuses as he does not train women and she is too old to begin a boxing career. In the wake of a painful estrangement from his daughter, Frankie has been unwilling to let himself get close to anyone for a very long time. Hilary Swank bagged her second Oscar for the sheer determination and heartbreaking emotion on display as Maggie Fitzgerald, a 31-year-old waitress desperately clinging to her dream of becoming a boxer. He was in his 40s by then, so there was no prospect of him pursuing it as a profession, but he learnt enough to know about the world of boxing and write stories about it. You made her the best fighter she could be. Scrap's narration is revealed to be a letter to Frankie's daughter, informing her of her father's true character. The last few minutes of Million Dollar Baby are a sobfest of epic proportions, and not in that cheesy Hallmark way, either. Gal in my book because her character has deep personal meaning. I wish that the scriptwriters would have given her the happy ending that Lewis got when he went up against Tyson ten years ago in Memphis. She trained for nearly five hours every day, winding up with a potentially life-threatening staphylococcus infection. As she tells him, I want a trainer. Yet, she finds time and strength to train to become a professional boxer. She eventually finds a. Get familiar with the big names that everyone talked about. After losing a leg to gangrene, Maggie asks Frankie to kill her, as living in this condition is intolerable to her, but he will not. In Million Dollar Baby, what is presented as a question of the right to die is perhaps a distraction from the deeper question of responsibility to help our fellow human being. Frankie is initially reluctant to train a woman, but Maggie persists and soon wins him over. What is the streaming release date of Million Dollar Baby (2004) in Mexico? The most important lesson he teaches his boxers is the one that rules life: above all, always protect yourself. The shift in editing over to pages for the movies, characters, actors, directors, composers, crew and galleries is now fully in effect. For those who are new and are wondering about why this was necessary, read the shift in editing starting March 1st blog. Lewis has the Wow! However, fortunately, unlike the fate of Maggie in the film, Crockett didnt meet with any tragedy in her life. She has also written and directed plays, dabbled in music, and served as an advocate for animal and human rights. Research overwhelmingly shows that people with disabilities find satisfaction in our lives to the same degree, or greater, than does the general public. English actress Valerie Van Ost , as Jane, and Maggie Fitzgerald as a vampire girl, in 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula', directed by Alan Gibson . Then Maggie Fitzgerald walks into his gym and then his life changes. Frankie becomes reluctant to train her, but the two form a close bond that will irrevocably change them both. Hilary Swank. [13] Michael Medved stated: "My main objection to Million Dollar Baby always centered on its misleading marketing, and effort by Warner Brothers to sell it as a movie about a female Rocky, with barely a hint of the pitch-dark substance that led Andrew Sarris of the New York Observer to declare that 'no movie in my memory has depressed me more than Million Dollar Baby. Frankie then reluctantly agrees to train Maggie but states that he will not manage her. Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank) watches the match and later asks Frankie to train her, but he refuses. Our weekly email is chockful of interesting and relevant insights into Jewish history, food, philosophy, current events, holidays and more Dr. Daniel Eisenberg is with the Department of Radiology at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA and an Assistant Professor of Diagnostic Imaging at Thomas Jefferson University School of Medicine. When crisis hits, we must help our neighbor to dig deeper and solve the root of the problem even when they wish to die. Boyd had written the book when he was on the crux of 70, and died two years before the film arrived on the screens. Facebook gives people the. Updates? [22], Million Dollar Baby was listed on many critics' top ten lists for films released in 2004.[23]. Bent on becoming a professional boxer, plucky 31-year-old Missouri waitress Maggie Fitzgerald sets foot in silver-haired trainer Frankie Dunn's run-down gym. Top 10 (listed alphabetically) Ron Stringer, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 17:20. It garnered rapturous reviews and four Academy Awards, including that for best picture. I am a great fan of his. Shneidman, founder of the American Association of Suicidology, explained: "The paradigm is the man who cuts his throat and cried for help in the same breath.". So perhaps the real ethical question is not "why does Maggie want to die? Corrections? Is 'Million Dollar Baby' based on a book? account. More details are available in the progress report. [9] In its later wide release opening, the film earned $12,265,482 in North America and quickly became a box-office hit both domestically and internationally. An HD DVD release was issued on April 18, 2006. Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris: Don't say that. A horrified Frankie refuses, so Maggie later bites her own tongue in an attempt to bleed to death. He has taught a Jewish medical ethics class for the past 15 years. After being fired from the television series Family Law, Haggis wrote the script on spec, and it took four years to sell it. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. To take advantage of all of CharacTours features, you need your own personal Gradually making her way upwards, she becomes notorious for taking out opponents in the first round while earning herself the moniker of "Mo Cuishle." The film takes the same route of a person completely drowning themselves in training for what they want in life, but in the second half, it takes an unexpected turn and turns into a tragedy. [3], On Rotten Tomatoes, Million Dollar Baby has an approval rating of 90% based on 269 reviews, with an average rating of 8.40/10. I still have a passion for all things boxing, as evidenced by the name of my furry red Somali cat, Lennox Lewis. Little by little, an unbreakable father/daughter bond develops between them, and for the first time in a long while, both Dunn and Maggie seem to have found purpose in life. The movie caused a great deal of controversy. Instead, Maggie's request for permission to train receives a flat refusal from the cantankerous, coarse, and overly complicated old-school boxing guru. It was because of you that she was fighting the championship of the world. Interests boxing, her only calling in life. What is the streaming release date of Million Dollar Baby (2004) in Mexico? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Eastwood shot the film in less than 40 days between June and July 2004. Down she went, no longer burning and sizzling, to the earth. Much like Mary Kay Ash, Maggie started from nothing, slinging hash at a dive somewhere in the Ozarks when she meets trainer Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood). And shes a damn good boxer too, starting off winning small fights and then graduating to the big leagues, often winning by KO thats a boxing acronym for knock out. Frankie sticks with her every step of the way. A study was done of those who survived attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Christopher Reeve, better known as Superman, fractured his neck in an equestrian accident, leaving him quadriplegic and dependent on a respirator to breathe. "[15] The Chicago Tribune reported that protests against the film by disability activists occurred in Chicago, Berkeley, and other cities, and that Clint Eastwood had previously lobbied for weakening provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. She retired Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman received Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscars, respectively. Read More:Best Boxing Movies of All Time. Occupation It does not matter whether we discuss a despondent disabled, boxer, fully cognizant of her condition such as Maggie; a woman who has remained in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years, such as Terri Schiavo; or an old man lying unconscious on his deathbed, feeling (as far as we know) no pain and having no interaction with his environment. We can all identify with Maggie's suffering: the glory that could have been and the horrible turn of events that has left her helpless. Maggie, a waitress from the Ozarks region of Missouri, starts working out at the gym. . Accompanied by an attorney, their sole concern is to get Maggie's assets transferred to them. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. How Dan Foglers Boyhood Dreams Turned Into Adult Realities, Use Womens History Month as Your Excuse to Watch These Cinematic Masterpieces. Frankie is finally willing to arrange a title fight. According to CBS, Swank, like Fitzgerald, grew up in a trailer park and was a high. E.S. He later goes to Maggies room, tells her that Mo cuishle means my darling, my blood, and accedes to her request. Medved, Michael. Then a second passed, her fire extinguished and she fell. [4][5] The film was stuck in development hell for years before it was shot. If we can get her trained up. On June 8, 2002, the U.K.s Lennox Lewis showed the planet that might makes right when he won against Mike Tyson by glorious KO and claimed the title of heavyweight champion of the world. Specifically because of his fame, he was able to sensitize the world to the plight of the disabled and become an unrelenting crusader for stem cell research and spinal cord injury research. Studios. Maggies obese, white trash family have rejected her. However, as sheer determination forces the reluctant mentor to relent, Maggie soon finds herself on the fast track to making her dream come true. A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional. Boxing movies come with a different set of emotions. Big Willie drops Frankie as his manager and signs with the more aggressive Mickey Mack (Bruce MacVittie). In the academy award-winning film, the injured boxer begs her coach to kill her because she can't face life as a quadriplegic, and he complies. With such an inspiring and heart-breaking tale at the same time, one is bound to wonder if it is true? She is mentally alert, but feels no reason to go on living. Showing Editorial results for maggie fitzgerald. Jewish law approaches the preservation of life as a moral obligation, but recognizes that there are times, particularly when a patient is terminally ill, when intervention should not be performed. In the end, the real tragedy of Million Dollar Baby is not the heart-wrenching decision that Frankie has to make. We are certainly never permitted to shorten the life of someone like Maggie who is in a very compromised state, but not dying. When Boyd finally got to write down the book, he looked towards Huntley to create his characters, and delved into his experiences to forge the same for the people depicted in the book. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her. Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. Toole, and was adapted for the screen by Paul Haggis. Without hope of recovery, she attempts suicide, before finally persuading Frankie to help her die. Then, "What's your plan for tomorrow?" Clint Eastwood is a legendary film personality. The two travel to Europe as she continues to win; Maggie eventually saves up enough of her winnings to buy her mother a house, but her mother berates Maggie for endangering her government aid, claiming that everyone back home is laughing at her. Million Dollar Baby is a 2004 American sports drama film directed, co-produced, scored by and starring Clint Eastwood from a screenplay written by Paul Haggis, based on stories from the 2000 collection Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner by F.X. Hollywood star Hilary Swank rose to fame in the late 90s with one of her most incredible performances her portrayal of Brandon Teena in the biographical movie Boys Don't Cry.In 2004 the actress portrayed aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald in Clint Eastwood's sports drama movie Million Dollar Baby.For both of her performances, Hilary won an Academy Award in the category Best Lead Actress. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Search instead in Creative? Frankie leads a lonely existence, alienated from his only daughter and having few friends. Maggie is a gifted student and supported by the experienced mentorship of Frankie, she makes her presence known in the amateur league. Frankie Dunn believes her too old to be getting in the line, but her conviction wins him over and they begin a rigorous training. Knowing the fatherly affection Frankie has developed for Maggie, Frankie's priest warns him that he would never find himself again if he were to go through with Maggie's request. 10 Video Games That Need a Live Action Adaptation. Common wisdom declares that the wishes of a patient, whether they be for more treatment, less treatment, or physician-assisted suicide, must be respected and carried out. Indeed, Maggie's severely disabled state is an enormous challenge to the human spirit. Maggie, born and raised in Missouri, has always had to fight for herself. Million Dollar Baby was theatrically released on December 15, 2004, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The key is focusing on future potential and goals, not dwelling on the past and "what might have been, if only" The approach of one police officer at the Golden Gate Bridge, who has convinced more than 200 potential jumpers not to jump, was described in New Yorker: He starts talking to a potential jumper by asking, "How are you feeling today?" Million Dollar Baby received the award for Best Picture of 2004 at the 77th Academy Awards. Maggie's career skyrockets, but an accident in the ring leads her to ask Frankie for one last favor. Toole, the pen name of fight manager and cutman Jerry Boyd. Both Katie Dallam and Maggie Fitzgerald were born into poverty in Missouri and began boxing in their 30's. Both ended up in the ring against a much Hilary Swank as Maggie is some kinda BAD ASS. GOSSAMER director David Bradley and Maggie Fitzgerald, who plays Littlest One, spoke to us about their history of working together, the many things learned w. Maggie soldiers on through it all until she has the chance at a million dollar pot in Vegas. Profession coaching the inexperienced Maggie Fitzgerald. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Frankie then sneaks into the hospital one night, unaware that Scrap is watching from the shadows. [12], Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gave the film four stars and stated that "Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby is a masterpiece, pure and simple," listing it as the best film of 2004. Maggies mother, Earline (Margo Martindale), and sister, Mardell (Riki Lindhome), respond to the gift with disdain, and they tell Maggie that her boxing career has made her a laughingstock. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [16][17], Wesley J. Smith in The Weekly Standard also criticized the film for its ending and for missed opportunities; Smith said, "The movie could have ended with Maggie triumphing once again, perhaps having obtained an education and becoming a teacher; or, opening a business managing boxers; or perhaps, receiving a standing ovation as an inspirational speaker. Find out how you match to her and 5500+ other characters. She was like a fire cracker. Eastwood persuaded Lakeshore Entertainment's Tom Rosenberg to put up half the budget (as well as handle foreign distribution), with Warner Bros. contributing the rest. The woman of many talents, Crockett's professional boxing career is not the only thing that she has made a name for herself in. There are no opening credits after the title is shown. It grossed $216,763,646 in theaters; $100,492,203 in the United States, and $116,271,443 in other territories. She is a transplant from working-class Missouri who arrives in Frankie Dunn's gym seeking his expertise. She describes her previous fame, the crowds chanting her name, and feels that having achieved that exulted status, there's no point in living as a quadriplegic. His only friend, Scrap, an ex-boxer who looks after Frankies gym, knows that beneath his gruff exterior is a man who has been seeking, for the past 25 years, the forgiveness that somehow continues to elude him. Morgan Freeman (Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris), Academy Award nominations (* denotes win), https://www.britannica.com/topic/Million-Dollar-Baby, Turner Classic Movies - Million Dollar Baby. At the outset, he flatly refuses saying he has no interest in training a girl. Clint Eastwood was awarded his second Best Director Oscar for the film, and also received a Best Actor in a Leading Role nomination. From a Jewish perspective, euthanasia is never permitted. On their return to Los Angeles, Frankie agrees to let Maggie travel to Las Vegas to face Billie The Blue Bear (Lucia Rijker) for the welterweight title. "[8], Consequently, to prepare for her role, Swank underwent extensive training in the ring and weight room, gaining 19 pounds of muscle, aided by professional trainer Grant L. Roberts. She did not tell Eastwood about the infection because she thought it would be out of character for Maggie. Yet after a short period of despair, he chose to make life matter and become an advocate for the disabled. Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) is a tough-luck waitress, who persuades a grizzled old trainer named Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to help turn her into a world-class boxer. Maggie becomes an extraordinarily successful fighter, always knocking out her opponent in the first round. [1][2] Filming took place in Los Angeles and film sets at Warner Bros. [27] The Blu-ray Disc version was released on November 14, 2006. Thats Frankie Dunn, hes the famous trainer at The Hit Pit, in L.A, California. It is further contradicted by plenty of hard data. 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