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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. 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. People cheered her name and watched her in awe- she was wondrous and captivating. They arrive only after first touring Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood. Then Maggie Fitzgerald walks into his gym and then his life changes. Gal in my book because her character has deep personal meaning. It received critical acclaim and grossed $216.8 million worldwide. "[18], Eastwood responded to the criticism by saying the film was about the American dream. His decision to kill Maggie is abhorrent from a Jewish perspective. 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. 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. No chance in the world of being what she needed to be. 10 Video Games That Need a Live Action Adaptation. Frankie leads a lonely existence, alienated from his only daughter and having few friends. People die everyday, Frankie - mopping floors, washing dishes and you know what their last thought is? The Disability Rights Education Fund released a statement about the film in February 2005 that included the following: "Perhaps the most central stereotype fueling disability prejudice is the mistaken assumption inherent in the message of the movie that the quality of life of individuals with disabilities is unquestionably not worth living. Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) is a veteran Los Angeles, California boxing trainer who keeps almost everyone at arm's length, except his old friend and associate Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris (Morgan Freeman). Top 10 (listed alphabetically) Ron Stringer, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 17:20. In case you havent seen the film, Hilary Swank played Maggie, and she looked majestic in this role: Hilary Swank as Maggie is some kinda BAD ASS. One man told New Yorker magazine that upon jumping, "I instantly realized that everything in my life that I'd thought was unfixable, was totally fixable -- except for having just jumped. Despite a seemingly repetitive loop that the genre is caught up in, these movies mostly succeed in getting people passionate about their stories and characters. We typically grant decision-making autonomy only where someone has a legitimate right and ability to decide. [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. Read More:Best Boxing Movies of All Time. ", Often we fail to recognize that a cry for death is really a cry for help. While in the hospital, Maggie looks forward to a visit from her family. Boxing movies are about rooting for the underdog and Maggie may the ultimate underdog on this list, delivering a character we root for her the whole way, no matter her fate. The highs in Maggies arc are matched by the crushing lows later in the film when Fitzgeralds impressive, undefeated streak is derailed by a freak accident. But in such a state of presumed depression, is it in her best interest for us to give her decision-making autonomy to end her life? Join Facebook to connect with Maggie Fitzgerald and others you may know. Just before administering a fatal injection of adrenaline, he tells Maggie the meaning of "mo chuisle": "my darling, and my blood." Female I found you a fighter. Gal. Dr. Eisenberg writes extensively on topics of Judaism and medicine and lectures internationally on topics in Jewish medical ethics to groups of all backgrounds. (Note to readers: This story reveals a key plot twist in "Million Dollar Baby.") The film tells us the story of a poor but feisty young woman, Maggie (Hilary Swank), who wants Frankie (Clint . ", So we need to ask: Is Maggie's decision to die reasonable? After months of training, Maggie is given a manager, but during her first fight, Frankie decides to take over as her manager, and she then knocks out her opponent. However, as sheer determination forces the reluctant mentor to relent, Maggie soon finds herself on the fast track to making her dream come true. Information Scrap's narration is revealed to be a letter to Frankie's daughter, informing her of her father's true character. A study was done of those who survived attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. He secures Maggie a $1 million match in Las Vegas against the WBA women's welterweight champion, Billie "The Blue Bear" Osterman, a German ex-prostitute who has a reputation as a dirty fighter. [22], Million Dollar Baby was listed on many critics' top ten lists for films released in 2004.[23]. Boxer Please enable Javascript and hit the button below! Mary Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald is a fictional character appearing in the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby. What is the streaming release date of Million Dollar Baby (2004) in Mexico? 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. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her. '"[citation needed][14], In early 2005, the film sparked controversy when some disability rights activists protested the ending. Maggie fitzgerald boxer? Frankie is finally willing to arrange a title fight. Medved, Michael. We are certainly never permitted to shorten the life of someone like Maggie who is in a very compromised state, but not dying. Yet let us consider: If a physically healthy person, with a stable family, wealth, and a successful career, would state that he wants to die, we would naturally find it hard to support such a decision. The film was named the third "Best Film of the 21st Century So Far" in 2017 by The New York Times.[26]. Million Dollar Baby was theatrically released on December 15, 2004, by Warner Bros. Pictures. Maggie walked through that door with nothing buts guts. 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). While the fictional Maggie is convinced that her life is over after her injury, the real Christopher Reeve chose to define himself not as the movie star he had been, but rather by his future potential -- limited in some respects, but boundless nonetheless. It garnered rapturous reviews and four Academy Awards, including that for best picture. Boyd had written the book when he was on the crux of 70, and died two years before the film arrived on the screens. Maggie's career skyrockets, but an accident in the ring leads her to ask Frankie for one last favor. Big Willie drops Frankie as his manager and signs with the more aggressive Mickey Mack (Bruce MacVittie). The website's critical consensus reads, "Clint Eastwood's assured directioncombined with knockout performances from Hilary Swank and Morgan Freemanhelp Million Dollar Baby to transcend its clichs, and the result is deeply heartfelt and moving. Maggie Fitzgerald Toole, aka Jerry Boyd. Frankie then reluctantly agrees to train Maggie but states that he will not manage her. In her first scene she begs Clint Eastwoods jaded coach character to train her and simply wont take no for an answer, training at his gym day and all night until she eventually wins him over. She has also written and directed plays, dabbled in music, and served as an advocate for animal and human rights. No one would consider it moral to yell "jump" to a person standing on a high ledge. Scrap gives Maggie some tips and lets her borrow a speed bag. 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. Mini Bio (1) Maggie Fitzgerald is known for The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973), Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (1973) and Festival (1963). Best Sound Editing (Sound Effects & Foley), "The Fabulist: Paul Haggis Reflects on His Career Los Angeles Magazine", "Paul Haggis: 'You have to question your beliefs', "Million Dollar Baby Built on Prejudice about People with Disabilities", "Why 'Million Dollar Baby' infuriates the disabled", "Eastwood Wins Suit Over ADA / But jury says resort needs improvements", "Opinion | Fighting Words (Published 2005)", "Metacritic: 2004 Film Critic Top Ten Lists", "Ebert and Roeper Top Ten Lists (2000-2005)", "The 25 Best Films of the 21st CenturySo Far", US News article: Million Dollar Maybe, A real-life version of Maggie Fitzgerald, Another possible real-life Maggie Fitzgerald, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), DallasFort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Film, National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film, Nikkan Sports Film Award for Best Foreign Film, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Million_Dollar_Baby&oldid=1139737510, Films featuring a Best Actress Academy Award-winning performance, Films featuring a Best Drama Actress Golden Globe-winning performance, Films featuring a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award-winning performance, Films whose director won the Best Directing Academy Award, Films whose director won the Best Director Golden Globe, National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film winners, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2021, Pages using multiple image with manual scaled images, Rotten Tomatoes template using name parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Then a second passed, her fire extinguished and she fell. As she understands her boxing career, If I was thinking straight, Id go back home, find a used trailer, buy a deep fryer and some Oreos. Kevin Can F**k Himself Shows a Whole New Side of Sitcom Marriages What Can Guys Learn From It? 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. After being fired from the television series Family Law, Haggis wrote the script on spec, and it took four years to sell it. 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. Frankie accepts a fight in London for Maggie and gives her a green silk robe with the Gaelic phrase Mo Cuishle on the back. 'Million Dollar Baby' is amongst his finest films, a superb film, that almost reaches a Landmark level! As she puts it, I was born two pounds, one-and-a-half ounces. [4][5] The film was stuck in development hell for years before it was shot. Wanting to learn from the best, aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) wants Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to train her. Profession rising star in the female boxing world. 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. Is Million Dollar Baby based on true events? For the 1941 film, see. in spades. The woman of many talents, Crocketts professional boxing career is not the only thing that she has made a name for herself in. She did not tell Eastwood about the infection because she thought it would be out of character for Maggie. Frankie leads a lonely existence, alienated from his only daughter and having few friends. Without hope of recovery, she attempts suicide, before finally persuading Frankie to help her die. Human Million Dollar Baby: Directed by Clint Eastwood. 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). [27][28] The film is also available online through video on demand and most major streaming platforms. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. (Um, yeah. account. Maggie is devastated, and she and Frankie leave. Gradually making her way upwards, she becomes notorious for taking out opponents in the first round while earning herself the moniker of "Mo Cuishle." When Boyd had first approached him, Huntley thought about running him out of the gym. However, Boyd stuck with the schedule, and as time passed, their friendship grew and Huntley eventually got him as a cutman. Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald, a waitress from a Missouri town in the Ozarks, shows up in the Hit Pit, a run-down Los Angeles gym owned and operated by Frankie Dunn, an old, cantankerous boxing trainer. Corrections? Maggie, in the story, had a crusty and protective trainer who became a surrogate father and who reluctantly and heartbreakingly helped her die. characters are most like you. If Im too old for this, then I got nothing.. 2023 ZIFF DAVIS CANADA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. She then asks Frankie to help her die, declaring that she got everything she wanted out of life. Million Dollar Baby is classical in the clean, clear, strong lines of its story and characters, and had an enormous emotional impact". [citation needed] The titular phrase 'million dollar baby' was used as an insult during pre-fight publicity by Sonny Liston to Muhammad Ali, the latter of whom was an underdog at the time. [21], The Gaelic nickname for Swank's character comes from the original phrase a chuisle mo chro, meaning "O pulse of my heart"; one critic noted that the use of Gaelic in the film led to some interest in the language and the phrase. Swank does great at portraying the physical progression in her craft as she trains with intense discipline and Frankie Dunns guidance - rising from awkward, garbage-eating, survivor to a confident, powerful boxer rising rapidly through the ranks. Interests boxing, her only calling in life. [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 was happy with my amateur hour status, because some of those gal fighters hit hard.) She spent most of the next 42 years working as a copy editor and editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. With the help of her coach, Frank, Maggie is on her way to becoming one of the greatest boxers to ever live. Maggie cant abide the thought of being bedridden for the rest of her life; after having a leg amputated due to gangrene, she begs Frankie to help her end her life. The bystander on the street would presume that the potential jumper is distraught and needs emotional support and help. Its time to give recognition to the man who runs the show behind the scenes. It is based on a screenplay by Paul Higgins, who adapted it from the collection of short stories, Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner, written by F.X. The last few minutes of Million Dollar Baby are a sobfest of epic proportions, and not in that cheesy Hallmark way, either. 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. The Blue Bear has a reputation for aggressiveness and for fighting dirty. 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