To take advantage of all of CharacTours features, you need your own personal After being fired from the television series Family Law, Haggis wrote the script on spec, and it took four years to sell it. 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. [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. 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. Frankie's prize prospect, "Big Willie" Little, signs with successful manager Mickey Mack after becoming impatient with Frankie rejecting offers for a championship bout. 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 film garnered seven nominations at the 77th Academy Awards and won four: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for Swank), and Best Supporting Actor (for Freeman). What is prudent is subjective, but that does not stop us from establishing societal norms. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. When Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) arrives in Frankie's gym seeking his expertise, he is reluctant to train the young woman, a transplant from working-class Missouri. Maggie is tired of washing dishes and waiting on tables. Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) has trained and managed some incredible fighters during a lifetime spent in the ring. The most important lesson he teaches his boxers is the one that rules life: above all, always protect yourself. 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 younger, stronger opponent. Jewish law does not require the preservation of life in all instances, and in fact, when someone is terminally ill and suffering, we do not necessarily require treatments to prolong life. Maggie Fitzgerald Death Fact Check. There was always a poignant irony in the fact that someone famed for portraying a man with superhuman strength became, in a tragic instant, utterly dependent on others for his every need. Such was the life of Margaret (Maggie) Fitzgerald, known by her fans as "Mo Chuishle". Frankie, who has come to think of Maggie as he would a daughter, does what any good father would do. 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 . 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. As Maggie heads back to her corner after the end of the round, however, the Bear ambushes her with a blow to the head. [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. 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. Maggie, born and raised in Missouri, has always had to fight for herself. Fought in the literal sense of the word. Joel Cox, Eastwood's editor for many years, was nominated for Best Film Editing, and Paul Haggis was nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay award. AskMen, Become a Better Man, Big Shiny Things, Mantics and guyQ are among the federally Maggie asks Frankie to train her, but he initially . 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. Million Dollar Baby was based on stories in Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner (2000), written by veteran boxing trainer and manager Jerry Boyd under the pen name F.X. 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. 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. Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods and What the Vietnam War Did to My Father, Best Sex Positions to Improve Your Sex Life. How Dan Foglers Boyhood Dreams Turned Into Adult Realities, Use Womens History Month as Your Excuse to Watch These Cinematic Masterpieces. Because of you Maggie got her shot. Browse 46 maggie fitzgerald stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. 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. Film(s) Million Dollar Baby (2004) The message is that disappointment over a shattered dream is a greater tragedy than death itself. ", but why there is not a greater offering of emotional support? A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional. A study was done of those who survived attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. E.S. Stories of businessmen jumping off buildings after a stock market crash fill us with pity for the lost chance at intervention, not a feeling of satisfaction of them "having done the right thing. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Maggie becomes a popular fighter in Europe, where people cheer for her as Mo Cuishle. When Maggie and Frankie return to the United States, Maggie takes Frankie to meet her mother, for whom Maggie has bought a house. All we know, from the montages of her workouts at the Hit. A horrified Frankie refuses, so Maggie later bites her own tongue in an attempt to bleed to death. 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 . And she's a damn good boxer too, starting off . 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. [20] Roger Ebert stated that "a movie is not good or bad because of its content, but because of how it handles its content. Accompanied by an attorney, their sole concern is to get Maggie's assets transferred to them. But that doesn't mean I think that's a proper thing to do". [1][2] Filming took place in Los Angeles and film sets at Warner Bros. Maggie will never let anyone tell her that she cant accomplish her dreams. Let us analyze the issues raised by the movie: Why would someone ask to die and should we be willing to oblige? From beginning to end, there is narration by "Scrap"- Morgan Freeman's recognizable voice. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her. Scrap gives Maggie some tips and lets her borrow a speed bag. If we can get a little bit more bulk on her, to make her look like a fighter'She was like a feather. Mini Bio (1) Maggie Fitzgerald is known for The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973), Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (1973) and Festival (1963). If we can get her trained up. The stated reason, whether devastating or trite, would lead us to conclude that this person is depressed and needs emotional support and possibly psychiatric treatment. 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). From a Jewish perspective, euthanasia is never permitted. An HD DVD release was issued on April 18, 2006. Its time to give recognition to the man who runs the show behind the scenes. 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. Maggie Fitzgerald 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. They arrive only after first touring Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood. [6][7], Eastwood had confidence in Swank's acting, but upon seeing Swank's small physique, he had concerns, "I just thought, 'Yeah, this gal would be great. Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman received Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscars, respectively. "She came from southwestern Missouri," Scrap explains, "the hills outside the scratchy-ass Ozark town of Theodosia, set in the cedars and oak trees, somewhere between nowhere and goodbye. He has taught a Jewish medical ethics class for the past 15 years. However, as sheer determination forces the reluctant mentor to relent, Maggie soon finds herself on the fast track to making her dream come true. 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. Please enable Javascript and hit the button below! Wanting to learn from the best, aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) wants Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to train her. They often feature the story of an underdog, as they find their way to the top, or least, to someplace where they have a fighting chance. Jewish law would assert that all of the lives in question have intrinsic value. She suffers a catastrophic spinal cord injury that leaves her quadriplegic. Then a second passed, her fire extinguished and she fell. * Ill get around to Jill later shes definitely another Wow! Then Maggie Fitzgerald walks into his gym and then his life changes. 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. Maggie soon develops bedsores and undergoes an amputation for an infected leg. She is a transplant from working-class Missouri who arrives in Frankie Dunn's gym seeking his expertise. This is our collection of the most informative and complete biographies. One such movie to deliver an emotional punch to the audience is Million Dollar Baby. '"[citation needed][14], In early 2005, the film sparked controversy when some disability rights activists protested the ending. With the help of her coach, Frank, Maggie is on her way to becoming one of the greatest boxers to ever live. characters are most like you. Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris: Don't say that. Get entertainment recommendations for your unique personality and find out which of 5,500+ Million Dollar Baby: Directed by Clint Eastwood. The Academy Award-winning movie, Million Dollar Baby, strikes deep at the issues of self-worth and the value of life. Scrap, concerned when Frankie rejects several offers for big fights, arranges a meeting for Maggie with Mickey Mack, but out of loyalty to Frankie, she declines. Frankie is shown experiencing the first three of the five stages of grief: first seeking multiple doctors' opinions in denial, then blaming Scrap in anger and later trying to bargain with God through prayer. 2023 ZIFF DAVIS CANADA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Million Dollar Baby was theatrically released on December 15, 2004, by Warner Bros. Pictures. However, managers stop pitting their fighters against her as a result, and Frankie, out of necessity, moves Maggie up to the next weight class. As she tells him, I want a trainer. 10 Video Games That Need a Live Action Adaptation. If it doesn't work out, you can always come back here later.". 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. Gradually making her way upwards, she becomes notorious for taking out opponents in the first round while earning herself the moniker of "Mo Cuishle." "[18], Eastwood responded to the criticism by saying the film was about the American dream. Maggie begins to dominate the fight, but Billie knocks her out with an illegal sucker punch from behind after the bell rings to end the round. account. Read More:Best Boxing Movies of All Time. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Yet, she finds time and strength to train to become a professional boxer. I like to think that there are kick-ass gals out there like Maggie who are willing to go after their dreams, no matter how outr, dangerous or impossible they may seem to the rest of us rather boring folks. A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional.A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional.A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional. Then a second passed, her fire extinguished and she fell. [11] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A" on an A+ to F scale. Omissions? You did that. Your email address will not be published. At the outset, he flatly refuses saying he has no interest in training a girl. I was wrong to say that. 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