Or that shed have given Frankie a glimmer of hope and picked a potato chip from the bowl a la Jill Kinmont* in The Other Side of the Mountain., Maggie fights on in my imagination. With the help of her coach, Frank, Maggie is on her way to becoming one of the greatest boxers to ever live. [19] In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Eastwood distanced himself from the actions of characters in his films, noting, "I've gone around in movies blowing people away with a .44 Magnum. As a tribute to her, I bestowed my hero, Gage, in Someone Like You with a very special surname: Fitzgerald.. 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. Maggie is devastated, and she and Frankie leave. He respects her wishes and ushers her into that big ring in the sky. At the outset, he flatly refuses saying he has no interest in training a girl. 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. Maggie is a Wow! Ziff Davis, LLC BBB Business Review. 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. However, as sheer determination forces the reluctant mentor to relent, Maggie soon finds herself on the fast track to making her dream come true. Despite her age, Maggie proves herself to be worth Frankie's time and . They arrive only after first touring Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood. The woman of many talents, Crocketts professional boxing career is not the only thing that she has made a name for herself in. But it does not require an edict from the Code of Jewish Law to recognize that Maggie is making the wrong choice. But it's even more strikingly ironic that Christopher Reeve's most formidable accomplishments, what he will undoubtedly be remembered for above all else, came after he became a quadriplegic. 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. He never returns to the gym. It was after 'Million Dollar Baby' was released that her boxing career came to the limelight. Yet Judaism categorically states that one may never actively shorten the life of even a terminally ill patient. Maggie, a waitress from the Ozarks region of Missouri, starts working out at the gym. Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris: Don't say that. We are certainly never permitted to shorten the life of someone like Maggie who is in a very compromised state, but not dying. She suffers a catastrophic spinal cord injury that leaves her quadriplegic. Gender [11] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A" on an A+ to F scale. Information 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. Female Boyd had picked up boxing pretty late in his life. "[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. 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. 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. Added: 2022-11-19 Daddy used to tell me I'd fight my way into this world, and I'd fight my way out." Living in Los Angeles, where she trains at the Hit Pit, a grimy downtown gym. Frankie Dunn believes her too old to be getting in the line, but her conviction wins him over and they begin a rigorous training. 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. 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. 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. Name She has also written and directed plays, dabbled in music, and served as an advocate for animal and human rights. 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. Unlike her lazy family, Maggie wants to succeed and make a name for herself. 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 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?" 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. Watch 'Million Dollar Baby' | Anniversary Mashup. People cheered her name and watched her in awe- she was wondrous and captivating. 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). Maggie's rough around the edges, but shows a lot of grit in the ring and he eventually relents. You know that guy, the one whos been there, but not the star. Omissions? 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. I think I did all right. On the strength of believing in herself, Maggie reaches the pinnacle of success and is about to become world champion. She went to school in Bellingham, where she lived with her family, until she was 16. To take advantage of all of CharacTours features, you need your own personal Instead, Maggie's request for permission to train receives a flat refusal from the cantankerous, coarse, and overly complicated old-school boxing guru. 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. I am a great fan of his. Indeed, Maggie's severely disabled state is an enormous challenge to the human spirit. 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. How Dan Foglers Boyhood Dreams Turned Into Adult Realities, Use Womens History Month as Your Excuse to Watch These Cinematic Masterpieces. 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. If you have any unfortunate news that this page should be update with, please let us know using this form. 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? Maggie Fitzgerald wins a "humble beginnings" contest nine times out of ten. Big Willie drops Frankie as his manager and signs with the more aggressive Mickey Mack (Bruce MacVittie). A study was done of those who survived attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. 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? Wanting to learn from the best, aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) wants Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to train her. The last few minutes of Million Dollar Baby are a sobfest of epic proportions, and not in that cheesy Hallmark way, either. Required fields are marked *. * Was 36-0 (25 by knockout) as a kick boxer, and . As she tells him, I want a trainer. Our society is so enamored with autonomy that we sometimes fail to consider other issues. I found you a fighter. With Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Jay Baruchel. Frankie's prize prospect, "Big Willie" Little, signs with successful manager Mickey Mack after becoming impatient with Frankie rejecting offers for a championship bout. Right.) Million Dollar Baby received the award for Best Picture of 2004 at the 77th Academy Awards. 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Fought in the literal sense of the word. The Academy Award-winning film forces us to assess the value of life amidst a shattered dream. 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! Disgusted, she orders them to leave and threatens to report their welfare fraud if they try to contact her again. We need not look to the world of fiction for an answer. Obtain more information on scheduling a lecture or learning more about Jewish medical ethics by visiting Dr. Eisenberg at www.daneisenberg.com, When Leonard Cohen Sang for Israeli Soldiers During the Yom Kippur War, How to Prevent Civil War: Arguing for the Sake of Peace, Top Six Rules Every Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law Should Follow. And both took a. The movie caused a great deal of controversy. Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris, Frankie's friend and employeethe film's narratorencourages and helps Maggie. Shes one helluva fictional character. This article is about the 2004 film. 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. The Academy Award-winning movie, Million Dollar Baby, strikes deep at the issues of self-worth and the value of life. Maggie, born and raised in Missouri, has always had to fight for herself. [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. (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 . Maggie, born and raised in Missouri, has always had to fight for herself. Maggie falls, hitting her head on the stool in her corner. Frankie is initially reluctant to train a woman, but Maggie persists and soon wins him over. She competed in the Junior Olympics and Washington State championships in swimming; she ranked 5th in the state in all-around gymnastics (which would come in handy for starring in The Next Karate Kid (1994) years later). As an actor, I had my reservations with him, but as a storyteller, I have truly inhaled him. Maggie lands hard on her corner stool, breaking her neck and leaving her a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic. [27][28] The film is also available online through video on demand and most major streaming platforms. 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. Frankie is finally willing to arrange a title fight. Then a second passed, her fire extinguished and she fell. Maggie's career skyrockets, but an accident in the ring leads her to ask Frankie for one last favor. Time and ; Million Dollar Baby & # x27 ; Million Dollar Baby strikes! 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