The film was released on VHS and DVD on July 12, 2005, and all editions of the Region 1 DVD, except for the "Deluxe Edition", came with a paperback copy of the book Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner. Maggie's career skyrockets, but an accident in the ring leads her to ask Frankie for one last favor. Maggie soldiers on through it all until she has the chance at a million dollar pot in Vegas. . Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). He is portrayed by Hilary Swank . Species [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. Information They arrive only after first touring Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood. 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. And she's a damn good boxer too, starting off . Maggie becomes an extraordinarily successful fighter, always knocking out her opponent in the first round. Jewish law would assert that all of the lives in question have intrinsic value. Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank) watches the match and later asks Frankie to train her, but he refuses. 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. 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. No, Million Dollar Baby is not based on a true story. 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 . Hollywood Athletic Club - 6525 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. See production, box office & company info. [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. While he trained a lot of people in the field, he never got to make his dream of winning the world championship come true due to a boxing accident in 1970 that had left him with a detached retina. Maggie lands hard on her corner stool, breaking her neck and leaving her a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic. She ignited, flared, and became the brightest flame that lit up the night sky. Please enable Javascript and hit the button below! He trained under Dub Huntley, who taught him the tricks of the trade while also introducing him to some well known names in boxing. Margaret Fitzgerald, Countess of Ormond (died 1542), daughter of Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare and Alison FitzEustace Margaret Fitzgerald (supercentarian) (1896-2009), Canadian supercentenarian A main character in the film Million Dollar Baby, played by Hilary Swank This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same name. Then tragedy strikes when her opponent a dirty fighter named Billie clocks her upside the chin, breaking her neck and rendering her a quadriplegic. But is Maggie indeed Frankie's million-dollar baby? Maggie Fitzgerald Remembered She was like a fire cracker. She ignited, flared, and became the brightest flame that lit up the night sky. [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. 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. But what happened is, she had this great work ethic. We need not look to the world of fiction for an answer. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Then a second passed, her fire extinguished and she fell. However, as sheer determination forces the reluctant mentor to relent, Maggie soon finds herself on the fast track to making her dream come true. Frankie leads a lonely existence, alienated from his only daughter and having few friends. Instead, Maggie's request for permission to train receives a flat refusal from the cantankerous, coarse, and overly complicated old-school boxing guru. It has been repeatedly shown that for a terminally ill patient in a hospice, the desire to live or die is closely tied to the quality of pain relief and emotional support. 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. Frankie then reluctantly agrees to train Maggie but states that he will not manage her. (See: Should Terri Schiavo Live or Die?) 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. Mary Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald is a fictional character appearing in the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby. Maggie Fitzgerald Death Fact Check. I found you a fighter. (Spoiler Alert: If you don't want to know the film's plot twist, stop reading now.). Just before administering a fatal injection of adrenaline, he tells Maggie the meaning of "mo chuisle": "my darling, and my blood." The back of Maggie's robe has the phrase "Mo Cuishle". Maggie is alive and kicking. Scraps narration informs viewers that Frankie never returned to the gym, and it emerges that the story that he has been telling is the text of a letter that he has been writing to Frankies estranged daughter. 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. Scrap gives Maggie some tips and lets her borrow a speed bag. Frankie, who studies Gaelic, tells Maggie that he does not know what the phrase means. I dont want charity, and I dont want favors.. While in the hospital, Maggie looks forward to a visit from her family. Hilary Swank as Maggie is some kinda BAD ASS. 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?" She is mentally alert, but feels no reason to go on living. 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. Our society is so enamored with autonomy that we sometimes fail to consider other issues. To take advantage of all of CharacTours features, you need your own personal [22], Million Dollar Baby was listed on many critics' top ten lists for films released in 2004.[23]. Maggie, a waitress from the Ozarks region of Missouri, starts working out at the gym. 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. She trained for nearly five hours every day, winding up with a potentially life-threatening staphylococcus infection. Even though Maggies financial success is a boon to her terrible, unsupportive family, they are quite unamused by her success as a female boxer; her own mom tells her that her home girls and home boys are secretly making fun of her. How Dan Foglers Boyhood Dreams Turned Into Adult Realities, Use Womens History Month as Your Excuse to Watch These Cinematic Masterpieces. 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. People cheered her name and watched her in awe- she was wondrous and captivating. [8], Million Dollar Baby initially had a limited release, opening in eight theaters in December 2004. People die everyday, Frankie - mopping floors, washing dishes and you know what their last thought is? Disgusted, she orders them to leave and threatens to report their welfare fraud if they try to contact her again. ", So we need to ask: Is Maggie's decision to die reasonable? 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. Then, "What's your plan for tomorrow?" Maggie is destitute, alone, and leads a non-significant life. However, managers stop pitting their fighters against her as a result, and Frankie, out of necessity, moves Maggie up to the next weight class. The movie caused a great deal of controversy. Get familiar with the big names that everyone talked about. [4][5] The film was stuck in development hell for years before it was shot. Gal in my book because her character has deep personal meaning. Million Dollar Baby was theatrically released on December 15, 2004, by Warner Bros. Pictures. Dr. Eisenberg writes extensively on topics of Judaism and medicine and lectures internationally on topics in Jewish medical ethics to groups of all backgrounds. Maggie, a waitress from the Ozarks region of Missouri, starts working out at the gym. in spades. [11] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A" on an A+ to F scale. Toole, aka Jerry Boyd. Required fields are marked *. 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. For instance, we limit the decision-making autonomy of children and of those who are mentally impaired. 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. 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. Watch 'Million Dollar Baby' | Anniversary Mashup. Facebook gives people the. registered trademarks of Ziff Davis Canada, Inc. and may not be used by third parties without 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. Maggie walked through that door with nothing buts guts. Million Dollar Baby was theatrically released on December 15, 2004, by Warner Bros. Pictures. Big Willie drops Frankie as his manager and signs with the more aggressive Mickey Mack (Bruce MacVittie). 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. He is portrayed by Hilary Swank. She eventually finds a. Yet Judaism categorically states that one may never actively shorten the life of even a terminally ill patient. 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. 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). You know that guy, the one whos been there, but not the star. Shes a welterweight boxer. Showing Editorial results for maggie fitzgerald. 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. It also stars Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman. Frankie becomes reluctant to train her, but the two form a close bond that will irrevocably change them both. It wasn't hard for Swank, as her journey to Hollywood mirrored that of her character Maggie Fitzgerald. You made her the best fighter she could be. 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. 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. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Updates? Boyd had written the book when he was on the crux of 70, and died two years before the film arrived on the screens. Why isn't Maggie offered any psychiatric treatment for her depression? We are certainly never permitted to shorten the life of someone like Maggie who is in a very compromised state, but not dying. 'Million Dollar Baby' is amongst his finest films, a superb film, that almost reaches a Landmark level! ", but why there is not a greater offering of emotional support? Yet, she finds time and strength to train to become a professional boxer. Down she went, no longer burning and sizzling, to the earth. Then Maggie Fitzgerald walks into his gym and then his life changes. Boxing movies come with a different set of emotions. Medved, Michael. The Academy Award-winning movie, Million Dollar Baby, strikes deep at the issues of self-worth and the value of life. A study was done of those who survived attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. I was wrong to say that. No chance in the world of being what she needed to be. 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. A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional. She has also written and directed plays, dabbled in music, and served as an advocate for animal and human rights. A horrified Frankie refuses, so Maggie later bites her own tongue in an attempt to bleed to death. account. Find out how you match to her and 5500+ other characters. She then asks Frankie to help her die, declaring that she got everything she wanted out of life. Is it really possible for a person to want to live following an injury like Maggie's? 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). Maggie fitzgerald boxer? Billie the Blue Bear, dropping Maggie Fitzgerald's head across a stool, paralyzing her, freezing us, and how can anyone ever forgive that? "That guy in the movie played by Clint Eastwood. It was because of you that she was fighting the championship of the world. A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional. Mary Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald is a fictional character appearing in the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby. [Expert Review] 1 public record of katie dallam found. 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