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 every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. As an actor, I had my reservations with him, but as a storyteller, I have truly inhaled him. 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. * Ill get around to Jill later shes definitely another Wow! 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. 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. Gal in the truest sense of how I define one insofar that she fought her way to the top. Gal in my book because her character has deep personal meaning. 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. AskMen, Become a Better Man, Big Shiny Things, Mantics and guyQ are among the federally She spent most of the next 42 years working as a copy editor and editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. If the person doesn't have a plan "Well, let's make one. Frankie leads a lonely existence, alienated from his only daughter and having few friends. Actors/Actresses She then asks Frankie to help her die, declaring that she got everything she wanted out of life. 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. You know that guy, the one whos been there, but not the star. Shes one helluva fictional character. Scrap's narration is revealed to be a letter to Frankie's daughter, informing her of her father's true character. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. I used to kick-box until I reached my mid-thirties and all of those roundhouse kicks started taking a toll on my hips and knees. People die everyday, Frankie - mopping floors, washing dishes and you know what their last thought is? But it does not require an edict from the Code of Jewish Law to recognize that Maggie is making the wrong choice. Join Facebook to connect with Maggie Fitzgerald and others you may know. Maggie fights her way up in the women's amateur boxing division with Frankie's coaching. Maggie is a gifted student and supported by the experienced mentorship of Frankie, she makes her presence known in the amateur league. 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. He trained under Dub Huntley, who taught him the tricks of the trade while also introducing him to some well known names in boxing. 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. The woman of many talents, Crockett's professional boxing career is not the only thing that she has made a name for herself in. Why isn't Maggie offered any psychiatric treatment for her depression? 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. For the 1941 film, see. Maggie Fitzgerald More details are available in the progress report. 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. 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. [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. 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. 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. A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional. Frankie is finally willing to arrange a title fight. in spades. It grossed $216,763,646 in theaters; $100,492,203 in the United States, and $116,271,443 in other territories. While in the hospital, Maggie looks forward to a visit from her family. See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro Maggie Fitzgerald Search instead in Creative? [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. He never returns to the gym. 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. The film played in theaters for six and a half months. Dunn is a cantankerous Irish-American trainer, revealed to be estranged from his own daughter. (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 . The movie is narrated by Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris (played by Morgan Freeman) and opens on a boxing match in Los Angeles in which cut man and trainer Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) is in the corner of Big Willie Little (Mike Colter). 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. A horrified Frankie refuses, so Maggie later bites her own tongue in an attempt to bleed to death. 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 went to school in Bellingham, where she lived with her family, until she was 16. [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. You made her the best fighter she could be. Boxing movies come with a different set of emotions. Hilary Swank as Maggie is some kinda BAD ASS. Maggie Fitzgerald Wanting to learn from the best, aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) wants Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to train her. But what happened is, she had this great work ethic. Million Dollar Baby, American dramatic film, released in 2004, that was directed by Clint Eastwood and starred Eastwood and Hilary Swank. [2] The term 'Million Dollar Baby' was from the nose art of a World War II Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber. No chance in the world of being what she needed to be. Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) has trained and managed some incredible fighters during a lifetime spent in the ring. 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. We typically grant decision-making autonomy only where someone has a legitimate right and ability to decide. Personality persistent, tough, and courageous. In the first two rounds, the Blue Bears cheap shots get the best of Maggie, but Maggie gains a distinct upper hand in the third. Frankie, who studies Gaelic, tells Maggie that he does not know what the phrase means. Hollywood Athletic Club - 6525 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. "[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. 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. Toole, the pen name of fight manager and cutman Jerry Boyd. On the strength of believing in herself, Maggie reaches the pinnacle of success and is about to become world champion. In the end, the real tragedy of Million Dollar Baby is not the heart-wrenching decision that Frankie has to make. One such movie to deliver an emotional punch to the audience is Million Dollar Baby. I dont want charity, and I dont want favors.. 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. Frankie Dunn: It wasn't fault. Mary Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald is a fictional character appearing in the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby. Studios. but a real-life boxer, whose life story likely inspired the film, says the ending is bunk. He is portrayed by Hilary Swank . Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods and What the Vietnam War Did to My Father, Best Sex Positions to Improve Your Sex Life. It was after 'Million Dollar Baby' was released that her boxing career came to the limelight. 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. Down she went, no longer burning and sizzling, to the earth. I found you a fighter. 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. 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). characters are most like you. So perhaps the real ethical question is not "why does Maggie want to die? Maggie soldiers on through it all until she has the chance at a million dollar pot in Vegas. 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. (Spoiler Alert: If you don't want to know the film's plot twist, stop reading now.). like the boxer in million dollar baby, katie dallam was a missouri girl who grew up in poverty. According to CBS, Swank, like Fitzgerald, grew up in a trailer park and was a high. Fought in the literal sense of the word. World of being what she needed to be estranged from his own daughter real question! 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