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). If she dies today you know what her last thought would be? Million Dollar Baby: Directed by Clint Eastwood. 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). Actors/Actresses Maggie's rough around the edges, but shows a . 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. I think I did all right. Jewish law would assert that all of the lives in question have intrinsic value. To take advantage of all of CharacTours features, you need your own personal But what happened is, she had this great work ethic. 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. Interests boxing, her only calling in life. She then asks Frankie to help her die, declaring that she got everything she wanted out of life. For the 1941 film, see. While working side jobs and trying to keep his writing career afloat, he decided to give a go to boxing. [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. Frankie is also reluctant to let Big Willie fight in a title match. It grossed $216,763,646 in theaters; $100,492,203 in the United States, and $116,271,443 in other territories. Required fields are marked *. Frankie becomes reluctant to train her, but the two form a close bond that will irrevocably change them both. 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. like the boxer in million dollar baby, katie dallam was a missouri girl who grew up in poverty. 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. A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional. [20] Roger Ebert stated that "a movie is not good or bad because of its content, but because of how it handles its content. Dunn is a cantankerous Irish-American trainer, revealed to be estranged from his own daughter. Down she went, no longer burning and sizzling, to the earth. Human Gender Maggie is a gifted student and supported by the experienced mentorship of Frankie, she makes her presence known in the amateur league. She went to school in Bellingham, where she lived with her family, until she was 16. Maggie wants the legendary trainer Frankie Dunn to teach her how to fight. Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris, Frankie's friend and employeethe film's narratorencourages and helps Maggie. Maggie walked through that door with nothing buts guts. 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. Frankie then reluctantly agrees to train Maggie but states that he will not manage her. We take for granted a world where patient autonomy is the overriding ethical principle to which all other considerations must bend. After being fired from the television series Family Law, Haggis wrote the script on spec, and it took four years to sell it. An HD DVD release was issued on April 18, 2006. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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). Maggie's rough around the edges, but shows a lot of grit in the ring and he eventually relents. Yet, she finds time and strength to train to become a professional boxer. 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?" Maggie Fitzgerald Remembered She was like a fire cracker. Almost uniformly, these people reported regretting their decision to jump. Ziff Davis, LLC BBB Business Review. I dont want charity, and I dont want favors.. I found you a fighter. Watch 'Million Dollar Baby' | Anniversary Mashup. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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). The back of Maggie's robe has the phrase "Mo Cuishle". Judaism recognizes that a person has the autonomy to make healthcare decisions, but insists that they must do so in a prudent manner (see "Doctor Knows Best?"). Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald, a waitress from the Ozarks, shows up at the Hit Pit, a rundown Los Angeles gym owned and operated by Frankie Dunn. Unlike her lazy family, Maggie wants to succeed and make a name for herself. It garnered rapturous reviews and four Academy Awards, including that for best picture. Frankie then sneaks into the hospital one night, unaware that Scrap is watching from the shadows. but a real-life boxer, whose life story likely inspired the film, says the ending is bunk. She is a transplant from working-class Missouri who arrives in Frankie Dunn's gym seeking his expertise. The movie caused a great deal of controversy. For those who are new and are wondering about why this was necessary, read the shift in editing starting March 1st blog. Million Dollar Baby is classical in the clean, clear, strong lines of its story and characters, and had an enormous emotional impact". "That guy in the movie played by Clint Eastwood. As a tribute to her, I bestowed my hero, Gage, in Someone Like You with a very special surname: Fitzgerald.. 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. Top 10 (listed alphabetically) Ron Stringer, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 17:20. Maggie Fitzgerald Death Fact Check. 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. However, fortunately, unlike the fate of Maggie in the film, Crockett didnt meet with any tragedy in her life. Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods and What the Vietnam War Did to My Father, Best Sex Positions to Improve Your Sex Life. Million Dollar Baby was theatrically released on December 15, 2004, by Warner Bros. Pictures. He is portrayed by Hilary Swank. With the help of her coach, Frank, Maggie is on her way to becoming one of the greatest boxers to ever live. Thats Frankie Dunn, hes the famous trainer at The Hit Pit, in L.A, California. Maggie Fitzgerald 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. Then Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) walks into his gym. She grew up knowing one thing: she was trash." Yet after a short period of despair, he chose to make life matter and become an advocate for the disabled. A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional. Maggie will never let anyone tell her that she cant accomplish her dreams. Profession coaching the inexperienced Maggie Fitzgerald. Occupation '"[citation needed][14], In early 2005, the film sparked controversy when some disability rights activists protested the ending. [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. 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. How Dan Foglers Boyhood Dreams Turned Into Adult Realities, Use Womens History Month as Your Excuse to Watch These Cinematic Masterpieces. 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. Disgusted, she orders them to leave and threatens to report their welfare fraud if they try to contact her again. 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. As with Frankie, we're not told much about Maggie or how she came to discover that, at 31, she's destined to become a champion boxer. 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. 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. This stereotype is contradicted by the personal experience of many thousands of people with significant disabilities in this country and around the world who view our own lives as ordinary and normal. Lewis has the Wow! 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. It received critical acclaim and grossed $216.8 million worldwide. Hollywood Athletic Club - 6525 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. Maggies mother, Earline (Margo Martindale), and sister, Mardell (Riki Lindhome), respond to the gift with disdain, and they tell Maggie that her boxing career has made her a laughingstock. We typically grant decision-making autonomy only where someone has a legitimate right and ability to decide. Maggie soon develops bedsores and undergoes an amputation for an infected leg. 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. Without hope of recovery, she attempts suicide, before finally persuading Frankie to help her die. Eventually, he relents, and the two form a close bond that will irrevocably change them both. [4][5] The film was stuck in development hell for years before it was shot. Despite her age, Maggie proves herself to be worth Frankie's time and . Find out how you match to her and 5500+ other characters. Maggie, it seems, has just as much talent as she has pure drive. 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. Heres the answer. [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. [11] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A" on an A+ to F scale. 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. Name It also stars Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman. 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. Then, "What's your plan for tomorrow?" After Maggie bites through her tongue in an effort to bleed to death, however, he changes his mind. 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. He later goes to Maggies room, tells her that Mo cuishle means my darling, my blood, and accedes to her request. [27][28] The film is also available online through video on demand and most major streaming platforms. Let's look at the real-life experience of someone who was at the height of fame and then suffered a devastating injury similar to Maggie's. "[15] The Chicago Tribune reported that protests against the film by disability activists occurred in Chicago, Berkeley, and other cities, and that Clint Eastwood had previously lobbied for weakening provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Theyve shunned her ever since she became a boxer. Appearances ", Often we fail to recognize that a cry for death is really a cry for help. Join Facebook to connect with Maggie Fitzgerald and others you may know. He respects her wishes and ushers her into that big ring in the sky. You made her the best fighter she could be. Problem is, this is the only thing I ever felt good doing. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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. View the profiles of people named Maggie Fitzgerald. Mary Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald is a fictional character appearing in the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby. And both took a. But is Maggie indeed Frankie's million-dollar baby? We are certainly never permitted to shorten the life of someone like Maggie who is in a very compromised state, but not dying. [2] The term 'Million Dollar Baby' was from the nose art of a World War II Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber. I still have a passion for all things boxing, as evidenced by the name of my furry red Somali cat, Lennox Lewis. Maggie is tired of washing dishes and waiting on tables. When crisis hits, we must help our neighbor to dig deeper and solve the root of the problem even when they wish to die. 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. Maggie is devastated, and she and Frankie leave. Dr. Eisenberg writes extensively on topics of Judaism and medicine and lectures internationally on topics in Jewish medical ethics to groups of all backgrounds. Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. 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. 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