Scrap's narration is revealed to be a letter to Frankie's daughter, informing her of her father's true character. 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. Join Facebook to connect with Maggie Fitzgerald and others you may know. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Ziff Davis, LLC BBB Business Review. If you have any unfortunate news that this page should be update with, please let us know using this form. (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 most important lesson he teaches his boxers is the one that rules life: above all, always protect yourself. At the outset, he flatly refuses saying he has no interest in training a girl. According to CBS, Swank, like Fitzgerald, grew up in a trailer park and was a high. She was like a fire cracker. Dunn is a cantankerous Irish-American trainer, revealed to be estranged from his own daughter. Maggie Fitzgerald March 29, 2022 5-year and 30-year Treasury yields invert for the first time since 2006, fueling recession fears S&P 500 rises on Monday to extend two-week comeback, Nasdaq adds 1 . As she puts it, "I was born two pounds, one-and-a-half ounces. Eventually, he relents, and the two form a close bond that will irrevocably change them both. Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman received Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscars, respectively. Eastwood had his daughter Morgan Colette appear in a brief role as a girl who waves to Swank's character at a gas station. 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 . 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. (Spoiler Alert: If you don't want to know the film's plot twist, stop reading now.). Maggie Fitzgerald It was after Million Dollar Baby was released that her boxing career came to the limelight. No chance in the world of being what she needed to be. Flip. With Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Jay Baruchel. 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. People die everyday, Frankie - mopping floors, washing dishes and you know what their last thought is? Frankie accepts a fight in London for Maggie and gives her a green silk robe with the Gaelic phrase Mo Cuishle on the back. 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. She trained for nearly five hours every day, winding up with a potentially life-threatening staphylococcus infection. After being fired from the television series Family Law, Haggis wrote the script on spec, and it took four years to sell it. [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. 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. Maggie will never let anyone tell her that she cant accomplish her dreams. Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris, Frankie's friend and employeethe film's narratorencourages and helps Maggie. Indeed, Maggie's severely disabled state is an enormous challenge to the human spirit. 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). Species 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. When Boyd finally got to write down the book, he looked towards Huntley to create his characters, and delved into his experiences to forge the same for the people depicted in the book. Million Dollar Baby was theatrically released on December 15, 2004, by Warner Bros. Pictures. Down she went, no longer burning and sizzling, to the earth. If it doesn't work out, you can always come back here later.". As a society we would rather take a person's cry for help as a cry for death, rather than adequately fund the social services necessary to help people choose not to die. 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. The Academy Award-winning movie, Million Dollar Baby, strikes deep at the issues of self-worth and the value of life. She spent most of the next 42 years working as a copy editor and editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. [citation needed] The titular phrase 'million dollar baby' was used as an insult during pre-fight publicity by Sonny Liston to Muhammad Ali, the latter of whom was an underdog at the time. More details are available in the progress report. [11] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A" on an A+ to F scale. . But is Maggie indeed Frankie's million-dollar baby? It does not matter whether we discuss a despondent disabled, boxer, fully cognizant of her condition such as Maggie; a woman who has remained in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years, such as Terri Schiavo; or an old man lying unconscious on his deathbed, feeling (as far as we know) no pain and having no interaction with his environment. Maggie Fitzgerald wins a "humble beginnings" contest nine times out of ten. Without hope of recovery, she attempts suicide, before finally persuading Frankie to help her die. So perhaps the real ethical question is not "why does Maggie want to die? 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. 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. She has also written and directed plays, dabbled in music, and served as an advocate for animal and human rights. Frankie is initially reluctant to train a woman, but Maggie persists and soon wins him over. It garnered rapturous reviews and four Academy Awards, including that for best picture. 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! Facebook gives people the. Then Maggie Fitzgerald walks into his gym and then his life changes. Mary Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald is a fictional character appearing in the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby. 'Million Dollar Baby' is amongst his finest films, a superb film, that almost reaches a Landmark level! 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. Please ignore rumors and hoaxes. The Blue Bear has a reputation for aggressiveness and for fighting dirty. [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. You made her the best fighter she could be. Wanting to learn from the best, aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) wants Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to train her. 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. Unlike her lazy family, Maggie wants to succeed and make a name for herself. We, as a society, do not feel they are in a position to make prudent decisions. 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. On the strength of believing in herself, Maggie reaches the pinnacle of success and is about to become world champion. 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. Because of you Maggie got her shot. Just before administering a fatal injection of adrenaline, he tells Maggie the meaning of "mo chuisle": "my darling, and my blood." GOSSAMER director David Bradley and Maggie Fitzgerald, who plays Littlest One, spoke to us about their history of working together, the many things learned w. AskMen, Become a Better Man, Big Shiny Things, Mantics and guyQ are among the federally I never got my shot. Maggie, a waitress from the Ozarks region of Missouri, starts working out at the gym. Dr. Eisenberg writes extensively on topics of Judaism and medicine and lectures internationally on topics in Jewish medical ethics to groups of all backgrounds. Get familiar with the big names that everyone talked about. 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. (Um, yeah. Theyve shunned her ever since she became a boxer. '"[citation needed][14], In early 2005, the film sparked controversy when some disability rights activists protested the ending. Our society is so enamored with autonomy that we sometimes fail to consider other issues. 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. Frankie then reluctantly agrees to train Maggie but states that he will not manage her. [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. In the end, the real tragedy of Million Dollar Baby is not the heart-wrenching decision that Frankie has to make. Disgusted, she orders them to leave and threatens to report their welfare fraud if they try to contact her again. She ignited, flared, and became the brightest flame that lit up the night sky. [20] Roger Ebert stated that "a movie is not good or bad because of its content, but because of how it handles its content. She has also written and directed plays, dabbled in music, and served as an advocate for animal and human rights. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. 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). [Expert Review] 1 public record of katie dallam found. You know that guy, the one whos been there, but not the star. (See: Should Terri Schiavo Live or Die?) 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. He didnt get to see the alternate version of his stories and neither did he see the increased popularity of his works, a couple of which were released posthumously. Maggie, it seems, has just as much talent as she has pure drive. Omissions? This is our collection of the most informative and complete biographies. Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. 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. Maggie, a waitress from the Ozarks region of Missouri, starts working out at the gym. Film(s) Frankie becomes reluctant to train her, but the two form a close bond that will irrevocably change them both. Mini Bio (1) Maggie Fitzgerald is known for The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973), Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (1973) and Festival (1963). Owing to his intense training, Huntley got Boyd a job as a cutman, through which he got to meet Juli Crockett, whom he called the inspiration for the character of Maggie Fitzgerald. Maggie's rough around the edges, but shows a . Maggie fights her way up in the women's amateur boxing division with Frankie's coaching. The movie caused a great deal of controversy. And both took a. The real tragedy is that a young woman, robbed of her dream, lacks the support she needs to recognize that life is still brimming with unfulfilled potential, and that life is still her most valuable possession. This article is about the 2004 film. If we can get a little bit more bulk on her, to make her look like a fighter'She was like a feather. 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?" Then Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) walks into his gym. Maggie Fitzgerald 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. The controversy failed to dent the films popularity. 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 . explicit permission. ", So we need to ask: Is Maggie's decision to die reasonable? 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. She is a transplant from working-class Missouri who arrives in Frankie Dunn's gym seeking his expertise. 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. The message is that disappointment over a shattered dream is a greater tragedy than death itself. The film played in theaters for six and a half months. He is portrayed by Hilary Swank. The shift in editing over to pages for the movies, characters, actors, directors, composers, crew and galleries is now fully in effect. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. No one would consider it moral to yell "jump" to a person standing on a high ledge. 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. His decision to kill Maggie is abhorrent from a Jewish perspective. 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. Mary Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald is a fictional character appearing in the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby. Million Dollar Baby is classical in the clean, clear, strong lines of its story and characters, and had an enormous emotional impact". Frankie then sneaks into the hospital one night, unaware that Scrap is watching from the shadows. See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro Maggie Fitzgerald Even Warner Bros., Eastwood's longtime home base, would not agree to a $30 million budget. 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. She grew up knowing one thing: she was trash." [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. Bros. Pictures join Facebook to connect with Maggie Fitzgerald ( Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman received Best Actress in Supporting! Employeethe film 's narratorencourages and helps Maggie their last thought is a & quot ; I was born pounds. Will never let anyone tell her that she cant accomplish her dreams, a waitress the! 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