Million Dollar Baby

Million Dollar Baby is a 2004 American sports drama film directed, co-produced, and scored by Clint Eastwood from a screenplay written by Paul Haggis, based on short stories by F.X. Toole, the pen name of fight manager and cutman Jerry Boyd. It stars Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman. 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.

For the 1941 film, see Million Dollar Baby (1941 film).
Not to be confused with Billion Dollar Baby.
Million Dollar Baby
Theatrical release poster
Directed byClint Eastwood
Produced by
Screenplay byPaul Haggis
Story byF.X. Toole
Based onRope Burns: Stories from the Corner
by F.X. Toole
Starring
Music byClint Eastwood
CinematographyTom Stern
Edited byJoel Cox
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • December 15, 2004 (2004-12-15) (United States)
Running time
132 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30 million[1][2]
Box office$216.8 million[3]

Million Dollar Baby was theatrically released on December 15, 2004, by Warner Bros. Pictures. It received critical acclaim and grossed $216.8 million. The film garnered seven nominations at the 77th Academy Awards and won four: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for Swank), and Best Supporting Actor (for Freeman).

Plot

Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), a waitress from a Missouri town in the Ozarks, shows up at the Hit Pit, a run-down Los Angeles gym owned and operated by Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood), an old cantankerous Irish-American boxing trainer. Maggie asks Frankie to train her, but he initially refuses. Maggie works out tirelessly each day in his gym, even after Frankie tells her she's "too old" to begin a boxing career at her age. Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris (Morgan Freeman), Frankie's friend and employee—and the film's narrator—encourages and helps her.

Frankie's prize prospect, "Big Willie" Little, signs with successful manager Mickey Mack after becoming impatient with Frankie rejecting offers for a championship bout. With prodding from Scrap and impressed with her persistence, Frankie reluctantly agrees to train Maggie. He warns her that he will teach her only the basics and then find her a manager. Other than Maggie and his employees, the only person Frankie has contact with is a local priest, with whom he spars verbally at daily Mass.

Before her first fight, Frankie leaves Maggie with a random manager in his gym, much to her dismay; upon being told by Scrap that said manager deliberately put her up against his best girl (coaching the novice to lose) to give her an easy win, Frankie rejoins Maggie in the middle of the bout and coaches her instead to an unforeseen victory. A natural, she fights her way up in the women's amateur boxing division with Frankie's coaching, winning many of her lightweight bouts with first-round knockouts. Since Maggie has earned a reputation for her KOs, Frankie must resort to bribery to get other managers to put their trainee fighters up against her.

Eventually, Frankie takes a risk by putting her in the junior welterweight class, where her nose is broken in her first match. Frankie comes to establish a paternal bond with Maggie, who substitutes for his estranged daughter. Scrap, concerned when Frankie rejects several offers for big fights, arranges a meeting for her with Mickey Mack at a diner on her 33rd birthday. Out of loyalty, she declines. Frankie begrudgingly accepts a fight for her against a top-ranked opponent in the UK, where he bestows a Gaelic nickname on her. The two travel to Europe as she continues to win; Maggie eventually saves up enough of her winnings to buy her mother a house, but her mother berates Maggie for endangering her government aid, claiming that everyone back home is laughing at her.

Frankie is finally willing to arrange a title fight. He secures Maggie a $1 million match in Las Vegas, Nevada, against the WBA women's welterweight champion, Billie "The Blue Bear" Osterman, a German ex-prostitute who has a reputation as an unpunished dirty fighter. Overcoming a shaky start, 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. Before Frankie can pull the corner stool out of the way (which was inappropriately placed on its side by Frankie's assistant), Maggie lands hard on it, breaking her neck and leaving her a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic.

Frankie is shown experiencing the first three of the five stages of grief: first seeking multiple doctors' opinions in denial, then blaming Scrap in anger, and later trying to bargain with God through prayer.

In a medical rehabilitation facility, Maggie looks forward to a visit from her family, but they arrive days later only after touring Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood, accompanied by an attorney; their only concern is to get Maggie's assets transferred to them. Disgusted, Maggie insultingly rebukes them and orders them to leave, threatening to inform the IRS of her mother and sister's welfare frauds if they ever try to contact her again; shocked, the family leaves.

As the days pass, Maggie develops bedsores and undergoes an amputation for an infected leg. She asks a favor of Frankie: to help her die, declaring that she got everything she wanted out of life. A horrified Frankie refuses, and Maggie later bites her tongue repeatedly in an attempt to bleed to death, but the medical staff saves her and takes measures to prevent further suicide attempts. The priest Frankie has harassed for 23 years, Father Horvak, warns him that he would never find himself again if he were to go through with Maggie's wishes.

Frankie sneaks into the hospital one night, unaware that Scrap is watching from the shadows. Just before administering a fatal injection of adrenaline, he finally tells Maggie the meaning of a nickname he gave her, Mo Chuisle (misspelled in the film as "mo cuishle"): Irish for "my darling, and my blood" (literally, "my pulse"). He never returns to the gym. Scrap's narration is revealed to be a letter to Frankie's daughter, informing her of her father's true character. The last shot of the film shows Frankie sitting at the counter of a diner where Maggie once took him, and after having a homemade lemon meringue pie with her, said: "Now I can die and go to heaven."

Cast
  • Clint Eastwood as Frankie Dunn, a gruff but well-meaning elderly boxing trainer.
  • Hilary Swank as Mary Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald, a determined, aspiring boxer trained up by Frankie Dunn.
  • Morgan Freeman as Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris, Dunn's gym assistant; an elderly former boxer, he was blinded in one eye in his 109th, and last, fight.
  • Jay Baruchel as Dangerous Dillard Fighting Flippo Bam-Bam Barch or "Danger", a simpleton would-be boxer.
  • Mike Colter as "Big" Willie Little, a boxer whom Dunn has trained for years.
  • Lucia Rijker as Billie "The Blue Bear" Osterman, a former sex worker and vicious boxer.
  • Brían F. O'Byrne as Father Horvak, the priest of the church which Dunn attends, who cannot stand Dunn.
  • Anthony Mackie as Shawrelle Berry, an overzealous boxer and frequent tenant of Dunn's gym.
  • Margo Martindale as Earline Fitzgerald, Maggie's selfish mother.
  • Marcus Chait as J.D. Fitzgerald, Maggie's incarcerated, just released brother.
  • Riki Lindhome as Mardell Fitzgerald, Maggie's welfare-cheating sister.
  • Michael Peña as Omar, a boxer and Shawrelle's best friend.
  • Benito Martinez as Billie's manager.
  • Grant L. Roberts as Billie's cut man, (trainer). Trained Hilary Swank off screen for her Academy Award-winning role.
  • Bruce MacVittie as Mickey Mack, a rival of Dunn.
  • David Powledge as Counterman at Diner.
  • Joe D'Angerio as Cut Man.
  • Aaron Stretch as Himself.
  • Don Familton as Ring Announcer.

Development and production

After being fired from the TV show Family Law, Haggis wrote the script on spec, and it took four years to sell it.[4][5] The film was stuck in development hell for years before it was shot. Several studios rejected the project even when Eastwood signed on as actor and director. Even Warner Bros., Eastwood's longtime home base, would not agree to a US$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 ($15 million). Eastwood shot the film in less than 40 days between June and July 2004.[1][2] Filming took place in Los Angeles and film sets at Warner Bros. Studios.[2] The term 'Million Dollar Baby' was from the nose art of a World War II Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber. 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. Eastwood had his daughter Morgan Colette appear in a brief role as a girl who waves to Swank's character at a gas station.[6][7]

Eastwood had confidence in Swank's acting background, but upon seeing Swank's small physique, he had concerns, "I just thought, 'Yeah, this gal would be great. If we can get her trained up. If we can get a little bit more bulk on her, to make her look like a fighter'...She was like a feather. But what happened is, she had this great work ethic."[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. She trained for nearly five hours every day, winding up with a potentially life-threatening staphylococcus infection. She did not tell Eastwood about the infection because she thought it would be out of character for Maggie.[8]

Reception

Box office

Million Dollar Baby initially had a limited release, opening in eight theaters in December 2004.[9] In its later wide release opening, the film earned $12,265,482 in North America and quickly became a box-office hit both domestically and internationally. It grossed $216,763,646 in theaters; $100,492,203 in the United States, and $116,271,443 in other territories. The film played in theaters for six and a half months.[3]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes it has a 91% approval rating based on 268 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Clint Eastwood's assured direction - combined with knockout performances from Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman - help Million Dollar Baby to transcend its clichés, and the result is deeply heartfelt and moving."[10] On Metacritic it has a score of 86 out of 100, based on reviews from 39 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[11] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A" on scale of A to F.[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.[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.'"[14]

Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman's performances garnered critical acclaim and they won the Academy Award for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor, respectively.

In early 2005, the film sparked controversy when some disability rights activists protested the ending. 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."

Eastwood responded to the criticism by saying the film was about the American dream.[15] 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.But that doesn't mean I think that's a proper thing to do". Roger Ebert stated that "a movie is not good or bad because of its content, but because of how it handles its content. Million Dollar Baby is classical in the clean, clear, strong lines of its story and characters, and had an enormous emotional impact".[16]

Some commentators criticized the fact that the phrase mo chuisle, a term of endearment meaning literally "my pulse", and generally "my darling", was misspelled in the film as Mo Cuishle, as shown on the back of Maggie's robe. It is translated in the film as "my darling, my blood", although an Irish Gaeilge translation site states that it is always translated as "pulse", not as "blood".[17] The original phrase is short for a chuisle mo chroí, meaning "O pulse of my heart".[18] The film has been praised, for renewing interest in the Irish language in the U.S.[18]

Top ten lists

Million Dollar Baby was listed on many critics' top ten lists for films released in 2004.[19]

Accolades

Million Dollar Baby received the award for Best Picture of 2004 at the 77th Academy Awards. Clint Eastwood was awarded his second Best Director Oscar for the film, and also received a Best Actor in a Leading Role nomination. Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman received Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscars, respectively. Joel Cox, Eastwood's editor for many years, was nominated for Best Film Editing, and Paul Haggis was nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay award.

The film was named the third "Best Film of the 21st Century So Far" in 2017 by The New York Times.[22]

Award Category Subject Result
Academy Award Best Picture Clint Eastwood,
Albert S. Ruddy and
Tom Rosenberg		 Won
Best Director Clint Eastwood Won
Best Actor Nominated
Best Actress Hilary Swank Won
Best Supporting Actor Morgan Freeman Won
Best Adapted Screenplay Paul Haggis Nominated
Best Film Editing Joel Cox Nominated
ACE Eddie Best Editing Nominated
Amanda Award Best Foreign Feature Film Clint Eastwood Nominated
American Screenwriters Association Discover Screenwriting Award Paul Haggis Won
Art Directors Guild Award Best Contemporary Feature Film Henry Bumstead
Jack G. Taylor Jr.		 Nominated
Billie Award Best Film Clint Eastwood
Albert S. Ruddy
Tom Rosenberg
Paul Haggis		 Nominated
Black Reel Award Best Supporting Actor Morgan Freeman Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award Best Actress Hilary Swank Won
Best Supporting Actor Morgan Freeman Nominated
Best Director Clint Eastwood Nominated
Best Film Clint Eastwood
Albert S. Ruddy
Tom Rosenberg
Paul Haggis		 Nominated
Casting Society of America Award Best Casting for Feature Film: Drama Phyllis Huffman Nominated
César Awards Best Foreign Film Clint Eastwood
Albert S. Ruddy
Tom Rosenberg
Paul Haggis		 Won
Chicago Film Critics Association Award Best Director Clint Eastwood Won
David di Donatello Awards Best Foreign Film Clint Eastwood Won
Directors Guild of America Award Outstanding Directing Clint Eastwood Won
Director's Guild of Great Britain Outstanding Director Clint Eastwood Nominated
ESPY Award Best Sports Movie Clint Eastwood
Albert S. Ruddy
Tom Rosenberg
Paul Haggis		 Nominated
Florida Film Critics Circle Award Best Actress Hilary Swank Won
Golden Globe Award Best Actress Won
Best Director Clint Eastwood Won
Best Supporting Actor Morgan Freeman Nominated
Best Motion Picture - Drama Clint Eastwood
Albert S. Ruddy
Tom Rosenberg
Paul Haggis		 Nominated
Best Original Score Clint Eastwood Nominated
Grammy Award Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Nominated
Motion Picture Sound Editors Award Best Sound Editing (Sound Effects & Foley) Alar Robert Murray
Bub Asman
David Grimaldi
Jason King		 Nominated
MTV Movie Award Best Female Performance Hilary Swank Nominated
NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actor Morgan Freeman Won
National Board of Review Award Best Film Clint Eastwood
Albert S. Ruddy
Tom Rosenberg
Paul Haggis		 Nominated
Best Director Clint Eastwood Nominated
Best Actor Nominated
New York Film Critics Circle Award Best Director Won
Producers Guild of America Award Best Theatrical Motion Picture Clint Eastwood
Albert S. Ruddy
Tom Rosenberg
Paul Haggis		 Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award Best Actress Hilary Swank Won
Best Actor Clint Eastwood Nominated
Best Director Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Morgan Freeman Nominated
Best Film Clint Eastwood
Albert S. Ruddy
Tom Rosenberg
Paul Haggis		 Nominated
Satellite Award Best Actress Hilary Swank Won
Best Adapted Screenplay Paul Haggis Won
Screen Actors Guild Award Best Actress Hilary Swank Won
Best Supporting Actor Morgan Freeman Won
Best Cast Nominated

Home media

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. An HD DVD release was issued on April 18, 2006.[23] The Blu-ray Disc version was released on November 14, 2006.[24] 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.[23][24] The film is also available online through video on demand and most major streaming platforms.

See also

References
  1. Eliot (2009), p. 309
  2. Hughes, p. 156
  3. "Million Dollar Baby (2004)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  4. Leibowitz, Ed (1 February 2008). "The Fabulist: Paul Haggis Reflects on His Career Los Angeles Magazine". Los Angeles Magazine.
  5. Cath Clarke (6 January 2011). "Paul Haggis: 'You have to question your beliefs'". The Guardian.
  6. Hughes, p. 157
  7. Fold 3 WWII Crew photos
  8. Rebecca Leung (March 2, 2005). "Hilary Swank: Oscar Gold – 60 Minutes". CBS News. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  9. Hughes, p. 160
  10. "Million Dollar Baby (2004)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  11. "Million Dollar Baby Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  12. "MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2005) A". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
  13. Ebert, Roger (7 January 2005). "Million Dollar Baby". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved 26 November 2007 – via RogerEbert.com.
  14. Medved, Michael. "My 'Million Dollar' Answer," OpinionJournal/Dow Jones & Company, Inc. (17 February 2005). Archived at TownHall.com.
  15. Rich, Frank (February 13, 2005). "How Dirty Harry Turned Commie". The New York Times.
  16. Roger Ebert (29 January 2005). "Critics have no right to play spoiler". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  17. IrishGaelicTranslator.com. Million Dollar Baby movie Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  18. Davis, Wes (26 February 2005). "Opinion | Fighting Words (Published 2005)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2015-05-29.
  19. "Metacritic: 2004 Film Critic Top Ten Lists". January 3, 2007. Archived from the original on January 3, 2007.
  20. Murray, Noel. "The Year In Film: 2004". Film.
  21. "Ebert and Roeper Top Ten Lists (2000-2005))". www.innermind.com. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  22. Dargis, Manohla; Scott, A.O. "The 25 Best Films of the 21st Century...So Far". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  23. Historical HD DVD Release Dates, High-Def Digest, accessed 12 March 2012
  24. Historical Blu-ray Release Dates, High-Def Digest, accessed 12 March 2012
Bibliography
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