*** Official MILLION DOLLAR BABY Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Ray Chuang]

Robert Crawford, you wrote:


You really have to wonder did Warner Brothers did any test screenings for Million Dollar Baby. It sounds like they didn't do this, hence the reason why they kept the "downer" ending. If I remember correctly, they changed the ending to Fatal Attraction due to the fact at a test screening the audience negatively reacted to the original version.

 

[Patrick Sun]

M$B was a pet project for Eastwood, and it didn't happen until someone put up the other half of the $25 million budget, so I doubt WB was all that worried about test screenings for a small film that didn't tie up a lot of WB money, thus a more hands-off stance by the WB for M$B.

 

[Eric Peterson]

Plus, Eastwood has quite a bit of pull at WB. He's been one of their primary bread-winners for 30+ years, and he's earned the right to do what he wants with limited studio interference. As I recall, the studio wasn't too big on making "Unforgiven".

 

[Ray Chuang]

Eric Peterson, you wrote:


Ah, so! Of course, one thing about Eastwood is the fact he tends to produce a single movie at a lightning-fast pace; I've heard that Million Dollar Baby and last year's Mystic River had production times well under two months from start of principal photograhy to final cut! I remember reading that Tim Robbins was amazed at the fast production schedule for Mystic River.

 

[Todd Terwilliger]

FYI, I think I read his next project is at Dreamworks rather than Warners. There was a pretty good article and interview with Eastwood in EW.

 

[Ken Chan]

Damn liberals

 

[Nick Sievers]

Tremendous film. Expertly directed, written and acted. I'm so glad I knew nothing about the third act of this film before going in, it made the whole experience all the more powerful. I also loved hearing Morgan Freeman narrate the film, he does it perfectly once again. Looking around the theatre it seems a lot of people loved it as well, about half didn't leave until the final credit rolled.

Minor detail nit-pick, did anyone else notice that Hilary Swank's boxing persona is Irish yet she enters the ring with two guys playing the bag pipes?

 

[Haggai]

Aren't bag pipes played in Ireland, as well as in Scotland?

 

[ZacharyTait]

I saw this along with the Aviator today and I made the mistake of seeing this film first. This is far and away the best film of 2004. Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and especially Hilary Swank are absolutely magnificent. I had no idea what was coming and when I saw Maggie falling towards the stool, I had to physically prevent myself from looking away.

How did this film not get a Cinematography nomination? This along with Collateral should have been a shoo-in. I loved the lighting of the film, especially the shot of Frank watching Maggie and you only see his legs and not his face.

I knew going into it that the priest was different from other cinematic priest and I was still surprised at how real and human he was. I'm so used to the clergy being villianized in the movies that it was refreshing seeing this one. His banter with Frankie was terrific.

I didn't have a problem with Maggie's family. It was obvious from the start that they didn't appreciate her for what she was and only at the end, did they pretend to care so that they could get her money. If they really loved her, they would have came straight from Missouri to the hospital instead of doing the touristy stuff first. Nor did I have a problem with the retarded kid. He is the gym's mascot and is there for inspiration for the other fighters.

I will be rooting for M$B to sweep the Academy Awards. It has a chance to join It Happened One Night, One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest, and Silence of the Lambs, to win the top 5 Oscars.

I had tears in my eyes at the end and that doesn't happen very often at the movies.

 

[Nick Sievers]

Hmm I just looked it up and you're right, Haggai. Guess i've just always associated them as being Scottish only.

Well my only other nit-pick would be the one Robert brought up earlier about the 'dirty' tactics of the German boxer being a little over the top.


Wow, I just assumed it had been nominated. The photography in the film was something that stood out immediately to me.

 

[ZacharyTait]

Nick,

The five that were nominated for Best Cinematography are: The Aviator, House of Flying Daggers, The Passion of the Christ, The Phantom of the Opera, and A Very Long Engagement.

 

[Tino]

Well Edwin??

We're waiting!

 

[Ernest Rister]

Million Dollar Baby was a splendid film that I really enjoyed but I must agree that the cartoonish treatment of the boxer's family was a small blemish on an otherwise terrific film.

I didn't find them cartoonish at all. In fact, they explained a lot about Maggie's character in a short span of time. The way they use words to slice into Maggie, the way they reject out of hand Maggie's attempts to please them -- it explains why Maggie is alone in the world, and certainly why the sport of boxing would appeal to her, as it would naturally become a release.

But that's a structural point, as to the family being too over the top, or cliched, I was born in Central Texas, my parents grew up on small cotton and maize farms -- I have distant relatives who make these M$B characters look like Stephen Hawking in comparison.

Danger is the only character that I felt was a bit out there. Since the character was also from Texas, one must conclude he was an A&M graduate. "How do they get all that ice through that small hole..."

LOL...

 

[ZacharyTait]

Jim Emerson, editor of RogerEbert.com discusses M$B

Roger Ebert discusses M$B.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Nice article by Ebert. As the film hits the mainstream, I see some of the small-minded "critics" are out in force, rigidly wanting others to adhere to their thought processes and value system. I will say it's a bit ironic that Ebert brings up the spoiler issue. I usually wait to read Ebert until after I've seen the respective film, because I find that he gives away more than I'd like. Though not intentionally like the *****s mentioned in the commentary.

In this case, his review was excellent and responsible. I am fortunate to have NOT had the film "spoiled", though I had to expend effort to do that (my review is more specific). And that saved the power of the story for the experience. Which *IS* meaningful, and it's why so many of us are disagreeable to spoilers. They take away our ability to respond as the audience to what we are seeing.

After seeing the film, I was surprised that this controversial topic wasn't mentioned until Page 3. I was surprised at the backlash until I saw Medved's name, and understood where it was coming from. It's not to the film, but the choice in it. Typical. While it is a topic I feel strongly about, this thread isn't the right place for it, for the reasons Ebert mentions. The film is true to it's characters.

Honesty is such a rare commodity in films, and clearly journalism as well

Take care,
Chuck

 

[Tim Glover]

Actually Ernest, it's been confirmed that Danger attended texas university in austin. At least that's where he's saying he got his panty-hose from.

 

[Patrick Sun]

FYI: Hilary Swank will be interviewed by Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes tomorrow night on CBS (usually 7 p.m. EST).

 

[Haggai]

Timobi, I'm glad you liked this movie as much as most of us here did, myself certainly included. When you were talking about Finding Neverland being your favorite of the year in another thread, I was thinking, "ah, but he does not yet know the ways of M$B." Not to knock Neverland, but you know what I mean. Looking forward to Seth Paxton's thoughts on it as well.

 

[Tim Glover]

to Haggai. I've seen Neverland twice now and certainly will get in another M$B asap. I also plan to see Sideways thus completing the five noms. I should have been more careful in promoting Neverland the greateast of 04 until I had seen all the noms. Lesson learned. :b

Neverland has it's own power & strong emotion. M$B tackles a much bigger topic which I guess ultimately makes it stand out more. I'm trying to remember a year when there were this many powerful dramas that I loved? And also seen so close together?

You know, some have said that 2004 was a weaker year, but I think it's stronger than last year. There's no LOTR or M/Commander or that "event" film...but 2004 has given us some powerful, emotional, and thought provoking films like Spotless Mind, Neverland, & Million Dollar Baby

Now that I think about it, Spidey 2 & HP 3 do qualify as event films, but 2004 had some movies that hit me unexpectantly.

And with 2005 being the final year for Star Wars, this is encouraging...

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

I saw it today not knowing much about it (on purpose) and loved it. I too balled at the last half of the movie.
So, I am curious to know, and I guess it is left open for interpretation, did Clint's character
ever reconnect with his daughter? Could he have been sitting with her in the diner at the end?

What does everyone else think?