Haven't seen his movie. Is Clinton Eastwood pushing assisted suicide?

million dollar/amazon ^ | feb 5 05 | churchillbuff

[churchillbuff]

I haven't seen "Million Dollar Baby," but I've heard liberals on radio say it's great - but they can't share the ending - - but it has something to do with politically "important" issues - - - then there was a hint about assisted suicide.

Now, if liberals love it (and the Oscar nominators like it) and it really does involve assisted suicide, then I would assume it's PRO-assisted suicide. AM I RIGHT? If so, that's a big disappointment - - -

[Catholic Iowan]

I never saw the movie, but since no one else has responded, I'll take a shot at it. If I understand correctly, it is true that the Church allows the use of a respirator to be discontinued as it is an extraordinary measure to keep a person alive. This is different from the Terri Schiavo case in Florida, where she is not being kept alive by extraordinary means (food and water is not extraordinary). Now, as to the film, someone who has seen it can correct me if I have read wrongly about the film, but I read that the euthanized character did not die from removing the respirator (which would just be allowing nature to take its course, letting her die, and being allowable within Church teaching), but by being injected with drugs/poison (which would be taking direct measures to actively cause the death of the character). I realize this is just a movie, but in real life, according to Catholic teaching, such actions as described above would be considered objectively sinful.

[maine-iac7]

That was a joke said with Moore in the room

don't bet on it. He says what he means straight out, sometimes knowing people will take it as, or it can be passed off as, a joke.

Rather like "hiding in plain sight"

[Borges]

All movies have a 'message'. But good art shouldn't be able to be reduced to just a message. The Cider House Rules could be hence it wasn't good art. King Lear can't be...it is.

[maine-iac7]

some social conservatives go overboard sometimes in seeing things that are not there.

Right

just like libs - for ex: someone posted that lesbians are flocking to see the movie - well, they tend to see any woman not married and doing something men usually do - "she's gotta be one of us!"

Look at all the famous people of history that the homosexuals are trying to paint as homosexuals. Who's the latest one? Lincoln, for crying out loud.!

[sayfer bullets]

I agree with that, but then it is Hollywood's 2005

[maine-iac7]

I think that he is either independant or no party afiliation is needed for that mayorship.

he IS republican - and conservative - and a damn good person

[Borges]

IMDB inline photos never come up. :) A given movie represents only the people who made it. There isn't any single monolithic Hollywood view of things. Jack Nicholson is vehemently anti-abortion for example.

[MaryJaneNC]

Yeh, and he hides it well, doesn't he?
Clint should do a movie about insane islamic terrorists.

[Indie]

As usual, your posts reflect one of my favorite "real" voices of reason on FR.

Indie

[BradyLS]

The movie is great for the first 90 minutes. It's the last 45 that stand it on its head. For the movie to portray assisted suicide sympathetically, a lot (IMO) "forced perspective" is brought in to the film to make the Frankie character do the deed.

Let me put it this way. Christopher Reeve, in real life, found something to live for. The movie doesn't allow its fictional heroine to find the same hope.

[churchillbuff]

Hate to make too much of this, but aren't you a freeper who doesn't like McClintock? Maybe you have a problem with torpedoes-be-damned, principled conservatism in general?

[BradyLS]

Sometimes a movie is just a movie.

I can agree with that. And Roger Ebert says that what makes a movie great is not what its about, but how it goes being about it.

Well, I'm more than a little sick and tired of films that are slight variations of the brilliantly-rendered-but-with-a-surprise-twist human train wreck movie.

And I would myself avoid these films to let others enjoy them without comment if Hollywood wouldn't portray these fiascos as one kind of movie while delivering another.

[finnigan2]

"It's a good flick. There is no agenda. There is an assisted suicide at the end."

- I don't have a big problem with the assisted suicide aspect, after all, isn't that what happened at the end of "The English Patient"? It's just a device to show what such a decision does to the Clint Eastwood character.
However, what I've heard which does bother me (I haven't yet seen the movie) is that apparently the priest whom Clint's character consults before carrying out the killing, is made out to be some kind of useless buffoon who isn't even familiar with Catholic theology on the subject of mercy killing.
Thus, if true, the pros and cons of the killing are not fairly presented to the viewer and in the process the Church's position is made to seem irrelevant and even foolish to any decision on the subject.

[Non-Sequitur]

However, what I've heard which does bother me (I haven't yet seen the movie) is that apparently the priest whom Clint's character consults before carrying out the killing, is made out to be some kind of useless buffoon who isn't even familiar with Catholic theology on the subject of mercy killing.

I don't think so. One aspect of Eastwood's character is that he attends mass daily and pesters the priest with inane and insulting questions on theology, which the priest reacts to in the same manner as anyone else would. The priest does make a very valid observation when he tells Eastwood's character that in his experience one reason why people attend mass daily is that they have something that they can't forgive themselves for, which accurately described Frankie. I don't think that they made him out as a buffoon, just someone fed up with a pest.

[NorCalRepub]

well I have only mentioned McClintock once in all my postings and I said that he would be my main candidate except for the fact I was so scared Bustamante would win that I voted for Arnold and mnay others said the same thing to me as well........why would you like many her question my conservatism by one comment?????? Just curious as many here think any one is a RINO or traitor if they have any independent thoughts they don't agree with.....just curious

[hc87]

Well the character has a broken neck and can't breath without a respirator. She is, however, completely lucid. Essentially her injury is the same as Christopher Reeve's. Prior to the assisted suicide she expresses a desire to end her life and later attempts suicide (twice) on her own. Both times she is revived by the hospital staff.

I guess what I'm asking is does the Catholic Church view the use of a respirator by someone with a high neck break as "burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome", to quote the Catechism, if the person with the injury has expressed a desire to accept death without the intervention. Clearly, Catevhism papa. 2278 contemplates the patient making these decisions on his or her own (with spiritual guidance from the Church).

[Rakkasan1]

Micheal Medved said if you don't like the Passion's premise
,don't see it. Why can't that concept be equally applied with this movie?

Eastwood made a movie based on a book. A book he didn't write. Was he supposed to re-write the book?

[churchillbuff]

well I have only mentioned McClintock once in all my postings""""

sorry, I had you confused with another freeper who's always dissing McClintock, even now. Apologies

[Catholic Iowan]

Though not 100% sure, I believe the use of a respirator in such circumstances would still be seen as extraordinary. Others with a better understanding are welcome to correct me if I am wrong. That being said, such a condition would still not justify ending the life by an injection of drugs/poison.

[SunnySide]

Eastwood is listed as a libertarian. Which I'm inclined to believe with his track record for multiple marriages and live in affairs and having children in and out of wedlock, etc.