Free Republic

My 'Million Dollar' Answer Why would a conservative criticize Clint Eastwood's latest work? I'll tell you. BY MICHAEL MEDVED Thursday, February 17, 2005 12:01 a.m. As the Oscar campaign comes down to its climactic concluding days, I've been amazed to see much of the ferocious battle for Best Picture improbably and irrationally focused on . . . me. In recent weeks, some of the nation's most influential cultural observers have chosen to concentrate their Academy Awards commentary on my harsh reaction on radio and TV about the deceptive packaging of Clint Eastwood's boxing-and-euthanasia epic, "Million Dollar Baby." Roger Ebert raised...

I'll tell you. As the Oscar campaign comes down to its climactic concluding days, I've been amazed to see much of the ferocious battle for Best Picture improbably and irrationally focused on … me. In recent weeks, some of the nation's most influential cultural observers have chosen to concentrate their Academy Awards commentary on my harsh reaction on radio and TV about the deceptive packaging of Clint Eastwood's boxing-and-euthanasia epic, "Million Dollar Baby." Roger Ebert raised the issue in several columns, attacking my decision to mention the movie's crucial assisted-suicide theme as "unforgivable." Maureen Dowd portrayed me as a witless censor...

They really should have known it wasn’t going to work out when he suggested that “Ellen DeGeneres has crabs.” Sentiments like that are never positive. Perhaps they also should have reviewed one of his lively comic routines before hiring him. Maybe then they would have learned that he’s a racist swine with a penchant for ideas that would make death row inmates blush. Abortion in America is “beautiful”? Not good. No serious person was really surprised to learn that Chris Rock believes only gays watch the Oscars. After his position on gay marriage was recently exposed—“f*** them fa**ots,” he explained...

To me, Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby is just routine Hollywood product but with a much higher-than-usual schmaltz content. It's not even worth a review. Quite obviously, Hilary Swank's character never had a chance. She was conceived, born, brought to adulthood and finally killed off for no other purpose than the evocation of pathos in her sad ending. From her dirt poor beginnings in a Missouri trailer park, the good daughter of a welfare cheat and an absent father, to her job waiting tables for minimum wage to her burning ambition to box to her apparent friendlessness and lack of...

Orson Scott Card gives here very interesting reviews of The Wedding Date and Racing Stripes. Follow the link to read them. But his review of the Million Dollar Baby is absolutely fantastic: Million Dollar Baby is being touted as Clint Eastwood's best performance ever, and it probably is -- though the film editor didn't have to select the take where snot bubbled out of his nose when he was crying. It's also a fine performance by Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman, with director Clint Eastwood doing a wonderful job of evoking a time and milieu as he draws memorable performances...

IS THE WORLD REALLY READY FOR the 21st James Bond? Word filtered out recently that the affluent and rather haughty proprietors of the Bond franchise had hired a director, Martin CampbellMartin Campbell, and are scratching around for a new star. According to the Bond rumor mill, Pierce BrosnanPierce Brosnan, who'd weathered four Bonds, had priced himself out of the market (his proposed compensation package would total out north of $40 million). Sony, which inherited the franchise with the acquisition of MGM, understandably favors Clive OwenClive Owen as his successor. But does anyone care? London's Guardian delivered its vote recently, recounting...

Hollywood is set to honor at the Oscars a violent film that culminates in murder. The Passion of the Christ? No, Million Dollar Baby. Hollywood couldn't bear to see Jesus Christ suffer and die for man's sins, but it watches with bated breath and an approving gaze as Clint Eastwood in Million Dollar Baby kills a disabled female boxer with a grim efficiency worthy of Dirty Harry. Criminal euthanasia is an act of gratuitous violence that Hollywood will celebrate. Normally fans of "obscenity," Hollywood luminaries dusted that word off and used it as a criticism of Mel Gibson's movie. He...

The forerunner of "Million Dollar Baby" was the very entertaining Nazi movie "I Accuse," which won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival and was the propaganda that Dr. Goebbels used to convince the German people to switch their vote from "vehemently opposed to the holocaust" to over 60 percent in favor of so-called "mercy killing." In fact, "I Accuse" is a very subtle film that inspired the killing of millions of people. Dr. Joseph Goebbels was the National Socialist (Nazi) propaganda minister from 1933 to 1945. He exploited radio, press, cinema and theater in Germany to destroy the...

Clint Eastwood's ''Million Dollar Baby'' has scored seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Alejandro Amenabar's ''The Sea Inside'' has come away with two, including Best Foreign Language Film. What links both movies? The message that it's kind to help a paralyzed person die. To our knowledge, few critics have picked up on the films' shared ''right-to-die'' message. Had the plot been racial or homophobic killing, however, we'd be hearing an outcry (if the movie ever got made at all). Why the silence? We think it's because much of society believes it's the right thing to do, to...

We're two weeks out from the big Oscar night, and the prospects for a little conflict are looking up. Just when it seemed that Hollywood had turned a post election page in the culture wars, the commissars of the right have cooked up a new, if highly unlikely grievance against 'Hollywierd' as they so wittly call it. They couldn't complain that 'The Passion of the Christ' was snubbed by the movie industry elite (read: Jews) since it nailed three nominations. That showing not only bested 'Fahrenheit 911,' but the years top moneymaker 'Spiderman 2.'No matter. Rush Limbaugh used his megaphone...

Medved on O'Reilly tonight to debate Million Dollar Baby. Fox: 8 Easter / 5 Pacific

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 - - -

I saw 'Million Dollar Baby' and was dazzled. But then Rush Limbaugh, Michael Medved and other conservatives howled that Dirty Harry playing Dr. Kevorkian sends a positive message about euthanasia.The culture cops are unmoved that Clint Eastwoods boxing manager, Frankie, is a Catholic who goes to Mass every day and agonizes about the morality of his actions.Mr. Meved wrote that Academy Award nominations for 'Million Dollar Baby' and 'The Sea Inside,' which feature plots about assisted suicide, combined with the snubs of 'The Passion of the Christ,' illustrate Hollywood's profound, almost pathological discomfort with the traditional religiosity embraced by most...

Movie star Clint Eastwood is the winner of the best director award from the Director's Guild of America. Eastwood received the prestigious award in Beverly Hills, California Saturday for his critically acclaimed film Million Dollar Baby, beating out fellow American director Martin Scorsese. He was nominated for The Aviator, a biography of the late billionaire Howard Hughes. The 74-year-old Eastwood directed, produced, starred-in and wrote some of the music for his drama about a boxing trainer and reluctant mentor to a scrappy female fighter. The award makes the veteran filmmaker the favorite to win as best director at next month's...

"Million Dollar Baby” will win the Academy Awards.  Not because it’s the Best Picture.  But because it’s Hollywood’s best political propaganda of the year.  More effective than “Fahrenheit 911.”Think “Baby” is about Rocky in a sports-bra—as it’s being marketed?  You’ve fallen for the “Million Dollar” lie.  What it’s really about, has nothing to do with Rocky Balboa or boxing.  That’s just the cover story to suck movie-goers in for a nefarious message. “Baby”—which has critics gushing all over each other—is a two-hour, twenty-minute exercise in subtle and then not-so-subtle left-wing diatribe.  If you plan to see the movie and don’t...

If you have not yet seen "Million Dollar Baby" and know nothing about the plot, read no further. The characters in movies do not always do what we would do. Sometimes they make choices that offend us. That is their right. It is our right to disagree with them. It is not our right, however, to destroy for others the experience of being as surprised by those choices as we were. A few years ago, I began to notice "spoiler warnings" on Web-based movie reviews -- a shorthand way of informing the reader that a key plot point was about...

Famed actor and director Clint Eastwood is being condemned by disabled groups who say his award-winning film, "Million Dollar Baby," perpetuates the view that lives of people with disabilities are not worth living. Eastwood directs the film, in which he also acts, with Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman. It's been identified by critics as a top contender for an Academy Award since Eastwood and Swank won Golden Globes for Best Director and Best Actress. The story about a young female boxer who seeks out an elderly trainer to help her achieve her dream of being the best takes a sudden...

Moore is in the line of Clint's ire Clint Eastwood squinted like Dirty Harry Tuesday night as he took aim at Michael Moore. "Michael Moore and I actually have a lot in common - we both appreciate living in a country where there's free expression," Eastwood told the star-dotted crowd attending the National Board of Review awards dinner at Tavern on the Green, where Eastwood picked up a Special Filmmaking Achievement prize for "Million Dollar Baby." Then, the Republican-leaning actor/director advised the lefty filmmaker: "But, Michael, if you ever show up at my front door with a camera - I'll...

“Million Dollar Baby’s” Multi-Million Dollar Rip-Off By Debbie Schlussel “Million Dollar Baby” will win the Academy Awards. Not because it’s the Best Picture. But because it’s Hollywood’s best political propaganda of the year. More effective than “Fahrenheit 911.” Think “Baby” is about Rocky in a sports-bra—as it’s being marketed? You’ve fallen for the “Million Dollar” lie. What it’s really about, has nothing to do with Rocky Balboa or boxing. That’s just the cover story to suck movie-goers in for a nefarious message. “Baby”—which has critics gushing all over each other—is a two-hour, twenty-minute exercise in subtle and then not-so-subtle left-wing...