Hosted by Andrew Quinn and Darren Mooney, and this week with special guests Ronan Doyle and Aoife Martin, The 250 is a weekly trip through some of the best (and worst) movies ever made, as voted for by Internet Movie Database Users. New episodes are released Saturdays at 6pm GMT.
This week, Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby.
Frankie Dunn was once the best cut man in the business, but has retired to spend his autumn years managing a failing boxing gym and trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter Katy. However, he crosses paths with a young and promising boxer, Maggie Fitzgerald. Frankie is initially insistent that he doesn’t train female fighters, but soon discovers that Maggie has a unique aptitude for the sport. Frankie grapples with the possibility that Maggie might just have what it takes to go all the way.
At time of recording, it was ranked 179th on the list of the best movies of all time on the Internet Movie Database.
Show Notes:
- Recorded 15th July 2024.
- Million Dollar Baby at The Internet Movie Database.
- The IMDb Top 250 at time of recording.
- Read Aoife’s articles at The Journal.
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- Clint Eastwood presents Al Ruddy with the Best Picture Oscar, March 1973.
- Hillel Italie at The Independent writes an obituary for Al Ruddy, May 2024.
- John Schulian at Sports Illustrated looks at the history and development of Million Dollar Baby, January 2005.
- Al Ruddy talks to /film about his life and career, June 2020.
- Anjelica Huston talks to The Guardian about her involvement with Million Dollar Baby, December 2006.
- John Horn and Susan King at The Los Angeles Times discuss the history and development of Million Dollar Baby, February 2005.
- William Hughes at The A.V. Club considers Cahiers du Cinema‘s favourite films of the decade, December 2019.
- Joshua Meyer at /film reports on A History of Violence as the last major VHS release, March 2022.
- Sam Dolnick at The New York Times considers the long production development history of Clint Eastwood’s The Mule, December 2018.
- Kenneth Turan talks to NPR about the long production and development history of Cry Macho, September 2021.
- Mia Galuppo and Borys Kit at The Hollywood Reporter cover the announcement of Juror No. 2, April 2023.
- Clint Eastwood receives that Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award at the Academy Awards, March 1995.
- Clint Eastwood receives the American Film Institute‘s Life Achievement Award, 1996.
- Sharon Waxman and David M. Halbfinger at The New York Times report on the Oscars success of Million Dollar Baby, February 2005.
- Pete Hammond at Deadline explores Peter O’Toole’s complicated relationship with the Oscars, December 2013.
- Christopher Orr at Salon considers the complicated politics of Clint Eastwood’s filmography, February 2005.
- Richard Brody at The New Yorker considers the complicated relationship between Clint Eastwood and Pauline Kael, October 2011.
- Christina Newland at The British Film Institute considers Pauline Kael’s complicated relationship to Hollywood’s leading men, August 2019.
- Ciara Moloney at The Sundae considers the reaction to Dirty Harry, February 2020.
- Darren Mooney considers the complicated politics of Magnum Force, June 2024.
- Roger Ebert reviews Million Dollar Baby for The Chicago Sun Times, December 2004.
- Clint Eastwood talks to Film Comment about the use of light and shadow in Film Comment, January/February 2005.
- Clint Eastwood talks to Today about the production of Million Dollar Baby, January 2005.
- Kenneth Turan at The Los Angeles Times considers the steady creative team that Eastwood works with on his movies, including Million Dollar Baby, December 2004.
- Wesley Morris at Grantland wonders why Hilary Swank doesn’t work more often, May 2014.
- Louise Boyle at The Daily Mail looks back at the relationship between Clint Eastwood and his daughter Laurie Murray, December 2018.
- Clint Eastwood talks to The Toronto Star about becoming a better father, December 2008.
- Claudia Puig at The Los Angeles Times reports on the end of the relationship between Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke, May 1989.
- Ann W. O’Neill and Efrain Hernandez at The Los Angeles Times report on the settlement between Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke, September 1996.
- Karina Longworth at You Must Remember This considers the complicated relationship between Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke, April 2023.
- Jim Emerson at RogerEbert.com considers the popularity and the success of Million Dollar Baby, March 2005.
- Josh Young at The Independent considers Clint Eastwood’s possible political career, May 1997.
- Riki Lindhome talks to I Was There Too about working on Million Dollar Baby, February 2018.
- Wes David at The New York Times considers the Irishness of Million Dollar Baby, February 2005.
- Ed Mackey at The New York Times reports on the injury to Barnabas Varga, June 2024.
- Tim Rutten at The Los Angeles Times considers the preservation of spoilers around Million Dollar Baby, February 2005.
- Jim Emerson at RogerEbert.com considers the political controversy over Million Dollar Baby, February 2005.
- Christopher Orr at The Atlantic considers the complicated space that Million Dollar Baby occupies in American culture, July 2005.
- Clint Eastwood talks to The Los Angeles Times about the controversies around Million Dollar Baby, January 2005.
- John Semley at The Globe and Mail considers the art and the politics of Clint Eastwood, January 2018.
- Andrew Sarris reviews Million Dollar Baby at Observer, January 2005.
- Michael Cieply at Deadline reports on Al Ruddy’s advice to Leonardo DiCaprio after Million Dollar Baby trumped it at the Academy Awards, September 2021.
- Lucia Ritjker talks to The Los Angeles Times about her life and career, July 2005.
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Filed under: The 250 | Tagged: american dream, aoife martin, Boxing, Clint Eastwood, daughter, fatherhood, hilary swank, Million Dollar Baby, Morgan Freeman, Oscars, paternity, podcast, ronan doyle, spoilers, The 250 |
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