'Million Dollar Baby' Wins Best Picture Oscar | Fox News 'Million Dollar Baby' Wins Best Picture Oscar Published February 28, 2005 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Email Print LOS ANGELES – It was a 'Million Dollar' night. Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" ( search ) won the Oscar for best picture Sunday night, beating its major competitor, "The Aviator." The emotional movie about a female boxer and her coach also took three other trophies, including honors for director Eastwood, lead-actress Hilary Swank ( search ) and supporting-actor Morgan Freeman ( search ). "I'm just a kid -- I've got a lot of stuff to do yet," a beaming Eastwood said after taking the director prize. Fast Facts: Complete List of Oscar Winners Eastwood, who at 74 became the oldest directing winner ever, noted his mother was with him when his Western "Unforgiven" won the 1992 best-picture and directing Oscar. "She's here with me again tonight, so at 96, I'm thanking her for her genes," Eastwood said.

Martin Scorsese ( search ), director of "The Aviator" and one of American cinema's most esteemed filmmakers, lost to Eastwood in the directing category. Losing for the fifth time Sunday night, Scorsese matched the record of Oscar futility held by a handful of legendary filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock and Robert Altman, who also went 0-for-5 in the directing category. "The Aviator" had led contenders with 11 nominations. It came away with the most Oscars, its five awards including the supporting-actress prize for Cate Blanchett ( search ). The award for best actress went to Swank for "Million Dollar Baby." "I'm just a girl from a trailer park who had a dream," Swank said, looking the part in an elegant deep-blue backless gown. Swank, who won the best-actress Oscar five years ago for "Boys Don't Cry," once again beat out main rival Annette Bening, nominated for the theater farce "Being Julia." Bening had been the front-runner for "American Beauty" five years ago but lost to underdog Swank.

Swank joined Vivien Leigh, Helen Hayes, Sally Field and Luise Rainer as the only actresses with a perfect track record at the Oscars: Two nominations and two wins. The Oscar for best actor went to Jamie Foxx ( search ) for "Ray." Foxx was considered a shoo-in for the award, due to his uncanny performance as late music legend Ray Charles. The wins by Freeman and Foxx followed Denzel Washington and Halle Berry's triumph three years ago for "Training Day" and "Monster's Ball," the only other time blacks claimed two acting Oscars. Renee Zellweger, last year's best supporting actress for "Cold Mountain," presented the best supporting actor award, which went to Freeman for "Million Dollar Baby." It was his first Oscar. Freeman thanked director Eastwood and star Swank, saying the emotional boxing movie was "a labor of love." Freeman was the favorite for that award, though Thomas Haden Church of "Sideways" and Clive Owen of "Closer" offered strong competition.

Tim Robbins, last year's best supporting actor for "Mystic River," presented the award for best supporting actress, which went to Blanchett for "The Aviator." "This is an indescribable surprise and honor," said the actress, who was praised for her impression of Howard Hughes' lover Katharine Hepburn. It was her first Oscar. Blanchett was the favorite for supporting actress, but Virginia Madsen of "Sideways" and Natalie Portman of the sex drama "Closer" offered strong competition. Comedian Chris Rock ( search ) started off the Oscars with a swear word ("Sit your asses down!") and continued with a series of funny but insulting jokes that took aim at everyone from Nicole Kidman to Tobey Maguire to President Bush. "The only acting you ever see at the Oscars is when people act like they're not mad they lost," Rock said. He recalled the year when Berry won and fellow nominee "Nicole Kidman was smiling so wide, she should have won an Emmy at the Oscars for her great performance.

I was like, if you'd done that in the movie, you'd have won an Oscar, girl." The superhero action comedy "The Incredibles" won the animated-feature prize, beating 2004's biggest box-office hit, the fairy-tale sequel "Shrek 2." It was the second-straight animated Oscar for Pixar Animation, which won a year ago for "Finding Nemo." Among the other Oscars: The award for best adapted screenplay went to Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor for "Sideways." The award for best original screenplay went to Charlie Kaufman for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." "The Sea Inside," directed by Spain's Alejandro Amenábar, won for best foreign language film. Al Pacino presented a lifetime achievement award to "Dog Day Afternoon" director Sidney Lumet. Eastwood, who directed a segment of Scorsese's music-documentary TV series "The Blues," had kind words for his rival backstage. "I was kind of a little disappointed when they started building a competition between Marty and me," Eastwood said.

"I have the greatest respect for him and all the films he's done over the years." It was the second straight year an Eastwood film won two of the four acting Oscars. Last year, Eastwood's dark morality play "Mystic River" earned the lead-actor prize for Sean Penn and the supporting-actor award for Robbins. Eastwood, whose first credited screen role came in the 1955 Francis the Talking Mule flick "Francis in the Navy," has climbed in the ensuing half-century to the ranks of Billy Wilder, David Lean, Robert Wise and Steven Spielberg, other filmmakers who have won two or more directing Oscars. Uncertainty was in the air for Hollywood's big night Sunday, with an Academy Awards show potentially packed with drama yet lacking the box-office muscle to ensure a decent TV viewing audience. Unlike last year, when "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" dominated the awards as expected and flat-out front-runners took all four acting prizes, the 77th Oscars shaped up as a mixed bag, with only "Ray" star Foxx a virtual lock to win. With no huge hits among top nominees, Oscar organizers worried that TV ratings could dwindle for the live ABC broadcast.

The Oscars tend to draw their biggest audiences when blockbusters such as "Titanic" or "Return of the King" are in the mix, stoking viewer interest. Producers of the show hoped the presence of mouthy first-time host Rock might boost ratings, particularly among younger viewers who may view the Oscars as too staid an affair. Organizers also were trying to spice up the show with new presentation tactics, including herding all nominees on stage at the same time, beauty-pageant style, for some awards. There was no uncertainty about the enthusiasm on Hollywood Boulevard ( search ) outside the Kodak Theatre, where excited fans packed into bleachers along the red carpet after waiting for hours to get in. "It's American royalty," said Barbara Doyle, 57. "We don't have the queen. We have actors and actresses." "I've always wanted to do this," said 48-year-old Pam Ford, who won front-row seats from a TV station and brought three friends. "To win and sit in the front row, it's beyond comprehension, anything I ever dreamed of. I could die tomorrow." FOX News' Jennifer D'Angelo and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Advertisement trailer million dollar baby - YouTube trailer million dollar baby Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on May 27, 2006 us trailer million dollar baby directed by clint eastwood 4 oscar 2005 best film best director , swank , freeman cesar 2006 best film in france Category Million Dollar Baby [DVD] [2005]: Amazon.co.uk: Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Baruchel, Mike Colter, Lucia Rijker, BrÃ­an F. O'Byrne, Anthony Mackie, Margo Martindale, Riki Lindhome, Michael PeÃ±a, Benito Martinez, Albert S. Ruddy, Gary Lucchesi, Paul Haggis, Robert Lorenz, F.X.

Toole: DVD & Blu-ray Million Dollar Baby [DVD] [2005] Hilary Swank (Actor), Clint Eastwood (Actor, Director, Producer) Rated: Suitable for 15 years and over Format: DVD Â£2.80 & FREE Delivery in the UK on orders dispatched by Amazon over Â£20. Details Only 2 left in stock. This item can be delivered to your selected dispatch location in the United States. Details Sold by A ENTERTAINMENT and Fulfilled by Amazon . Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) is a service Amazon offers sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's warehouses, and Amazon directly does the picking, packing, shipping and customer service on these items. Something Amazon hopes you'll especially enjoy: FBA items are eligible for and for Amazon Prime just as if they were Amazon items. If you're a seller, you can increase your sales significantly by using Fulfilment by Amazon. We invite you to learn more about this programme . Note: This item is eligible for click and collect. Details Pick up your parcel at a time and place that suits you.

Choose from over 13,000 locations across the UK Prime members get unlimited deliveries at no additional cost How to order to an Amazon Pickup Location? Find your preferred location and add it to your address book Dispatch to this address when you check out Million Dollar Baby [DVD] [2005] Â£2.80 & FREE Delivery in the UK on orders dispatched by Amazon over Â£20. Details Only 2 left in stock. Sold by A ENTERTAINMENT and Fulfilled by Amazon . Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) is a service Amazon offers sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's warehouses, and Amazon directly does the picking, packing, shipping and customer service on these items. Something Amazon hopes you'll especially enjoy: FBA items are eligible for and for Amazon Prime just as if they were Amazon items. If you're a seller, you can increase your sales significantly by using Fulfilment by Amazon. We invite you to learn more about this programme . Frequently Bought Together One of these items is dispatched sooner than the other.

Show details Buy the selected items together This item:Million Dollar Baby [DVD] [2005] by Hilary Swank DVD Â£2.80 Only 2 left in stock. Sold by A ENTERTAINMENT and sent from Amazon Fulfillment. FREE Delivery on orders over Â£20. Details Gran Torino [DVD] [2009] by Clint Eastwood DVD Â£1.99 Only 4 left in stock. Sold by A ENTERTAINMENT and sent from Amazon Fulfillment. FREE Delivery on orders over Â£20. Details What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item? 4.5 out of 5 stars 479 Â£1.99 Amazon Prime Language: English Subtitles: English Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats. ) Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.77:1 DVD Release Date: 27 Jun. 2005 Run Time: 132 minutes Product Description Product Description Academy Award-winning drama directed by and starring Clint Eastwood.

Frankie Dunn (Eastwood), a down-on-his-luck former boxing manager, runs a small gym in downtown Los Angeles. One day, Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) enters Frankie's gym and announces she needs a trainer. Frankie doesn't think much of women boxing and Maggie lacks experience and has no technique. However, she sees boxing as her one chance at a better life and won't give up easily From Amazon.co.uk Clint Eastwood's 25th film as a director, Million Dollar Baby stands proudly with Unforgiven and Mystic River as the masterwork of a great American filmmaker. In an age of bloated spectacle and computer-generated effects extravaganzas, Eastwood turns an elegant screenplay by Paul Haggis (adapted from the book Rope Burns: Stories From the Corner by F.X. Toole, a pseudonym for veteran boxing manager Jerry Boyd) into a simple, humanitarian example of classical filmmaking, as deeply felt in its heart-wrenching emotions as it is streamlined in its character-driven storytelling.

In the course of developing powerful bonds between "white-trash" Missouri waitress and aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), her grizzled, reluctant trainer Frankie Dunn (Eastwood), and Frankie's best friend and training-gym partner Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris (Morgan Freeman), 74-year-old Eastwood mines gold from each and every character, resulting in stellar work from his well-chosen cast. Containing deep reserves of love, loss, and the universal desire for something better in hard-scrabble lives, Million Dollar Baby emerged, quietly and gracefully, as one of the most acclaimed films of 2004, released just in time to earn an abundance of year-end accolades, all of them well-deserved. --Jeff Shannon Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. By The Inspired One on 11 Feb. 2008 Format: DVD I have only recently viewed this film and two days on, I am still deeply affected and moved by the story.

That surely is the sign of a great film maker (Eastwood) and script. The story begins as a typical yarn about a young woman from the wrong side of the tracks who has a dream, a relentless determination and self-belief to make something of herself through boxing. She persuades the grizzly trainer played by Clint Eastward to take her on and Morgan Freeman narrates with his hallmark understated, commanding tones. The film knocks the wind out of you when it takes a turn that is completely unexpected and leaves you numbed with shock as the tragic events unfurl. The performances by all the lead characters are superb and the film's impact will stay with you for a long time. 14 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again By scoon2 VINE VOICE on 27 Oct. 2005 Format: DVD Million Dollar Baby is a quite wonderful piece of work from Clint Eastwood. It is quite unlike any other boxing movie previously seen. There is a superb script by Paul Haggis who has recently written and directed Crash to much acclaim.

Direction here though is by Mr Eastwood himself and it is not hard to see why he won the Best Director Oscar for this. His acting as Frank, the grizzled manager, is also fine and must rank as one of his best performances. Hilary Swank as Maggie, the female fighter, is also fantastic and brings the character completely to life. Another deserved Oscar-winning performance. Morgan Freeman provides top support and Clint also wrote the music for this.The movie lasts over two hours but the time just flies in. This really is a 'must see' movie. Comment 18 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again By Donald Thompson VINE VOICE on 4 Nov. 2005 Format: DVD Verified Purchase This was a multi Oscar winning movie, so I expected empty headed Hollywood glitz and show. Boy was I wrong. This movie is a treat. From the spoken opening by the ever reliable Morgan Freeman to the closing shot which may or may not be Clint Eastwood, it is bold, brave, unpredictable and wholly satisfying. What if it is about boxing, and female boxing at that?

That is not the core of this film. Its all about relationships, redemption and revelation. Clint finally plays his age and it suits his looks. Worn, haggard and world weary. Freeman can do this role better than anyone, but don't let his laidback style fool you. He is at the top of his game. The plaudits go to an outstanding performance by Hilary Swank, she cannot have made more than a dozen movies, but two Oscars tells you all you need to know about her talent. A performance which takes her from "no account white trash" to heroine in a staggeringly powerful performance. This is a truly classic movie, it has moments of comedy, high tension, drama, black humour and genuine emotion. Not manufactured emotion, but one where you feel for all the characters. Brilliant writing, direction, sparing score, and top notch acting keep you going right to the harrowing end. A brilliant emotional rollercoaster. Outstanding. Comment 17 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote.

Please try again By Rob on 4 April 2005 Format: DVD There's an old movie trailer cliche in which the anonymous voiceover used to promise an audience that 'You'll laugh! You'll cheer! You'll cry!' Of course that was never really the case but as applied to Million Dollar Baby for once that cliched voice turns out to be telling no more than the simple truth. For Million Dollar Baby is a magnificent example of powerhouse moviemaking that leaves you emotionally exhausted. 'Baby' boasts a trio of well developed and engaging characters, a memorable story about a wannabee boxer seeking her shot and a unifying theme about love, sacrifice and the meaning of life. Working from a brilliant script by Paul Haggis, Clint's confident, understated direction doesn't put a foot wrong and the noir-ish lighting evokes a tremendous atmosphere, a sense in which simple acts of friendship and kindness between the characters are the only thing keeping back the darkness. The score (also by Clint) is minimalist and haunting and the actors performances are off the scale. Watching Hilary Swank as Maggie Fitzgerald you have to kick yourself to believe that you're watching an actress.

As a big-hearted girl seeking her chance Swank is 100% persuasive and her boxing scenes are frighteningly convincing (it's with a mild sense of awe that one learns that prior to this Hilary was best known as a skinny underwear model for Calvin Klein!). Equally as good is Morgan Freeman as Scrap, a former boxer of Frankie Dunn's (as played by Eastwood) and Frankie's best friend. Scrap narrates the film in voiceover (ala 'Shawshank Redemption') and one of the many pleasures of this movie is the collective 'Aha!' on the part of the audience when the receipient of his voiceover is finally identified. Read more › Comment 21 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again By F. Sweet on 21 Feb. 2005 Format: DVD Clint Eastwood lopes along with a stooped unsteadiness as the crusty trainer who reluctantly agrees to train his first "girlie" for the ring. His trademark rasp, developed in westerns has now officially lapsed into a sort of wheeze.

But it works wonderfully well for the character Eastwood plays in MILLION DOLLAR BABY. It could easily be the best performance of his career, worthy of an Oscar nomination -- at least. PLOT: The boxer underdog battles her way into the championship ranks -- accompanied by the inspirational music of Bill Conti's score. The uplifting part is about what happens when a grizzled boxing trainer, himself knocked out of the ring and into a ringside role, reluctantly takes on a 31-year-old female boxer loaded with grit and heart. Hilary Swank, the boxer, is all spark and spunk who clutches at this one last chance to shake her trailer-trash roots and diner-waitressing routine. From beginning to end, she's just as effective in the opening act through to the harrowing last act when the film skids into tragedy. What energy! This movie presents a totally different genre where these character opposites, separated by completely different tastes, experiences and forty years, must face their messy lives and deal with a mutual tragedy.

Although the word love isn't exchanged between them, that is what's going on -- but not the typical man-woman mix, rather a more complicated and complete kind of bonding that, up until now, has somehow been "impossible" to put on the screen. A third important character is another ex-boxer who, out of guilt, Eastwood has hired to run his gym. Played with a lot of class by Morgan Freeman, Eddie "Scrap Iron" Dupris serves as an emotional referee who brings this improbable pair together, and tries his damndest to keep them there. That versitile Eastwood has ALREADY won the New York Film Critics Award for his direction of MILLION DOLLAR BABY. This could become the best movie of 2005. Comment 20 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote.

Please try again Paul Haggis - Biography - IMDb Paul Haggis Jump to: Overview (3) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (2) | Trivia (15) | Personal Quotes (10) Overview (3) 6' (1.83 m) Mini Bio (1) Paul Haggis is the award-winning filmmaker who, in 2006, became the first screenwriter to write two Best Film Oscar winners back-to-back - Million Dollar Baby (2004) directed by Clint Eastwood , and Crash (2004) which he himself directed. For Crash (2004), he won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. The film also received an additional four nominations including one for Haggis' direction. Crash (2004) reaped numerous awards during its year of release from associations such as the IFP Spirit Awards, the Screen Actors Guild, and BAFTA. In 2006, Haggis' screenplays included the duo Clint Eastwood productions Flags of Our Fathers (2006) and Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), the latter earning him his third screenplay Oscar nomination.

He also helped pen Casino Royale (2006), which garnered considerable acclaim for reinvigorating the James Bond spy franchise. In 2007, Haggis wrote, directed and produced In the Valley of Elah (2007) for Warner Independent Pictures, Samuels Media and Summit Entertainment. The film, which starred Tommy Lee Jones , Charlize Theron , and Susan Sarandon , was a suspense drama of a father's search for his missing son, who is reported AWOL after returning from Iraq. Jones earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance in the film. Haggis' latest film, The Next Three Days (2010), stars Russell Crowe , Liam Neeson , and Elizabeth Banks . It was produced by Highway 61 and Lionsgate Films. Hwy 61 is the production company Haggis formed with his friend and producing partner Michael Nozik. This is their first feature. It was released in November 2010. Haggis was born in London, Ontario, Canada and moved to California in his early 20s.

For over two decades he has written, directed and produced television shows such as Thirtysomething (1987) and The Tracey Ullman Show (1987), Due South (1994), The Black Donnellys (2007) and also developed credits as a pup writer on many 'Norman Lear' sitcoms. He also created the acclaimed, if short-lived, CBS series EZ Streets (1996) which the New York Times cited as one of the most influential shows of all time, noting, that without it "there would be no Sopranos." Haggis is equally committed to his private and social concerns. He is the founder of Artists for Peace and Justice. Under this umbrella, many of his friends in the film business have come forward to build schools and medical clinics serving the children of the slums of Haiti. He divides his time between residences in Los Angeles and New York.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: zkozlowski Spouse (2) ( 21 June 1997 - 2016) (divorced) (1 child) Diane Christine Gettas ( 9 April 1977 - 1997) (divorced) (3 children) Trivia (15) He is the son of Edward (Ted) H. Haggis and Mary Yvonne Metcalfe. His mother was a catholic. He has two younger sisters: Kathy and Jo. Children with Diane Gettas (married 1977-1997): Alissa Sullivan (born 1978), Lauren Kilvington and Katy Elizabeth. Son with Deborah Rennard (married 1997-): James (born 1998). In March 2003, Razor Magazine made a list of "nonconformists that defy dictates, the iconoclasts that cling to independent thought, the radicals that refuse adherence, that give us pause.

They are what legends are made of." Along with Sam Shepard , Julian Schnabel , Baz Luhrmann , Lance Armstrong , Richard Branson , Robert Shapiro , John Irving and Bill Clinton , Razor Magazine named Haggis one of its "25 Mavericks of our time.". The April 7, 2005, issue of Rolling Stone chose him as their breakthrough filmmaker of the year, saying " Crash (2004), Haggis' directorial film debut is already being touted for this year's awards race.". He was originally going to direct Million Dollar Baby (2004). He was in the middle of directing Crash (2004) when Clint Eastwood asked to direct the film after being offered the lead. Haggis agreed. Had a heart attack during the filming of Crash (2004), yet refused to let anyone else finish directing it. He returned to directing 2 weeks after the event. Moved to Los Angeles at age 22. Studied cinematography at London's Fanshawe College. Produced two Best Picture winners in a row: Million Dollar Baby (2004) and Crash (2004).

On March 5, 2006 became the first person in Oscar history to have written back-to-back best picture winners. He was born exactly 13 years later than Chuck Norris , the star of his hit TV series Walker, Texas Ranger (1993). Was nominated for an Oscar for writing three years in a row: 2005, 2006, and 2007. Has directed 2 actors in Oscar nominated performances: Matt Dillon (Best Supporting Actor for Crash (2004) and Tommy Lee Jones (Best Lead Actor for In the Valley of Elah (2007)). Quit the Church of Scientology in 2009--after 34 years--because he disagreed with the organization about its support of Proposition 8, which outlawed same-sex marriage in California. His public break with the church was profiled in a long piece by Lawrence Wright in the February 14, 2011, issue of "The New Yorker"; the article was unusual in that it shed light on some of the inner workings and controversies of the normally secretive Church of Scientology.

In the profile Haggis estimated that he spent more than $100,000 on courses and auditing, and $300,000 on various Scientology initiatives. Father of Alissa Haggis (Sullivan), Lauren Haggis (Kilvington) and Katy Haggis from his marriage to Diane Christine Gettas. Personal Quotes (10) "I agreed to write the pilot because I thought it would just go away, but it became this huge hit and I remember waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning in a cold sweat, dripping wet. I mean, I was drenched. I just pictured my tombstone and it said: 'Paul Haggis: Creator of Walker Texas Ranger.' So the impetus for making these movies is really just to wipe that image from my mind." (on his decision to move from television to films like Crash (2004)) A lot of films made me love the movies, everything from Hitchcock to Godard. But the ones that really grabbed me were Costa-Gavras 's films like Z (1969) and State of Siege (1972).

The worst thing you can do to a filmmaker is to walk out of his film and go, "That was a nice movie." But if you can cause people to walk out and then argue about the film on the sidewalk ... I think we're all seeking dissension, and we love to affect an audience. Artists need to be outsiders in order to really view what's going on. That little bit of detachment has been great for me being down here. I look like everyone else; I almost sound like everyone else, except for the odd time I say chesterfield or serviette. But I am different. And I am proud to be a Canadian... As artists, we have to be brave. If we aren't brave, we aren't artists. Talking about Scientology (in the New Yorker): Demands for donations never seemed to stop. They used friends and any kind of pressure they could apply. I gave them money just to keep them from calling and hounding me. Talking about Walker, Texas Ranger (1993): "It was the most successful thing I ever did," he says. "Two weeks of work. They never even used my script!" What I love about writing is the contradictions we all embody as human beings.

[on whether he thinks Scientology is a cult] Of course it is, it's a system of belief that you've got these people inside this fortress who won't look out, who won't look at any criticism, who can't bear to think that everyone is against them. [on his film Crash (2004) winning the Oscar for Best Picture] Was it the best film of the year? I don't think so, there were great films that year. Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - amazing film. Capote (2005) - terrific film. Ang Lee 's Brokeback Mountain (2005), great film. And Spielberg's Munich (2005). I mean please, what a year. Crash, for some reason, affected people, it touched people. And you can't judge these films like that. I'm very glad to have those Oscars. They're lovely things. But you shouldn't ask me what the best film of the year was because I wouldn't be voting for Crash, only because I saw the artistry that was in the other films. Now however, for some reason that's the film that touched people the most that year.

So I guess that's what they voted for, something that really touched them. And I'm very proud of the fact that Crash does touch you. People still come up to me more than any of my films and say: "That film just changed my life." I've heard that dozens and dozens and dozens of times. So it did its job there. I mean, I knew it was the social experiment that I wanted, so I think it's a really good social experiment. Is it a great film? I don't know. See also Million Dollar Baby Reviews - Metacritic 100% human and sensitive film. Thanks Mr. Eastwood 0 of 0 users found this helpful 10 worleyjamers Jun 8, 2013 A brilliant masterpiece! For me, this is one of the best films of the decade. This is the film that Clint Eastwood will be remembered for. Such a great, touching story. Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman are simply stunning!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00 10 Kiva Aug 2, 2013 Million dollar baby is a story about a female boxer who decides in her early 30's to star boxing.She goes to a gym to exercise and there she finds a coach. Million times if you see that film a tear will come out from your eye. A depressive sport movie that it is really touching and it shows friendship and love. Million dollar baby also shows how difficult is for a person that loves you to decide whether you are going to live or die. Hillary SwankMillion dollar baby is a story about a female boxer who decides in her early 30's to star boxing.She goes to a gym to exercise and there she finds a coach. Million times if you see that film a tear will come out from your eye. A depressive sport movie that it is really touching and it shows friendship and love. Million dollar baby also shows how difficult is for a person that loves you to decide whether you are going to live or die. Hillary Swank was amazing in that movie. I don't know how she did that. I actually thought that i was feeling what she was feeling.

I don't understand the negative reviews and I don't want to spend any time telling my opinion for them and i simply understand that some people don't have a heart. That's all I have to say for that masterpiece.… Expand 4 of 4 users found this helpful40 9 Mackey Jan 5, 2013 Strong and Powerful! A touching story proved with sweat and pain, and the same time - with beauty and grace of boxing goddess! This sport-drama is one which surely leaves a warm spark into our hearts! 2 of 2 users found this helpful20 8 Compi24 Jan 27, 2015 Yes, its ending will undoubtedly tear your soul out and shred it into a thousand pieces, but there's more than enough to admire in Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" a spectacularly directed, written, and acted drama that fits snuggly within the impressive pantheon of Best Picture Oscar winners. 3 of 3 users found this helpful30 7 RirenApr 29, 2007 Swank, Eastwood and Freeman make this a must-see movie.

Million Dollar Baby has a plethora of loose plot threads and a tendency to forget plot elements and randomly bring them up again 30 or 60 minutes later, but mirky directing can't detract from three of the best performances in recent film history. The trio portray deep, sympathetic characters with three of the earthiest relationships, each a delight to follow until the disappointing Swank, Eastwood and Freeman make this a must-see movie. Million Dollar Baby has a plethora of loose plot threads and a tendency to forget plot elements and randomly bring them up again 30 or 60 minutes later, but mirky directing can't detract from three of the best performances in recent film history. The trio portray deep, sympathetic characters with three of the earthiest relationships, each a delight to follow until the disappointing ending. The story doesn't build to a climax or a final act; the final act falls onto the film, and is so out of place that it takes a half an hour to get its barings again.

It's a sensationalist and provocative ending, melancholy and hard to fight morally, but it just isn't earned by where the film goes in its first 85 minutes - and the movie notices this, summoning more mood lighting and mood music than is noticeable in the rest of the picture. Also be warned that Million Dollar Baby is not a boxing movie. It's not a sports movie. It's a human drama that happens to take place in a gym a lot of the time. The fights are handled terribly, from the early montage of unbelievable knockouts to the final match that unfolds more like a bad pro wrestling match than something from televised boxing. Still I implore you, see this movie for these three performances. It will be a long time before we get three more like them, especially in the same picture.… Expand 0 of 0 users found this helpful 0 MarcPosnerJan 15, 2005 came out of this movie furious -- and I'm a Clint Eastwood fan........ This movie is just an overbearing piece of propaganda for sanctioning euthanasia -- or as it is commonly known -- MURDER.....

Life ain't fair, as this movie graphically illustrates,,,,,but murdering the unfortunate among us just makes it worse.... Yet another example of a film suggesting that "situational ethics" trump "absolute truths" The Hollywoodcame out of this movie furious -- and I'm a Clint Eastwood fan........ This movie is just an overbearing piece of propaganda for sanctioning euthanasia -- or as it is commonly known -- MURDER..... Life ain't fair, as this movie graphically illustrates,,,,,but murdering the unfortunate among us just makes it worse.... Yet another example of a film suggesting that "situational ethics" trump "absolute truths" The Hollywood loonies could do us all a favor by taking some of those "painkillers" that Eastwood gave to Swank at the end of this disgusting film...… Expand 0 of 2 users found this helpful Paul Haggis - IMDb IMDb Official Photos » Paul Haggis is the award-winning filmmaker who, in 2006, became the first screenwriter to write two Best Film Oscar winners back-to-back - Million Dollar Baby (2004) directed by Clint Eastwood , and Crash (2004) which he himself directed.

For Crash (2004), he won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. The film also received ... See full bio » Born: a list of 25 people created 26 Feb 2011 a list of 41 people created 28 Feb 2012 a list of 26 people created 02 Feb 2014 a list of 34 people created 16 Mar 2015 a list of 25 people created 08 Apr 2015 Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Paul Haggis's work have you seen? User Polls Won 2 Oscars. Another 46 wins & 49 nominations.

See more awards » Known For | Edit Filmography 2008 Quantum of Solace (written by) 2008 Speechless (TV Movie documentary) (written by) 2004/I Crash (screenplay) / (story) Mister Sterling (TV Series) (written by - 2 episodes, 2003) (story - 1 episode, 2003) (teleplay - 1 episode, 2003) - Human Error (2003) ...

(written by) Family Law (TV Series) (created by - 68 episodes, 1999 - 2002) (writer - 8 episodes, 1999 - 2001) 1998 Ghost of a Chance (TV Movie) 1997 Michael Hayes (TV Series) (creator) / (pilot and multiple episodes) EZ Streets (TV Series) (1 episode) (writer - 5 episodes, 1996 - 1997) (story - 4 episodes, 1996 - 1997) (teleplay - 3 episodes, 1996 - 1997) (teleplay by - 1 episode) - Pilot (1990) ... (written by) City (TV Series) (created by - 13 episodes, 1990) (written by - 2 episodes, 1990) (story - 1 episode, 1990) - Atlantic City (1986) ... (written by) - Tootie Drives (1985) ...

(story by) / (teleplay by) Who's the Boss? (TV Series) (story by - 1 episode, 1986) (teleplay by - 1 episode, 1986) - Charmed Lives (1986) ... (story by) / (teleplay by) - Take My Ex (1983) ... (written by) Diff'rent Strokes (TV Series) (teleplay by - 2 episodes, 1982 - 1983) (written by - 1 episode, 1983) (story by - 1 episode, 1982) - The Cricket (1983) ... (teleplay by) - Memories (1982) ... (story by) / (teleplay by) 1982 The Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Puppy Hour (TV Series) (story - 1982) 1982 Mr. Merlin (TV Series) (written by - 1 episode) - The Lady from Laramie/Vicki Swings/Phantom Bride (1981) ...

(written by - segment "Phantom Bride") 1980 Heathcliff (TV Series) (story - 1980-1981) 1979 The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show (TV Series) (story - 1980) Hide 2017 Lead and Copper (Documentary) (executive producer) ( post-production ) 2016/I Gold (executive producer) 1998 Ghost of a Chance (TV Movie) (executive producer) 1997-1998 Michael Hayes (TV Series) (executive producer - 8 episodes) - Mob Mentality (1998) ... (executive producer) - Retribution (1997) ... (executive producer) - The Confidence Man (1997) ... (executive producer) - Slaves (1997) ... (executive producer) 1990 You Take the Kids (TV Series) (executive producer) 1990 City (TV Series) (executive producer - 13 episodes) - Charmed Lives (1986) ...

(co-executive producer) Hide 1997 Michael Hayes (TV Series) (developer) 1995-1996 Due South (TV Series) (executive consultant - 18 episodes) - Flashback (1996) ... (executive consultant) 2005 California Entertainment Weekly (TV Series) Canadian Director, Screenwriter, Producer Soundtrack (1 credit) 2004/I Crash (lyrics: "Gonna Buy Me a Rope" - as P. Haggis) / (music: "Gonna Buy Me a Rope" - as P. Haggis) Hide 1994 Due South (TV Series) (second unit director - 1 episode) - Pilot (1994) ...

(second unit director: Yukon) Hide 2016 The Finger (Short) (very special thanks) ( post-production ) 2012 Shadow Boxer (Short) (very special thanks) 2011 Noor (Short) (special thanks) 2007 The Endgame Study (Short) (special thanks) Hide 2015 CBS This Morning (TV Series) Himself - Director, Show Me a Hero - Episode #4.193 (2015) ...

Himself - Director, Show Me a Hero 2014 HuffPost Live Conversations (TV Series) Himself 2010-2013 The Hour (TV Series) Himself 2011 Janela Indiscreta (TV Series) Himself 2010 Made in Hollywood (TV Series) Himself 2010 Mulholland Drive - Ein Hollywood-Mythos (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2010 Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) Himself 2008 Make or Break TV (TV Series documentary) Himself 2008 Ian Fleming's Incredible Creation (Video documentary short) Himself 2008 The Road to Casino Royale (Video documentary short) Himself 2008 The Evolution of Clint Eastwood (Video documentary short) Himself 2008 E!

True Hollywood Story (TV Series documentary) Himself 2008 Caiga quien caiga (TV Series) Himself 2008 Reinventando Hollywood (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2005-2007 Tavis Smiley (TV Series) Himself 2006 Film 2016 (TV Series) Himself 2006 Becoming Bond (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2006 HBO First Look (TV Series documentary) Himself 2006 Crash: Unspoken (Video short) Himself 2006 2006 Independent Spirit Awards (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2005 'Crash' Featurette (Video documentary short) Himself 2005 The Producers: Round 15 (Video documentary short) Himself Himself - Winner: Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series & Co-Winner: Outstanding Drama Series Hide 2008 Oscar, que empiece el espectáculo (TV Movie documentary) Himself (uncredited) 1 Biographical Movie | 1 Interview | 12 Articles | See more » Alternate Names: Did You Know?

Personal Quote: A lot of films made me love the movies, everything from Hitchcock to Godard. But the ones that really grabbed me were Costa-Gavras 's films like Z (1969) and State of Siege (1972). See more » Trivia: In March 2003, Razor Magazine made a list of "nonconformists that defy dictates, the iconoclasts that cling to independent thought, the radicals that refuse adherence, that give us pause. They are what legends are made of." Along with Sam Shepard , Julian Schnabel , Baz Luhrmann , Lance Armstrong , Richard Branson , Robert Shapiro , John Irving and Bill Clinton , Razor Magazine named Haggis one of its "... See more » Star Sign: OSCAR NOMINEES / Good Academy -- 'Million Dollar Baby,' 'Sideways' for best picture. Bad Academy -- Depp, no Giamatti. - SFGate OSCAR NOMINEES / Good Academy -- 'Million Dollar Baby,' 'Sideways' for best picture. Bad Academy -- Depp, no Giamatti.

By Mick LaSalle , San Francisco Chronicle Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, January 26, 2005 Image 1of/10 Close Image 1 of 10 milliondollarbaby CLINT EASTWOOD as Frankie and HILARY SWANK as Maggie in Warner Bros. Pictures� drama �Million Dollar Baby.� The Malpaso production also stars Morgan Freeman. PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE USED SOLELY FOR ADVERTISING, PROMOTION, PUBLICITY OR REVIEWS OF THIS SPECIFIC MOTION PICTURE AND TO REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF THE STUDIO. NOT FOR SALE OR REDISTRIBUTION. Ran on: 12-26-2004 &quo;Million Dollar Baby&quo;: Clint Eastwood directed and co-stars with Hillary Swank.

Ran on: 12-25-2004 Ran on: 12-25-2004 Ran on: 01-14-2005 Don Cheadle deserves the best actor award for drama for his sensational performance in &quo;Hotel Rwanda.&quo; less milliondollarbaby CLINT EASTWOOD as Frankie and HILARY SWANK as Maggie in Warner Bros. Pictures� drama �Million Dollar Baby.� The Malpaso production also stars Morgan Freeman. PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE USED ... more Image 2 of 10 BEING22_02.JPG left: Annette Bening as Julia Lambert. right: Lucy Punch as Avice Crichton. Alex Dukay / Sony Pictures Ran on: 01-14-2005 Don Cheadle deserves the best actor award for drama for his sensational performance in &quo;Hotel Rwanda.&quo; Ran on: 01-26-2005 Director nominees (from left): Taylor Hackford (&quo;Ray&quo;), Alexander Payne (&quo;Sideways&quo;), Martin Scorsese (&quo;The Aviator&quo;).

Not pictured: Clint Eastwood (&quo;Million Dollar Baby&quo;) and Mike Leigh (&quo;Vera Drake&quo;). less BEING22_02.JPG left: Annette Bening as Julia Lambert. right: Lucy Punch as Avice Crichton. Alex Dukay / Sony Pictures Ran on: 01-14-2005 Don Cheadle deserves the best actor award for drama for his sensational ... more Photo: Alex Dukay Image 3 of 10 Actress Kate Winslet is shown in a scene from the film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" in this undated publicity photograph. Winslet received an Oscar nod for best actress as nominations were announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills January 25, 2005. The Oscars will be awarded February 27, 2005. REUTERS/Focus Features/Handout 0 less Actress Kate Winslet is shown in a scene from the film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" in this undated publicity photograph. Winslet received an Oscar nod for best actress as nominations were announced ...

more Photo: HO Image 4 of 10 Catalina Sandino Moreno is shown in a scene from her film "Maria Full of Grace" in this undated publicity photo. Moreno received an Oscar nod for best actress as nominations were announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills January 25, 2005. The Oscars will be awarded February 27, 2005. REUTERS/Christobal Corral Vega/HBO Films/Fine Line Features/Handout 0 less Catalina Sandino Moreno is shown in a scene from her film "Maria Full of Grace" in this undated publicity photo. Moreno received an Oscar nod for best actress as nominations were announced by the Academy of ... more Photo: HO Image 5 of 10 Actor Jamie Foxx, star of the film "Ray," is seen in this undated publicity photograph. Foxx received a best actor nod as nominations were announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills January 25, 2005. The Oscars will be awarded February 27, 2005.

REUTERS//Universal Studios/Handout less Actor Jamie Foxx, star of the film "Ray," is seen in this undated publicity photograph. Foxx received a best actor nod as nominations were announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly ... more Photo: HO Image 6 of 10 Actor Don Cheadle portrays Paul Rusesabagina in a scene from the film "Hotel Rwanda" in this undated publicity photograph. Cheadle received two nominations as Best Male Lead Actor and for Ensemble cast for his role in the film as nominations for the 11th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were announced in Los Angeles January 11, 2005. The film "Sideways" received four nominations, the most of any film. The awards show will be telecast on the TNT network February 5, 2005 from Los Angeles. REUTERS/Screen Actors Guild/Handout 0 less Actor Don Cheadle portrays Paul Rusesabagina in a scene from the film "Hotel Rwanda" in this undated publicity photograph. Cheadle received two nominations as Best Male Lead Actor and for Ensemble cast for his ...

more Photo: HO Image 7 of 10 This promotional photo provided by Miramax Films shows actor Leonardo DiCaprio in a scene from "The Aviator." DiCaprio was nominated for best actor for his work in "The Aviator," during nomination announcements for the 77th Oscars Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2005. The film was also nominated for best picture. (AP Photo/Miramax Films) UNDATED less This promotional photo provided by Miramax Films shows actor Leonardo DiCaprio in a scene from "The Aviator." DiCaprio was nominated for best actor for his work in "The Aviator," during nomination announcements ... more Image 8 of 10 Taylor Hackford and Helen Mirren arrive at the 11th Annual British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles Tea Party honoring the 2004 Golden Globe nominees, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2005, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) less Taylor Hackford and Helen Mirren arrive at the 11th Annual British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles Tea Party honoring the 2004 Golden Globe nominees, Saturday, Jan.

15, 2005, in Los Angeles. (AP ... more Photo: MARK J. TERRILL Image 9 of 10 Alexander Payne poses for photographers as he arrives at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards dinner in New York Sunday Jan. 9, 2005. The film "Sideways", which was directed by Payne, was given the "Best Picture" award by the New York Film Critics Circle. Payne and Jim Taylor received the "Best Screenplay" award for "Sideways". (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg) less Alexander Payne poses for photographers as he arrives at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards dinner in New York Sunday Jan. 9, 2005. The film "Sideways", which was directed by Payne, was given the "Best ... more Photo: TINA FINEBERG Image 10 of 10 OSCAR NOMINEES / Good Academy -- 'Million Dollar Baby,' 'Sideways' for best picture. Bad Academy -- Depp, no Giamatti. 1 / 10 Back to Gallery The morning the Academy Award nominations are announced provides a welcome opportunity for spiritual reflection, meditating on justice and injustice and on the eternal consistency of obtuse minds.

We turn our thoughts to other, bigger disasters -- social and natural -- and in this way find the distance to contemplate how, for example, Paul Giamatti could be overlooked for his performance in "Sideways" and Leonardo DiCaprio nominated for "The Aviator." Or how insipid twaddle like "Finding Neverland" could get a best picture nomination while "Hotel Rwanda" could be slighted. The nominations for the 77th annual Academy Awards program, which will air on Feb. 27, are the usual mix of confounding and reasonable choices. "The Aviator," Martin Scorsese 's likable, well-made, perfectly entertaining and perfectly empty film biography of Howard Hughes , led the pack with 11 nominations. Tied for second place with seven nominations were "Finding Neverland," a fact-based fantasy about the writing of James Barrie 's "Peter Pan," and "Million Dollar Baby," Clint Eastwood 's elegiac fable of a female boxer. Meanwhile, "Sideways," which swept most critics' awards, got only five. Historically, the best picture category has always been one of the weakest, a place for safe, sentimental and artistically conservative choices.

The Academy lived down to its reputation this year, nominating The Aviator" (please), "Ray" (come on) and "Finding Neverland" (tell me they're kidding). As if at a loss to find anything else with the right combination of grandiloquence and schmaltz, the Academy condescended to nominate two genuinely impeccable movies: "Sideways" and "Million Dollar Baby." The Academy has always tended to be more adventurous in the acting categories, and, again, this year followed the usual pattern. Don Cheadle in "Hotel Rwanda," Eastwood in "Million Dollar Baby" and Jamie Foxx in "Ray" all belong there. In a friendly frame of mind, one might also say the same for DiCaprio in "The Aviator." The only laugher in the group is Johnny Depp for "Finding Neverland." Just a few years ago, it was hard to find enough important performances to fill the best actress category. Not in recent years.

Annette Bening ("Being Julia"), " Hilary Swank ("Million Dollar Baby") and Catalina Sandino Moreno ("Maria Full of Grace") were nominated for top-notch work, while Imelda Staunton was nominated for smiling for an hour and then sobbing for another hour in " Vera Drake ." The nomination of Kate Winslet for "The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is something of a surprise, though justifiable. However, if Academy members wanted to nominate an actress in a romantic comedy, they might have looked to Julie Delpy 's powerhouse performance in "Before Sunset." The supporting actress category is traditional the weakest, because the supporting players in most films tend to be men. But this year, supporting actress is the strongest category: Cate Blanchett ("The Aviator"), Laura Linney ("Kinsey"), Virginia Madsen ("Sideways"), Sophie Okonedo ("Hotel Rwanda") and Natalie Portman ("Closer"). A case could be made for any one of them. Supporting actor is almost as strong: Foxx was superb in "Collateral," but he was actually the star of that movie; Tom Cruise as the assassin was really the supporting role.

Thomas Haden Church did some very specific and delightful character work in "Sideways." Morgan Freeman was the aching soul of "Million Dollar Baby," and Clive Owen was the best thing in "Closer." As for Alan Alda in "The Aviator," his nomination (for his performance as a corrupt senator) will remind everyone he was in the picture. That's nice. Best director will be a contest between Martin Scorsese ("The Aviator"), Eastwood ("Million Dollar Baby"), Taylor Hackford ("Ray"), Alexander Payne ("Sideways") and Mike Leigh ("Vera Drake"). Michael Moore , who won best documentary for "Bowling for Columbine," made a calculated effort to secure a best picture nomination for "Fahrenheit 911." He didn't succeed in crashing that gate and then found himself shut out of the best documentary category. Moore had two obstacles he couldn't surmount: Republicans weren't going to vote for him in the first place, and Democrats , after the election, were too heartsick to put his DVD into the machine. As soon as Bush won the election, it would have been smart to switch strategies and aim for best documentary.

As it stands, the only widely known film nominated for best documentary this year is "Super Size Me." In the unnecessary category of best animated film, "The Incredibles," "Shark Tale" and "Shrek 2" got the nod. Surprisingly, "The Polar Express" didn't make the cut. It really should have. So what do we take from this year's Oscar nominations? We're presented with the usual triumph of bloat, as represented by "The Aviator." In this case, the bloat isn't obnoxious. That makes it a good year, almost. We're also presented with the less palatable triumph of false sentiment in the form of "Finding Neverland." In and of itself, that's also nothing to grieve over, either, except that it robs the atmosphere of box office oxygen that might have sustained "Hotel Rwanda" -- a movie of intense and genuine emotion. "Hotel Rwanda" is a hard sell. Ask people if they'd like to see a movie about the Rwandan genocide and most will say, "Oh, uh, maybe, but I think I may have to get my teeth cleaned that day." They don't know they're going to love it until they're watching it.

The case of Giamatti and "Sideways" is also sad, in that he gave hands down one of the year's best performances, while Depp gave one of the year's worst. Call me paranoid, but I can't help suspecting that Giamatti's momentum was stopped by A.O. Scott 's New York Times piece, which basically said that "Sideways" is a good not great film and that the fuss over it was overblown. Scott is entitled to his opinion, and his article made an excellent case. But what should be remembered -- and what I'm afraid won't be remembered -- is that a similar good-not-great argument could be made against every work of art since cavemen started finger painting. I've heard similar arguments made about Chaplin's "City Lights," "Citizen Kane," "The Godfather" and "Casablanca." The real truth is that there is no perfect work of art. Our perception of greatness often depends on our perceiving a work from a specific flattering angle. And the seductive power of an art work is in the way it makes us want to look at it from its best side.

Greatness is not greatness but rather a mixture of near greatness and near-perfect seduction ... But enough whining. At least Cheadle got nominated. Latest from the SFGATE homepage: Click below for the top news from around the Bay Area and beyond. Sign up for our newsletters to be the first to learn about breaking news and more. Go to 'Sign In' and 'Manage Profile' at the top of the page.

Question: Who directed the 2005 Oscar winning film 'Million Dollar Baby'?
Answer: CLINT EASTWOOD