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Million Dollar Baby and Cinderella Man Comparative Essay

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Million Dollar Baby and Cinderella Man Comparative Essay
English Communications – Comparative Assignment

Million Dollar baby and Cinderella Man

Cinderella Man directed by Ron Howard and Million Dollar Baby directed by Clint Eastwood are two films about two individuals viewed as underdogs by society and the world of boxing who overcome the odds and achieve personal goals. In these two heroic tales we follow the lives of two passionate and determined fighters. Like all heroic tales we encounter a hero, a villain and a final showdown portrayed as a fight of good and evil.

In every good heroic tale we have a hero, the face of good and a character one the audience can empathize with. In the film Million Dollar Baby Maggie Fitzgerald is the hero who shows courage, dedication and strength. In the film Cinderella Man we meet James J. Braddock, a man with similar characteristics as Maggie. Both characters show typical heroic trademarks in physical attributes and morals. It is the family life and the reason for fighting where these two humble characters differentiate. James, like Maggie, is an athlete. Both characters have a passion for boxing but it's what drives this passion that is different for James and Maggie. For James, supporting his family is his number one priority. His family is his support and they come before everything else, including himself. He shows this in two instances, giving his breakfast to his daughter Rosie and by promising he wouldn't send his kids away, "no matter what". Maggie on the other hand is self dependent, fighting for a personal dream. She tells Frankie, "If I'm too old for this then I've got nothing". It gives her pleasure to feel as though she is contributing to her family's wellbeing, by buying them a house, although her help isn't appreciated nor is it backed up by support. Whilst the Fitzgerald family is busy worrying about Maggie's inheritance instead of her health and happiness, James's family is the opposite, begging him not to fight Max Bare because he has killed two men, but

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