It's a great, feel-good, under-dog-overcomes-all-the-obstacles-to-become-a-champion movie until (DON'T READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE) Maggie is paralyzed from the neck down in what is her final fight.

Then it becomes, not another rousing "Rocky" movie, but a subtle, yet powerful argument for assisted suicide. At that point I have several problems with the film (and not just the obvious moral and ethical issues).

First, from simply a good character development perspective, the ending just doesn't fit the rest of the film. Maggie is a fighter who has overcome tremendous challenges. She tells Frankie, "I'm 32, Mr. Dunn, and I'm here celebrating the fact that I spent another year scraping dishes and waitressing which is what I've been doing since 13, and according to you I'll be 37 before I can even throw a decent punch, which I have to work on this speed bag for a month. If I was thinking straight I'd go back home, find a used trailer, buy a deep fryer and some Oreos."

Second, the ending doesn't fit "Scrap Iron's" foreshadowing narration about never, ever giving up: "If there's magic in boxing it's the magic of fighting battles beyond endurance, beyond cracked ribs, ruptured kidneys and detached retinas. It's the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you." "There is magic in fighting battles beyond endurance."

Maggie has fought back from poverty and her age disadvantage to become a world-class boxer. To simply lie back and bite through her tongue hoping to bleed to death is simply out of character. I would have loved to see her tenacious determination take on the toughest fight of her life.

Real life Joni Earekson Tada is also paralyzed from the neck down. And she also, initially, wanted to die. But she has fought back to become an accomplished water-color artist, best-selling author, nationally syndicated radio host and international advocate for the disabled.

In her book, When Is It Right to Die?, Tada quotes John Donne's famous admonition:

No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main . . . Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

Just what effect might your decision have? Your gutsy choice to face suffering head-on forces others around you to sit up and take notice. It's called strengthening the character of a helping society. When people observe perseverance, endurance, and courage, their moral fiber is reinforced. Conversely, your choice to bow out of life can and does weaken the moral resolve of that same society.

And it would have been a perfect fulfillment of "Scrap Iron's" foreshadowing that "There is magic in fighting battles beyond endurance."

(c) 2004 James N. Watkins



If you found this page helpful, please tell a friend about it using the form below. (If you found it really helpful, consider a small donation using the PayPal button below.) And bookmark or save as favorites www.jameswatkins.com and come back regularly for constantantly changing content. Thanks!

© James Watkins All text and graphics on my sites, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted © in my name, James N. Watkins, and are protected by United States copyright law and international copyright law under the Berne Convention. Please visit the press room for information on reprinting any text or graphics. Thanks!

Your name: Your email: Friend's name: Friend's email:

We support . . . This site is hosted by . . .