FAQ for
Million Dollar Baby (2004) More at IMDbPro »

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Million Dollar Baby can be found here.

Frankie told Maggie what it meant. He said that it meant "My darling, my blood." It's a term of endearment that literally means 'my pulse' in Gaelic..

Maggie fights for her first title, against Billie 'The Blue Bear,' in Las Vegas. At the end of the third round, the referee orders Maggie and Billie to break to neutral corners. While Maggie's back is turned as she walks to her corner, Billie hits Maggie with an illegal knockout punch from behind. As Maggie falls, Frankie realizes the stool his assistant just placed on its side in the corner of the ring is in Maggie's fall line. Frankie lunges to move the stool out of the way, but cannot do so quickly enough. Maggie breaks completely her C1 and C2 vertebrae as her neck lands on the upturned edge of the stool seat. Maggie is quadriplegic and never regains function. Ultimately and reluctantly fulfilling Maggie's persistent request, Frankie euthanizes her with a large intravenous injection of adrenaline and never returns to his gym. Presumably he retires to run Ira's Roadside Diner, where Maggie used to go with her father, and where Frankie enjoyed a slice of real, homemade pie with Maggie. At the end it is revealed that the whole movie was a letter written by Eddie to Frankie's daughter.

Giving the nature of some boxers, it's possible he was an angry and violent younger man. It is possible that he beat his daughter. Later in life he realized his mistakes and changed, which is why he can never forgive himself for whatever it was. There is no specific reason given in the film and it is left ambiguous.