THE MDB CONTROVERSY CONTINUES

Rosemary, my former wife, has jumped into the MILLION DOLLAR BABY debate with enthusiasm. The English teacher in her analyzes the Morgan Freeman narrator in ways that are literary rather than mere voice over exposition; the film teacher sees the patterns of light and shadow, and the Catholic sees Eastwood's final desicision less as salvation or redemption, more like atonement, or, because of his Catholocism, punishment.

Yesterday, she brought me a letter to the Editor from the New York Times. It says, "How could Frank Rich allow the right-wing media to define the debate...as one about euthanasia, and ignore the film's vile gender, class and racial politics."

Obviously, in light of all this controversy, I'm going to see the film again, probably within the next few days. I'm sure it's worth it