Gran Torino is in many ways a suburban

Unforgiven but with a more hopeful

message of redemption

Gran Torino
A film that celebrates life and honour in
the same beautiful way that Letters from
Iwo Jima and Flags of Our Fathers did.

Clint Eastwood was

asked...
Cant films be used to teach people instead
of sending messages of violence?
He replied: Yeah, I think they can do that.
They certainly have the ability. But I dont
think that Hollywood should get to the point
of propagandizing. I mean, it should have
its effect unintentionally...
After Unforgiven came out a film about
violence and revenge...Are the messages of
Gran Torino in your face?

Matthew Toffolo Reviews Gran

Torino
Gran Torino is a film about regret and trying to
overcome it, no matter how old you are.
What does Walt regret?
Regrets not being close to his son
Killing young men in Korea
Cheating on his wife
Selling a boat and not paying the tax
How is his regret shown?
He has outbursts about war Hes a bitter man
How does he redeem himself from it?
He finally goes to confession (his wifes request)
Dies to put the gang members in jail.

Said of Clint Eastwood...Do they

apply to Walt Kowalski?
His squint alone has the ability to make
lesser filmmakers renounce the craft
altogether and his gravelly snarl has made
plenty of punks reassess the status of their
luck.

Walt Kowalski
Stuck in his ways
A man at odds with himself, angry, bitter, lonely
Starts with growly, staunch old man. His relationship with Sue and Thao softens
him (single tear, sitting in the dark after what happens to Sue)
Independent, old man, his wife has just passed away
Two sons, not close to them at all
Worked for 50 years at Ford plant at Highland Park
Put steering column in his 1972 Gran Torino
Last white-American in a neighbourhood populated by immigrants
Values hard work, self reliance, respect
No tolerance for laziness or fools
Racist chinks zipper-head mean at the start but racial slurs become
affectionate in the same way he speaks to his friends the barber and
construction foreman.
Steps up and becomes man of the house after the drive-by shooting.
Angry understanding about life and death his life has been very bitter, his
death is bitter-sweet.
Resists relationships Relationship with Sue and Thao and Father Janovich is
what allows him to find peace.

Character
Eastwoods films are personal to him (he has worked
with a number of people on his crews for many
years)...People have questioned if this will be the last
film Eastwood will act it. Appropriately we can ask is this
film Clint Eastwood (the man) contemplating his own life
and regrets? It would certainly seem so.
Eastwoods films always contain unique friendships.
Eastwood is looking for that universal connection within
his films. In a number of his films, recently and notably
Gran Torino and Million Dollar Baby the unique friendship
takes the form of the mentor/protege setup the ones
where people learn from one another because they are
from different generations and see the world differently.

Character

a strong stoic type whose sorrow lurks under the surface

but who is wept over by other characters and by the
audience Tania Modleski.
How does Eastwood achieve this with Walt?
Here is a supreme instance of mans loss turning into a
gain Modleski
A Hmong shaman tells Walt he is not at peace. In the
bathroom Walt considers his reflection and realises he
received more insight from these gooks than his own
family. He has more in common with people he earlier
despised than his children (who he is not all that impressed
with either). Advice from this Eastern religion is more
meaningful to Walt than the ideas of a more traditional
Catholic faith.

Hope for a Racist, and maybe a

Country Dargis Review

What does Dargis mean?

Walt is a typical representation of white racist old school America and if he can change there is
hope for everyone else. This kind of racism isnt necessarily from anger but from fear of the
unknown.

Why did Eastwood end Gran Torino with the crucifixion pose? Clichd? Sentimental?
Sacramental?
The sacrifice a political message?
Dargis the suicidal death of the twentieth century hero represents one generation making
way for the next.
Thao, who in the films final shot is at the wheel of the car, presumably travelling down the
road of American freedom
Sue points out that Hmong people fought on Americas side during Vietnam war they died
trying to save Americans, but in the film the old white man dies to save the Hmong and
achieves absolution for the sins of American Imperialism. In the same way Flags of our
Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima deal with realities of war, is Eastwood making another partial
political statement about war and its effects on the people? Or airing guilt of the American
people?
Million Dollar Baby deals with suffering of the white trash female boxer and the pain of the
black male Again Eastwoods character takes on guilt of their lives and it motivates his
actions.

Tania Modleski Clint Eastwood

and Male Weepies
The film expresses a melancholy sense of
Americas economic decline
Clint Eastwoods directorial work questions
violence, vengeance and the viability of
Western notions of heroism.
Gran Torino appears to accept the impotence
of the lone avenging hero Walt knows he
alone cant do much, but what he does do is
significant for the people he does it for. As
opposed to a western hero who rides in,
shoots em up and saves the day.

Eastwood The Director

Central character motivated by the death of wife

(or loved one) typical of westerns and Eastwoods
films, both ones he has acted in and directed.
(Especially recently) Eastwood plays a man at odds
with himself, his failures, weighed down by his own
refusal to forgive his sins.
Wrestles with complicated moral choices and goes
into grey areas (through cinematography and
thematic focuses.)
Escalates to a typically violent, melancholy
conclusion

Eastwood The Director

All of the films Clint has directed have in
common a certain style and attitude...In
general they possess a sort of unforced
naturalism...He likes to do it [themes] straightfaced, effortlessly, without giving the audience a
warning or explanation when he does insert his
subtle improvisations [on typical genre related
portrayals of themes]...At heart, Eastwood is a
subversive; an elusive director who does not
care to be easily understood, in fact, he prefers
not to let his hand show at all...

He commands your attention when he is

infront of the camera and he thoughtfully
crafts every moment of a film when he is
behind the camera. He makes the kind of
films that he wants to make with the
conviction that only a truly talented
filmmaker can get away with. He is
compassionate, socially conscious and not
afraid of controversial subject matter.
Finally, you always know that no matter how
old he is he is always capable of kicking
your ass. There is something eternally
reassuring about that.

Christian Symbolism
Walts wifes last request to Father Janovich was that Walt go to
confession. She initiates their relationship which becomes an important
part of Walts realisation and redemption at the end of the film.
Christian symbolism and spiritual conflict central to Walts character
Hes never been at peace.
Film begins and ends in a church, with a death, gives a cyclical balance to
the film and ends on a final note of completion.
Fathers typical Catholic interpretation of life and death is naive. Life is
not black and white. Its bloody. Walts bloody hands express the
messiness of life after he realises whats happened to Sue is partially his
fault.
Confession inevitably Walt confesses. He gets the minor things off his
chest. However, not the one thing that has really bothered him. However
he fulfils his wifes dying wish. She is a reminder of what was good in his
life.
Confesses killing the boy to Thao screen door a symbolic confessional
screen. Thao saves Walt... Walt saves Thao...

Saviour and Sacrifice

Walt gives his life to save Thao and Sue.
Walt softens up through his relationship
with Thao, they develop a father-son
relationship. In a biblical parallel Walt dies
in a crucifixion position. Although, instead of
the son dying, the father figure dies to save
the son.
Ending is typically Eastwood in its violence
and melancholy conclusion. However offers
hope.

The Gran Torino and

Patriotism
Walt is proud to maintain it washes it, brings it out of

the garage.
Unifying symbol drives the action, the vehicle that
brings Thao into Walts life.
Everyone wants it, Walt cant understand why
A symbol of prosperous history of Highland Park and
Detroit.
Passes the car to Thao a generational passing of
values. Thao has learnt important life lessons from Walt
Final shot in the film is Thao and Daisy driving into the
sun, American highway... Driving to a hopeful future?
Other patriotic symbols: American Flag, Labrador,
Fridge I fix things, beer in the cooler.

Military Undertones

Walt has lived his whole life with guilt of shooting a young Korean
boy during the Korean War.
After Hmong gang burn Thaos face he beats up a gang member
and threatens him with a gun.
Guns symbolic/represent damaging effects of violence and
destruction that comes when we live with anger. Thao wants to go
guns-blazing with Walts rifle. The same gun he shot the Korean
boy with in war. He doesnt want Thao to be involved. Walt
considers himself soiled. He doesnt want that for Thao.
Give Thao his medal of honour. He teaches Thao how to live
honourably and that doesnt include violence and guns and gangs.
Thao wears the medal and drives the Gran Torino to the crime
scene Sue and Thao stand and look at the gang being arrested
and taken away while Walt is put in a body bag in the ambulance.

Redemption

Gran Torino is a redemption story. It revolves

around a man at the end of his life working
through the things he regrets. He does this
through finding meaningful relationships with his
two young neighbours who fill a desire for
meaningful family relationships, and a developing
relationship with Father Janovich who represents
his wifes goodness and the Catholic church.
Father Janovich allows Walt to end his life having
fulfilled his wifes dying wish and his own desire
to pass on his values of integrity and hard work to
another generation.