The Inside Story Clint Eastwood, an actor and director whose body of work encompasses some of the most enduring and iconic films of all time, has not been in front of the camera since his 2004 Oscar ® winning film, "Million Dollar Baby". "I hadn’t planned on doing much more acting, really," he says. "But this film had a role that was my age, and the character seemed like it was tailored for me, even though it wasn’t. And I liked the script. It has twists and turns, and also some good laughs." "Gran Torino" came to Eastwood’s producing company, Malpaso, from first-time screenwriter Nick Schenk, who wrote the script from a story he conceived with Dave Johannson. "This was based on their experience in Minnesota and people they knew," Eastwood’s longtime producer and trusted partner, Robert Lorenz notes. "We got the script from Bill Gerber, who had received it from Jeanette Kahn. I read it fast, not necessarily thinking that it was something for Clint to act in, but about half-way through I slowed down and started to take it in. It was actually very good, so I read it a second time and just really liked it." Lorenz had learned never to oversell anything with Eastwood. When it came time to give it to him Lorenz said, "I don’t know if you’ll want to make this or be in it, but you’ll enjoy reading it." Eastwood called Lorenz back to tell him, "I really liked that script." Lorenz says "And it went from there." Schenk says the character of Walt Kowalski wasn’t written with a specific actor in mind, noting, "Walt’s a little bit of everybody’s shop teacher, or even your dad when he’s watching you reassemble your bike and screwing it all up. I think everybody knows someone like that." Originally from Minnesota, Schenk drew on his time working at a factory job with a number of Hmong families: the little-known culture from Laos and other parts of Asia that allied with the U.S. during the Vietnam War, that had settled there. "The Hmong culture is somewhat invisible," he attests. Walt, who slings racial slurs like most people use nouns and verbs, appears to be an unrepentant racist, but as he makes tenuous human connections with the Hmong people that have moved into his neighborhood, the layers of hostility peel away. "Walt did things in Korea that haunt him, and he sees those faces in his neighbors," Schenk remarked. "“To Walt, all Asians are the same, all mixed in a blender. And so it just happens that here’s another culture that has no face, and as he learns more about them, he begins to reflect on what happened to him in his own experiences in Korea." Producer Bill Gerber ("The Dukes of Hazzard") notes that "Gran Torino" bears echoes of the relationships explored throughout Eastwood’s body of work. "Clint has always dealt with complex issues of race, religion and prejudice in an honest way, which can sometimes be politically incorrect but is always authentics. But because of your familiarity with Clint, you understand that there’s more to Walt than what’s on the surface." "In retrospect, I can’t imagine anyone besides Clint Eastwood making this movie or playing this character," says co-story writer Dave Johannson. "As a filmmaker Clint is very sparing and also doesn’t flinch, no matter how uncomfortable the subject matter. As an actor, it took a certain level of fearlessness to play Walt, who, to put it mildly, isn’t a very sympathetic character at first." The story unfolds after the death of Walt’s wife, Dorothy, when he has reached the final chapter of a life that has in many ways been defined by haunting experiences in Korea and his fifty years at the local Ford plant. But now the war is long since over, the factory has been shut down, his wife has passed away, and his grown children barely have time for him. "Walt has worked hard and his sons have been reasonably successful," says 1996 ASCAP Award winner Eastwood ("The Bridges of Madison County"). "He’s lost his wife, and he’s estranged from his grown children. They’ve gone off and left him, and he’s just kind of in the way. But in their defense, Walt’s not an easy case to handle because he’s so cantankerous, and, of course, the grandchildren have piercings and things, and he doesn’t approve of all that." Brian Haley, who played Officer Krebbs in "The Man Who Wasn't There", was cast as Mitch Kowalski. "Walt's very tough to have as a dad. Mitch is the opposite of his dad. Walt is a hardworking blue-collar guy, and his son is a shallow suburban yuppie. They have a complex relationship. Walt doesn’t know how to talk to his son, and Mitch doesn’t know how to break through to his dad." Christopher Carley ("Lions for Lambs") was cast as Walt's late wife’s priest, Father Janovich, a is persistent young man intent on pursuing her final wish that Walt takes confession. "I joke that my part is basically to show up to the door and have Clint Eastwood slam it in my face. Father Janovich is trying to break through to Walt without any real knowledge of how to do it, or how to get Walt to even have a conversation with him. Walt is not impressed by the fact that he’s a man of the cloth. He just thinks of him as a 'twenty seven year old over-educated virgin.' Walt makes it clear to him that the regular way of dealing with people is not going to fly with him." "Walt is probably prejudiced against the priest for lots of different reasons, but mostly because he looks like a kid," says Eastwood ("Per un pugno di dollari" & "Per qualche dollaro in più"). "He’s trying very hard to get Walt to confession, but Walt just thinks he’s a guy right out of seminary school with a book of 'how-tos', and so it makes for a very one-way relationship." One of Walt’s only real pleasures in life is shining up his Ford Gran Torino, built in 1972 and lovingly preserved beneath a silk tarp in his garage all these years. In fact, Walt himself installed its steering column during his time at the Ford plant. Walt's other pride is his home. In the midst of a run-down street of modest two-story houses, it stands out, with its pristine paint job, neatly trimmed bushes and the American flag proudly displayed. "Walt’s a guy who is very, very disturbed about the way his world has gone," says Eastwood. "He was raised in a neighborhood in Michigan that was populated with automobile people like he was, probably a high percentage of Polish Americans, like he is. So, when he sees his neighborhood changing, it discourages him." "He’s the holdout in the community," says Lorenz ("Mystic River"). "He’s somewhat stuck in the past in many ways." Equally isolated is Walt’s neighbor, sixteen year-old Thao, who is living in a house with his mother, grandmother and older sister. "He’s awkward and unsure of himself as a guy because he’s surrounded by all these females who are domineering," says first-time actor Bee Vang. "He’s in need of a role model and finds this in Walt." Sonny Vue was cast as Hmong gang-leader, Smokie. "Everywhere Thao goes, somebody picks on him," says Vue. "He can’t stick up for himself, so the gang would be there to back him up. Becoming a gang was really so they could protect each other from other gangs in the neighborhood." Doua Moua, who plays Spider notes: "You're trying to live in two different cultures. So there’s a lot of rebellion, and that makes a lot of male teens come together and create a group to try to assimilate in the world around them." The gang initiation Smokie and Spider devise for Thao is to steal Walt's prized Gran Torino. The bungled attempted theft and a subsequent incident on Walt's lawn, leads to the Korean War veteran becoming a hero to the Hmong community, who shower him with unwelcome gifts of food, flowers and plants. Eastwood says: "He changes when he realizes they are intelligent and they’re very respectful of others, and I think he admires that." It will eventually lead Walt to observe: "I have more in common with these people than I do with my own spoiled, rotten children." "Gran Torino" marks the first major motion picture to portray characters from the Hmong community: an ethnic tribe of eighteen clans spread among the hills of Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and other parts of Asia, who made a difficult transition to the United States following their involvement in the Vietnam War. "I didn’t know too much about them," Eastwood admits. "Because they had helped the Americans during the conflict, they were brought here as refugees after the end of the Vietnam War." "Part of the tragedy is that a lot of people don’t understand the role the Hmong people played in the Vietnam War," says Paula Yang, a Hmong adviser the filmmakers consulted early on. "How we came to the United States, and how many of our soldiers and civilians were lost during the war, remains a secret. The elders don’t talk about it. They’re so humble and there are so many sad stories." The catalyst for Walt's change is Thao’s spirited older sister Sue (who is more Americanized than the rest of her family), played by Ahney Her. "She always talks nice to him, even though she does tease him with nicknames like 'Wally', but ultimately she’s the person who is able to connect Walt and Thao together," Her said. "I think her sincerity appeals to him and he allows himself to get to know her a little bit," says Lorenz. How did the first time actress find working with the legendary Eastwood? "He’s very humble and easygoing," she says. "He likes to make you comfortable and is not the type to tell you exactly what to do. He wants you to do whatever you feel is right, and if it’s not right in his eyes, then he’ll tell you. He’s a great man, and it was amazing to work with him." As for Vang, he echoes Her's feelings. "Growing up, I’d seen him in Westerns and other films, like 'Dirty Harry', but I never imagined that I’d ever even meet this guy, and then there he was. Mr Eastwood likes things to be as natural as they can be. It has to be real. I like that style. He’s a really nice guy, too, a really humble guy. I loved every minute working with him and the rest of the crew. I will never forget this." "Bee and Ahney both seemed to take to acting very naturally because they had great natural qualities anyway," says Eastwood. "I’d like to take a lot of credit for it, but it really wouldn’t be justified." The role of Vu, the single mother of Thao and Sue, is played by Brooke Chia Thao, who was born in Laos and settled in Visalia, California. Chia Thao had no acting training, and was actually bringing her own kids to the audition when she was cast. "She just happened to be there, so we asked her to audition and she landed the role," recalls Cedric Lee. "I do like to give people a break," says Eastwood. "I like to see new people come along, and have opportunities. But, by the same token, it’s important to do whatever suits the film. If somebody who’s well known fits the role, then I go for it. If I can use somebody lesser-known who happens to suit the role, then that’s fine, too. There’s no real rule to it. Every picture has its own structure, and its own personality." Synopsis

Retired auto worker Walt Kowalski fills his days with home repair, beer and monthly trips to the barber. His late wife’s final wish was for him to take confession, but the embittered veteran of the Korean War who keeps his rifle cleaned and ready, won't. The people he once called his neighbors have all moved or passed away, replaced by the Hmong immigrants, from Southeast Asia, that he despises. Resentful of virtually everything he sees; the drooping eaves, overgrown lawns and the foreign faces around him; the aimless gangs of Hmong, Latino and African American teenagers who all think the neighborhood belongs to them and the callow strangers his children have grown up to be, Walt is stuck in a world that no longer exists and unable to change, is just waiting out the rest of his life. Until the night someone tries to steal his 1972 Gran Torino. It leads Walt to a life-changing incident.

The Verdict "It would be a pity if this was the last time we saw Eastwood in front of the camera, but if it is, then who could think of a more fitting way to go out. Acclaimed the world over for "Gran Torino" the film is a remarkable tribute to a Hollywood icon and much loved, actor, director, producer, writer and composer. The last time Eastwood appeared on Australian screens was in February 2005 when "Million Dollar Baby" was released. In that year, the Oscar ® for Best Actress in a lead role went to Hilary Swank for the role of Maggie Fitzgerald. While Eastwood doesn't appear with an Oscar nominee in "Gran Torino" and isn't featured on-screen in the "Changeling", should Best Supporting Actress Oscar ® winner Angelina Jolie ("Girl, Interrupted" 2000) emulate dual Oscar ® winner Swank ("Boys Don't Cry" 2000 and "Million Dollar Baby" 2005), it truly would be the icing on the cake for the seventy eight year old director and producer of both films. The fact that "Gran Torino" has been overlooked as an Oscar contender ® in the 2009 awards, is most disappointing. The acting is exceptional, especially when you consider the fact that the main Hmong supporting cast members are all first-timers. They were 'discovered', after a long search, by casting director Ellen Chenoweth ("No Country for Old Men"), casting associates Geoffrey Miclat ("Revolutionary Road") and Amelia Rasche ("Grosse Pointe Blank"), with the help of Hmong cultural advisor Cedric Lee. It's hard to imagine how awesome it must have been working with Eastwood, but Bee Vang and Ahney Her, both give a good account of themselves. But this is Eastwood's film. His larger than life portrayal of the racist, bigot, Walt Kowalski, is one only he could pull off. A first-class effort by all involved, ensures "Gran Torino" is a very entertaining and most satisfying cinema experience. Savour another Eastwood classic. It may be your last chance! Very recommended. 4 1/2 STARS." What Do The Critics Say?

"Master craftsman Clint Eastwood snarls Walt Kowalski into life in a sublime character study as a man who knows more about death than he does life, and discovers redemption when he least expects it. Eastwood's holster is stacked with humour and pathos." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "Some say this is his best-ever performance. That's hard to argue." Gary Wolcott TRI-CITY HERALD "It's pure Eastwood and that means it is grand entertainment." Jackie K Cooper JACKIEKCOOPER.COM "A well-acted, compelling and engrossing drama." Avi Offer NYC MOVIE GURU "If Gran Torino is Clint Eastwood's last acting gig, he's gone out in top form." Gary Brown HOUSTON COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS "Clint Eastwood does grumpy old man in spades as Walt. Bee Vang and Ahney Her are excellent as brother and sister next door. John Carroll Lynch has an entertaining cameo as Walt's barber and verbal sparring partner. An emotionally turbo charged ride, Gran Torino is not just shiny outside, but well appointed with mirrors with which to see reflections: as well as a rear view." Andrew L Urban URBAN CINEFILE

"As Walt discovers, we can lament change all we want, but ultimately what's gone is gone. What's important is what we leave behind: our successes, failures, and '72 Detroit-made muscle cars." Brett McCracken CHRISTIANITY TODAY "Gran Torino gets laughs when it wants to be funny, earns your empathy when it wants to be affecting, and makes you think when it speaks its mind." Mike McGranaghan AISLE SEAT "Another compelling story from an American master." John Wirt ADVOCATE "With Clint in the driver's seat, what might have been an old clunker comes very close to being a classic." Frank Swietek ONE GUYS OPINION "If the rumors of this being Clint Eastwood's final turn in front of the camera are true, then 'Gran Torino' is a brilliant send off." Frank Wilkins REEL TALK MOVIE REVIEWS "Goes deeper than racial clashes and the opening of one bigot's eyes: it's about letting go of your past, making the most of your present, accepting that the world now is not the world you grew up in." Tricia Olszewski WASHINGTON CITY PAPER

Crew Bytes "GRAN TORINO" was .......
directed by Clint Eastwood ["High Plains Drifter", "Heartbreak Ridge" and "Blood Work"]; screenplay by Nick Schenk ["I Shot Myself"]; art direction by 2003 & 2004 Art Directors Guild 'Excellence in Production Design' Award winner John Warnke ["Catch Me If You Can" and "Something's Gotta Give"]; costume design by Deborah Hopper ["Mystic River", "Million Dollar Baby" and "Changeling"]; production design by James J Murakami ["Letters from Iwo Jima" and "Rails & Ties"]; set decoration by Gary Fetti ["The Longest Yard", "Click" and "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry"]; director of photography Tom Stern ["Romance & Cigarettes", "Gran Torino" and "Changeling"]; original music by Kyle Eastwood ["Letters from Iwo Jima" and "Gran Torino"] and Michael Stevens ["Rails & Ties" and "An Unlikely"]. Who Plays Who?

Clint Eastwood Christopher Carley Bee Vang Ahney Her Brian Haley Geraldine Hughes Dreama Walker Brian Howe John Carroll Lynch William Hill Brooke Chia Thao Chee Thao Choua Kue Scott Eastwood Xia Soua Chang Sonny Vue Doua Moua Greg Trzaskoma John Johns Davis Gloff Tom Mahard Cory Hardrict Nana Gbewonyo Arthur Cartwright Julia Ho Maykao Lytongpao Carlos Guadarrama

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Walt Kowalski Father Janovich Thao Vang Lor Sue Lor Mitch Kowalski Karen Kowalski Ashley Kowalski Steve Kowalski Barber Martin Tim Kennedy Vu Grandma Youa Trey Kor Khue Smokie Spider Bartender Al Darrell Mel Duke Monk Prez Dr Chang Gee Head Latino

Run Time 116 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2009 - Warner Bros - All Rights Reserved ©2009 All Rights Reserved - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian, International, Copyright & Trademark Laws.