Film Analysis Paper

Gran Torino: An Analysis and Description of the Cultural Text.

OLIVIA WATKINS

BR 415

Dr. Kent Eilers

05/07/2014

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Gran Torino: An Analysis and Description of the Cultural Text.

Introduction- Gran Tornio is a film which invites it's audience to be impacted by its

meaning. This movie brings its viewers into a unique community, and offers an explanation

for why this community is effective. It dramatically expresses a cycle of violence, and looks

to portray self-sacrifice. Gran Torino demonstrates love, forgiveness, and acceptance even

despite opposition, and an old man who is deeply racist, and deeply set in his ways.

The World "Behind" the Text

The movie Gran Torino is the story of an old racist man named Walt Kowalski. Walt

clearly is stuck in the era of the Vietnam War, in which he was in the army fighting for the

United States, and then building cars on the Ford lines. He is deeply troubled by the changes

happening all around him, and specifically in his neighborhood where the majority culture

group has become the Hmong people. Through a serious of events Walt becomes involved

with these people, and even mentors one, a young man named Thao Vang Lor. Slowly Walt

seems to open up to these people and they change each other's lives.

Gran Torino was written by Nick Schenk with input from Dave Johannson. It was

directed by Clint Eastwood and co-produced with Robert Lorenz and Bill Gerber. All of these

people had significant influence in determining the meaning and direction that the film takes,

and each allowed the film to be a medium for their own beliefs.

Nick Schenk drew much of Gran Torino's storyline from a time when he worked at a

factory alongside the Hmong people. Schenk states, "The Hmong culture is somewhat

invisible," therefore much of his story revolves around them and their culture

(emanuellevy.com). In fact Walt often aligns the Hmong group with other Asian cultures, but

later in the movie they are distinguished as a group who is mainly from Laos, and who were

allies of the United States in the Vietnam War. After the war ended the Hmong people were

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being killed off for being allies of the United States, so they began to migrate to the United

States to escape death.

Walt Kowalski the main character in Gran Torino, played by Clint Eastwood, was

extremely challenging. He demonstrates dramatic racism and frustration with the world

around him; he blames everyone else for his problems. Eastwood wanted to address the issue

of being politically correct which Walt Kowalski clearly is not in the film. Through this

political incorrectness Eastwood was demonstrating a few of his personal beliefs on the

subject. Concerning being politically correct Eastwood states,

"I hate the so-called PC thing. I think that's one of the things that's damaging our

generation at the present time. Everybody is taking themselves and everything so

seriously. If they just relax a little more, and take themselves and everything else a little

less seriously, they'd have a lot more fun." (www.cnn.com)

Eastwood made it clear he did not want to take the "Hollywood bailout"with this film

(emanuellevy.com). Instead he wanted to take his character seriously, and he wanted to

portray him correctly with all his racial slurs and political incorrectness. Furthermore,

Eastwood asserts he beliefs the way Walt speaks is the way people spoke in the era he grew

up in--meaning in that era people were not afraid to say what they thought (shadows.wall.net).

This appears to be something Eastwood values about his character, and something he wanted

to be a part of the film.

The World "Of" the Text

Gran Torino is a film which is rich in meaning. It demonstrates using film as a

medium to allow the audience to interact with the beliefs and understanding of the producers.

Furthermore, Gran Torino is a unique story which speaks of community, violence,

redemption, and more.

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At the very beginning of the film two very different scenes are being carried out. Walt

Kowalski, a grumpy, old, racist man, is attending his wives funeral, scowling at all the people

around him. After the funeral a group gather at his home while next door crowds of Hmong

people celebrate the birth of a new born baby. The people there are happy and chattering

while the scene at Walt's place appears dark, and disrespectful. Walt's grandkids dig through

his things hoping to attain them after his death, and the other people quietly mill around the

food. Walt slips outside to salt the sidewalk. Next door a young teenager named Thao

obediently washes the dishes by himself while the rest of the people gather for a ceremony

with the new born baby. Both of these men appeared to be estranged from their perspective

groups of people. Thao lives with three women and has no male role models. He seems

awkward, and quiet because he is not sure where to go with life. Walt appears stuck in the

past blaming his troubles on others and the changes in society. He also clearly struggles in his

relationship with his sons who only seem to tolerate him, and admit to not having

Thanksgiving with him anymore because they struggle to deal with his perfectionism.

Walt Kowalski demonstrates racism at its finest. He appears to be heavily influenced

by his time in Korea, and despises the Hmong people who live in his territory. He aligns them

with other Asian groups and calls them a number of names such as swamp rats, barbarians,

zipper heads, and gooks. His racism does not seem limited to the Hmong people. He also

insults his other friends calling them "Italian prick" and, "damn Irish", along with several

other names. I think the only person Walt wouldn't insult is a white, polish man, who worked

for ford like he did. In fact, Walt is against most anyone excepts himself in this film, but his

animosity towards others probably stems from him not wanting to admit his own problems.

Walt does not want to admit that he was not always a good father, that his standards are too

high for others, that he is stuck in the past, or that he has pushed people away in his life.

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The movie is centred around a cycle of violence. Walt Kowalski begins by being

violent with his tongue, and the mangled relationships he has with his sons also seems to

demonstrate violence. There is also, Tao, a young Hmong teenager in the movie who

experiences gang violence. In the beginning of the film Tao is being bullied by a Latino gang

who calls him names and threatens him, until his cousin spider and his gang pulls up in their

car. They pull a small machine gun on the gang which causes them to drive away. Tao refuses

to get in the car with his cousin whose gang now want Tao to join them. Nevertheless, Tao is

a troubled teenager who is unsure of his place in the world, so he decides to try to join the

gang. The initiation is steeling Walt's prized possession, his 1972 Gran Torino in which he

installed the steering column himself back in his days on the Ford line. Tao attempts to do the

deed around 3 a.m., but Walt catches him and holds a gun to his head until Walt trips, and Tao

has a moment to escape. Both of these men attempted to be violent with on another but the

violence is not perpetuated because it is incomplete and later solved with a mother's loving

diplomacy.

Later, the gang comes to Tao's house attempting to force him into their car to finish

his initiation. Tao refuses and all sorts of violence and fighting breaks out on Walt's lawn.

Walt responds to this violence with more violence. Her pulls his gun on the gang and growls,

"Get off my lawn!" The Hmong now adore Walt as their hero, their god, and they leave

presents on his door step to show him gratitude. Now, Tao's mother forces him towards Walt's

house to repay his debt to Walt because he has dishonored the family by trying to steal Walt's

car. Walt refuses Tao's help. Later, he helps Sue get away from three black guys who

threatening her and her boyfriend. Walt begins to think Sue is not as bad as he once thought.

In the car Sue explains the history of her people fighting for the Americans in Vietnam and

being killed by the communist after the Americans left. Despite this history Walt is still

demonstrates conscienceless racism.

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Sue bridges the gap between Walt and the Hmong people by inviting him to one of

their gatherings, where Walt appears to slowly open up to the people. He even allows the

family Shaman to do a reading on him. Walt is shocked by the reading and realises he desires

the respect the Hmong people show their elders unlike his family. He is also realising that he

has held onto the past too strongly, it is as if he has not lived since he got back from the

Vietnam war. Tao's mother and sister once again take him to Mr. Kowalski and tell him he

has to work for him because he dishonored the family. Tao and Walt are reluctant, but finally

Walt accepts. It is rough at first. Tao does nothing then Walt makes him fix up all of his

neighbor's houses which are all falling apart. Tao's week of hard labour begins to form a

friendship between the two men. Walt begins to teach Tao about respect, and working hard,

and Tao finds he actually likes the hard work, and looks disappointed when Walt dismisses

him early on his last day. Walt and Tao former a deeper camaraderie as Tao is able to be there

for Walt when his children aren't. Walt also helps Tao to learn to be respectful, and helps him

get a construction job so he can save money.

For the first time physical violence enters the movie. The gang harasses Tao, breaks

the tools Walt got him for his job, and burn him with a hot cigarette against his face. Walt

decides to handle the situation himself. He goes to the gangbanger's home when Smokie, the

leader of the gang, is alone. The physical violence is increased, and the violence moves from

all against one to one against all. Walt brutally and mindlessly beats up Smokie. The scene is

difficult to watch as Walt throws punch after kick into Smokie trying to defend Tao and keep

him safe from the gang. The next scene we see Sue, Tao, "Yum Yum", and Walt all having a

barbeque. Walt seems content, believing safety has finally come for Tao and his family. He

comments on the food like he has known it all his life and the group really seems like a close-

knit community. Walt even trust the once thief to now drive his Gran Torino. However, the

bliss soon ends when the violence increases to greater levels. Bullets slam through Tao's

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house, Tao is grazed by a bullet but everyone else is ok. Sue, however was not at the house;

the gang found her and raped, and beat her badly.

Father Janovich frequently pops up throughout the film. He desires that Walt go to

confession, and he is trying to convince him to do so. There are no police in the movie

because the movie demonstrates violence without the power of authority. However, the Father

is one person in the film who encourages others to follow the law. He represents order which

is almost not a part of the film, expect for the second to last scene when the police remove

Walt's body. Walt eventually confesses to Father Janovich, but it is not his most important

confession. Through another screen similar to the one Walt confess to the Father through,

Walt makes another confession to Tao. This time he confesses the things he did in war to Tao.

Then he leaves Tao locked inside the basement, and goes to the gangbangers house. He stirs

them up, then pretends to pull a gun out, but really he pulls out a lighter. The gangbangers are

fooled and they gun him down. Walt falls in the to the ground forming the shape of the cross.

He sacrificed himself for the community he'd come close too. All of the gang is going away

for life because there were witnesses who saw them murder Walt, and Walt was not carrying a

weapon. Tao and his family can finally have some peace in the world because of Walt

Kowalski. Full redemption is seen when Tao is given the very car he tried to steal in Walt's

will.

The World "In Front Of" the Text

This text, Gran Torino, invites it's reader into a deeper understanding of community,

violence, and redemption. The text opens up to the story of a man, Walt Kowalski, who seems

like he will never overcome all that he struggles with in life, and it shows Tao who appears to

not have a home or a place where he identifies himself. Nevertheless when Tao and Walt

come together, two struggling people find their home in one another.

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The film demonstrates Walt's strained relationships with his family. Walt seems to be

all alone even when he is surrounded by people, and Tao has no father-figure. Together these

two out cast form a family. The community these two share is one of common dependency,

openness, and reliance on one another. This invites us into community which can share in

even our brokenness, and who can support us and take us through difficult situations.

The film invites us into a new understanding of violence. After several attempts to

solve violence with violence Walt has to decide that this only increases the brutal force behind

each attack. He has to sacrifice himself in order to end the cycle of savage force. This invites

the audience a choice to solve violence not with revenge and wrath, but rather in a way that

demonstrates love for another. It also asks us to not allow more harm to be initiated by our

reaction to violence which although may be in the name of justice it only causes more

suffering.

Finally, the film invites us into redemption. Tao and Walt experience redemption in

the movie through each other. It is in community that they find redemption through each

other's acceptance. Walt finds redemption from his war crimes by sacrificing himself for the

Hmong people. Tao finds redemption from his life which was headed downhill, but redeemed

through Walt's guidance as a mentor. Walt leaves behind a legacy to Tao giving the car the he

once tried to solve demonstrating the change which had happened through both of their lives

being redeemed.

Interpretation of the Text

The text holds truths about what it means to be in community. It defines a certain

interaction we can be entrusted too, and it challenges what we might generally think of the

Church. Although, Gran Torino may not hold fast to my theology of the purpose of the

Church it does have valuable things to say about community.

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God designed the church to be a group of people united as his children, by Christ

blood, and through the Holy Spirit. The bond of the church is supposed to surpass death and

lead to new life as the bride of Christ. Romans 12: 15 encourages the church to, "rejoice with

those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn." Furthermore, God calls the church to

have the ability to exhort one another. In fact the Church is encouraged to confess their sins

to one another in order that they might receive healing (James 5:16). The people in the

Church are to edify each other in times of struggle, and to help the weak be strong in Christ.

They build each other up with truth in the midst of a world who against them. Above all God

calls the Church to be one, together they make each other stronger--relying on the diversity of

gifts which God has given them (1Corinthians 12:12-30). This diversity of gifts allows them

to learn dependency on one another, to grow in community, and to serve on another together

reaching deeper into the depths of knowing God.

At the root of the Gran Torino there are several of these truths about the church and

community, however the path they take to demonstrate these things are very different from

what is seen within the church. For instance, Gran Torino demonstrates relying on the gifts

and strengths of one another, it looks at people being unity under a common struggle, it

shows forgiveness, and it demonstrates the act of community support. Nevertheless, in some

ways it diverges from God's perfect plan for community united under Him. Community is

made stronger when united by a common identity and not a common enemy.

Walt does learn throughout the movie to react, and even at times to empathize with

Tao and his family. He does not react this way towards the beginning of the movie in which

Walt is cold and segregated. However as he grows, and develops in their community Walt

begins to empathizes with Tao. It is demonstrated by Walt not wanting Tao to become part of

a gang, and throw his life away. Walt shows value for Tao more than what he expresses with

his words, and he empathizes with Tao's situation. Furthermore, after Sue is raped Walt

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shows the greatest amount of empathy for her and her family, truly mourning for those who

mourn. There are other ways in which Walt demonstrated this, but I think the biggest contrast

is that Walt is able to do for the Hmong people what even his family cannot do for him. The

Church is supposed to be the same way for people inside their body. They are to surround

each other with love, compassion, ad understanding when one of them has no one else to turn

too. They are to be one another's strength.

In Gran Torino Walt suffers many losses, and the people who appear closest to him

do not care. Walt's family is not interested in him, and very few people force Walt to truly see

his own faults. Yet, when Walt meets with the Hmong people he is exhorted through the

Shaman who finally tells Walt what his struggles truly are. In this--the movie demonstrates a

community who pushes each other toward positive growth through difficult truths. It is in

these recognitions of himself that Walt finally begins to change and see the Hmong people

for who they could be to him, a family and his community. Furthermore, Walt makes his

deepest confession to Tao who is a friend to him, and someone who he could trust to hear

what he truly needed forgiveness for. The Church is also called to exhortation however, they

view God as the final judge, not themselves or their community. Nevertheless, the Church

works together toward sanctification like Walt did with the Hmong people. In contrast the

Church does this in the hope of the great day of eschatology. Walt is also being transformed,

and redeemed which ultimately leads to his death and it is redemption that leads him to be set

apart to be a sacrifice. Walt is set apart for his death ultimately through his sanctification. In

contrast God sets apart the Church for himself to be in relationship with him. Finally, Walt's

final redemption leads to the salvation of Tao just as Christ's redeeming grace leads the

Church toward final redemption. In both pictures either through Walt or through the Church

redemption and exhortation are essential to the story.

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The Church faces opposition. Jesus promised we would have trouble in this world,

and the Church is supposed to support one another through these tribulations. In Gran Torino

both Walt and Tao experience persecution from the Hmong gang who want Tao to join them.

It is only together, and through Walt's sacrifice that they are able to overcome their struggles

with the gang. However, Walt and Tao do not demonstrate the same encouragement the

Church gives one another in these situations, rather they have an, "it's us against them,"

mentality. In many ways this common enemy unites them and encourages their friendship as

Walt became a hero for Tao and his family, but their solution to the problem never solved the

situation. Rather, Walt created greater violence in the situation actually further harming Tao

and his family. The Church's purpose is to guide each other and encouraging them to preserve

through difficulty not react to it in negative discouraging ways as Walt did is several

instances. Ultimately, the only thing which resolved the situation was Walt deciding to

sacrifice himself for the community. In the same way the church should serve one another in

their encouragement, sacrificing themselves in many ways, so that they might overcome

tribulation.

Walt and Tao rely on one another. Walt mentors Tao, he gives him dignity,

forgiveness, reconciliation, and respect. He also uses his gifts to teach Tao about tools and get

him a job, and Tao's friendship also benefits Walt. In the same way the church works together

relying on one another gifts. The difference between Gran Torino's demonstration of this,

and the roots of the Church is the Church's mission. The Church works together toward a

unified goal, a mandate from Christ. Christopher Wright states, "God does not have a mission

for his church, he has a church for his mission." The Church is given gifts not only to benefit

one another, but also to work toward the greater good of others for God.

Gran Torino points out a few very significant things about true community, however

there is times in which the film's theology diverges from the theology of the church. I believe

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the main reason for this is God is central to the church and without him the church is not

united. For the Church Christ is the foundation of what they build, so while things that the

film points out about community are true it is a sort of twisted truth, not relying on the beauty

of what God desires for his chosen people. Nevertheless, I hope what is demonstrated in

Gran Torino about two outcast finding refuge in one another is true of the Church. I also

hope like in Gran Torino the Church is a place to grow, to feel safe and loved, and a place

where people can help each other overcome, but instead all based on Christ.

Appropriation

I think this text leads us to close relationship with our fellow believers. God designed

the Church to be in fellowship in encouragement, exhortation, and through difficulties as

well as in joyful times. In the same way Gran Torino invites us into this style of community

which becomes our safe refuge and develops us as people. There are two specific ways I want

this film to affect the way I live.

The first way is I want those I am closest to, to challenge me, and help me to grow as

a person. This is not the only role I hope these people take in my life, but I also hope our

friendship allows us to be challenged which will bring us closer together. I want to be in a

community in which I feel comfortable bringing my broken self openly before others. I think

within my faith community I should be able to find people who are able to honestly exhort

me, and help me grow, in the same way that Tao grew from being a thief to being loved by

the one who he tried to steal the car from.

The second point I want to affect my life is the way in which Walt and Tao cared for

one another in times of struggle. I recently lost someone close to me, and I think through that

situation I learned the best response someone can have for a person experiencing loss is to

experience that loss with them. This does not have to be literally, it can be by simply

acknowledging they've lost something. It can be through a hug, or through tears of

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understanding. Walt and Tao empathize with one another, and in the same way I want to

empathize with others responding to them in love, and recognition of the difficulty they face.

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Work Cited

Emanuel Levy. 2008 December 4. Gran Torino: Interview with Clint Eastwood. Retrieved

from http://emanuellevy.com/comment/gran-torino-interview-with-clint-eastwood-2/

CNN.com. 2008 December 29. At 78, 'politically incorrect' Eastwood still Finds Edgy Roles.

Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/29/eastwood.gran.

torino/index.html?eref=rss_latest

Shadows on the Wall. 2009 February 9. Just no Pussyfooting. Retrieved from

http://shadows.wall.net/features/eastwood.htm