Gran Torino Abi

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people and even an innocent teenager) ● His bad conscience has prevented him from finding peace with himself ● General behaviour: masculine → role model for Thao ● Used to solving problems on his own does not accept help from his family, ... Self-reflection in the mirror: "God, I've got more in common with these gooks than I do my own spoilt family."→ turning-point of his life Still living "in the 50s"→ true for his values and conceptions Deeply rooted triotism (American flag) → grew up dur his country in Korea, worked at Ford ● When Sue is beaten and raped, Walt shows feelings for the first times more or less responsible for spiral of violence Wants to pay for all the horrible things in his past by sacrificing himself He also confesses even though he didn't want to the whole time → closing a chapter, changed his mind, wants to fill his to-do list, wants to join his wife in heaven Walt's death opens way to restore law and order in the neighbourhood Thao Vang Lor Nickname: Toad (by Walt → first an insult, then a term of endearment) Hmong, about 16, does not go to school, later gets a job at a construction site Interests: cars, handiwork Character traits: shy, self-conscious, insecure, gains self-confidence by working and through friendship with Walt Relationship with others: ● ● ● ● ● As compensation for his attempted theft Thao has to do odd jobs for Walt → for the first time in his life he really rises to the tasks presented to him He first accepts the gangbangers' brutality and doesn't want Walt to do anything against it only after Sue's rape he is willing to kill them He inherits Walt's Gran Torino opportunity to assimilate into American society Sue Lor ● O Lives with sister, mother, grandmother grows up in a female-dominated house without any male role model →not seen as "man of the house" Pressured by cousin Fong to join his gang➜ after his initiation ritual of stealing the Gran Torino failed, he wants to keep a distance, so the gangbangers try to take him by force In love with Youa Torn between two worlds of white America and traditional Hmong culture → doesn't know where he belongs to and searches for an identity o Gradually becomes friends with Walt and learns a lot from him →is taught to talk and behave like a man→ grows from a teenager into a male adult Most Hmong girls are able to adapt to American society, while the boys don't accept their fathers' values Thao➜ doesn't have orientation ● ● Hmong, little bit older than Thao, goes to school Character traits: self-confident, outspoken, intelligent, witty, strong Relationship with others: O Feels responsible for her brother o Speaks up against Smokie and Spider, but gets beaten and raped by the gang O Sees Walt's good heart beneath his hostile behaviour Father Janovich O Well-adapted to American society; able to live in both worlds of Hmong tradition and modern western liberalism➜ white boyfriend Trey O Bridges the gap between her family and Walt Caucasian, 27 years old, Catholic priest Interests: his parish, philosophical questions about life and death ● Character traits: young and inexperienced, persistent, really cares for the people in his parish Relationship with others: was close to Dorothy Kowalski, learns a lot from Walt and gains his respect Tries to remove Walt's wall of bitterness and shame, but for a long time he doesn't get through to him ● Walt's direct way of telling him his opinion and his hidden war experiences change his outlook on life Minor characters ● ● ● His job ● Walt's development His family ● ● Historical background Fong ("Spider") and Smokie: ringleaders of violent Hmong gang, Fong is Sue's and Thao's cousin, terrorize the neighbourhood there is no resistance against them within the community Finds a family develops bonds with the Van Lors At the beginning racist then: learns that they are not just some Asian people, but that they have a connection also becomes more open minded Learns to live with his mistakes, illness ● Finds his inner peace Mitch, Karen, Ashley and Josh Kowalski: Walt's son and his family, difficult relationship with Walt (feel like Walt is never content with and always disappointed in them, but they are rather materialistically interested in Walt themselves) Steve, wife, Daniel and David Kowalski: Walt's other son and his family, little contact to Walt Martin: Italian-American barber Phong Lor: grandmother, suspicious of American culture and rather hostile towards Walt His house, neighborhood, community His doctor War, violence, crime Walt's past life Detroit in the 1950s: peak population, well-paid jobs in the automobile industry Well-maintained house in a safe neighbourhood where mostly white middle-class people /automobile workers lived; he went to church because it was important for his wife Worked all of his life for the Ford Motor Company Married the best wife he could imagine, never had a close relationship with his sons Experienced, male, white doctor fought as a soldier in Korea, killed people, lost many friends in the battle, learned to rely on himself and defend himself Walt's present life (beginning of the movie) Detroit in the 21st century: decline of the auto industry, unemployment, dramatic drop in population, entire neighborhoods are abandoned Hmong people live there, doesn't go to church, keeps his house in perfect condition No job→ has retired, but constantly repairing/fixing things, busy with keeping the house clean Wife is dead, still no good relationship with his sons, Daisy is his only companion Woman, Asian → problems: young, woman, Asian even at the doctor he recognizes that now white people are the minority Protects Thao and doesn't want ultimate escalation, but fights against gang→ confronts and attacks violent, doesn't rely on others Thao's ambiguity of belonging Thao, the boy -tries to steal Walt's Gran Torino -no one respects him -not manly enough -he doesn't stand up for himself, shy, ... -doesn't know about the skills he has -bad body language -clueless about his belonging → identity crisis The Hmong Thao -typical traditions traditional clothing on Walt's funeral -might speak Hmong -lacking a father figure Motifs and symbols Gran Torino Life and death (religious symbol) Dilapidation vs. refurbishment Names Walt's Silver Star medal and lighter Thao, the young man -gets a job (→→ knows about his skills) and a girlfriend -knows how to talk to men -withdrawn but he can defend himself→ freezer -wants to take the gang down -tries to be the man of the house The American Thao -friend of American Walt who teaches him American values; also: father figure -lives in the US and speaks the language Importance in the film Walt prized possession; Ashley is interested in inheriting it; Thao is supposed to steal it as an initiation ritual into Spider's gang; Walt offers it to Thao to take Youa on a date; given to Thao after Walt's death Film begins and ends with a funeral scene; theme of Father Janovich's sermons and his conversations with Walt; Hmong birth ceremony as opposed to Dorothy's funeral reception; Walt sacrifices his life for Thao and Sue Street in disrepair one reason for Walt to scorn his Hmong neighbors; Thao's job when working for Walt: refurbishing houses in the street; Thao's job at constructing site; Thao and Walt mutually helping each other with repairs Walt wants Father Janovich to call him "Mr. Kowalski", later he lets him call him "Walt"; Walt calling Hmong wrong names; Sue calling Walt "Wally" Emblems of Walt's military service and successes; Silver Star medal as a gift to Thao symbolism masculinity, traditionalism, an ordered world, friendship (→bridges gap between Walt and Thao) vs. mere materialistic gain; necessary part in Thao's process of becoming a man Friendship with Hmong and atonement for his sins give Walt new life; death: foreshadowed throughout the movie by two funerals, Walt's smoking, his coughing up blood, final shootout Loss of old values and traditions; growing up; gaining self- confidence; friendship Distance vs. closer relationship Guilt and redemption, true bravery; lighter: reminder of Walt's guilt → Themes Racism in Multicultural society ● Movie shows contribution of different ethnic groups to American society →Walt's visit to the doctor: Walt is the only white person population gets more diverse ● (to make him go to the basement); lighter provokes gang into shooting unarmed Walt Movie questions ideal of a conservative white America → not able to represent the country anymore Walt considers himself a true American → no more or no less a true American, as he is a Polish immigrant ● Presented society at the beginning of the movie is racially clearly segregated → parallel societies It is clearly shown that people stick to their own kind exception: Sue →Walt: "You shouldn't be hanging out with him. You should be hanging out with your own people" ● Distrust and prejudices Language barriers play a major role⇒block communication between the different ethnic groups (Walt and Phong) ● reminds him of his war crimes; bring light into the darkness ● Misconceptions based on ignorance Movie reveals in which contexts racial prejudices originate → Walt: Korean War; Phong: reluctance of the US to care for the Hmong people after the Vietnam War Contact with Hmong neighbors enables Walt to get a certain amount of introspection and gives him a second chance; he changed his attitude Movie carries a strong anti-racist message one should accept the ongoing changes in society and one should acknowledge the diversity of the country (Gun) Violence ● ● The Second Amendment to the Constitution grants every citizen the right to bear arms Having a gun became a tradition deeply rooted in the American self-image ● Walt would use a weapon in self-defense Uses guns as a threat, never actually pulls the trigger • Gangs use their guns in a different way →power; they shoot Walt down mercilessly Various levels of violence at the beginning only verbal tensions, then: appearance of guns, Walt beats Smokie up, Sue has been beaten and raped With Walt's self-sacrifice he stops the cycle of violence he dies so that others can live Concepts of Masculinity Walt's characterization corresponds to the traditional definitions of masculinity → went to war, possesses two guns, drinks a lot, chain-smoker, ... Worked at Ford and has two cars Married and raised a family with two sons His language is vulgar and commanding Thao: bossed around by his sister and does women's work (washes the dishes) With Walt's help, Thao is manned up→ taught to talk like men and starts dating Youa Gets a job in construction (typically male) Generation Gaps Walt and Mitch differ in their mentalities → Mitch: typical representative of the post- war generation whose capitalist ideas are questioned and criticized Sons don't have time for their father ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Relationship between Walt and grandchildren even worse: Ashley shows no respect for him in contrast, Sue and Thao look up for him; similar to him (appreciate traditions and social ties) Guilt and Redemption ● In the Korean War Walt killed about 13 people Haunted by his murdering an innocent Korean teenager More than 50 years later he is responsible for the escalation of violence in his neighborhood Sue's rape ● Tries to atone for his guilt by sacrificing himself His redemption is expressed by the symbol of the cross when he is shot down ● ● ● The Ambiguity of Belonging Thao is torn between his Hmong traditions and his wish to assimilate into American society ● ● ● ● All people around him emphasize Thao's female character traits → searches for a clear male identity Walt lives alone amidst a Hmong dominated community in which he does not fit He recognizes that he has more in common with this Hmong neighbors than with his own family appreciates the Hmong's sense of community, their respect for the old man and their hanging on their cultural traditions Walt is also "alienated from himself" Narrative structure The movie focuses on inner conflicts, strained family relations, tragic developments and emotional problems ● ● ● Background information ● Korean War →protagonists solve their difficulties by brave actions Problem 1: Walt's racist attitude, unfolds hidden bad conscience ● 1950-1953 ● After World War II, Korea was divided into the communist North and non-communist South In 1950, the North Korean Army invaded South Korea US intervention to stop communist expansion (Cold War era) At end of Korean War, the country was divided again Detroit ● Problem 2: Thao's conflict: the gang and that he is not manly enough Ending covers both problems at once: Walt overcomes his racial prejudices and makes sure that Hmong gang is sent to prison Walt's past plays central role, even though there are no flashbacks Events center around Walt's slow change from a grumpy, racially prejudiced old man to a likeable character du to his friendship with his Hmong neighbors Most prominent storyline: Walt helping Thao to become a man Two subplots: - Walt's difficult relationship to his family -Walt and Father Janovich → at first Walt is reserved towards the priest's wish of making him confess his sins, then: both open their hearts ● ● Detroit became "Motor City", the world's automotive capital By the 1940s, Detroit was the fourth largest city in the US At the end of the 20th century, loss of jobs in the auto industry loss in population → urban decay Today, many investments and projects to make the city attractive again, but unemployment and poverty still pressing problems Cinematic devices Lighting ● Subdued colors often melancholy atmosphere mirrored by rather dark lighting Many of the dramatic scenes take place at night → heightened tension Sunlight/brightness used as contrast Music ● ● "Gran Torino" and "Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" Mechanics Both men have similar jobs→ Walt worked at Ford; Larry Ott owns a garage in which he repairs cars Lonesome and embittered men Both Walt and Larry live alone → loners who don't rely on other people Walt's wife has just died His social contacts are restricted to war buddies he meets at a bar once in a while He celebrates his birthday alone on his porch He is definitely embittered by the social developments in his neighborhood and disappointed about the disrespect of his sons and grandchildren Larry: shunned by the inhabitants of Chabot ● ● Except for Silas Jones in his youth and the rather dubious relationship to Wallace Stringfellow, he has not had any friends in his life Cross-cultural friendships Drums for dramatic scenes with escalating violence Title song "Gran Torino" alludes to themes of loneliness, guilt, melancholy, past, tiredness Both protagonists develop an unusual cross-cultural friendship at some stage in their lives Walt takes Thao (Hmong teenager) under his wing ● He becomes a role model for Thao who really appreciates his help in manning him up Despite Walt's racial prejudices, a close relationship develops between them As a young boy, white Larry Ott befriends the African American Silas Jones In public they don't hang around with each other (→ racism in the late 1970s) → however, they meet in secret outside of school Suffering from feelings of guilt Walt and Larry suffer from a strong sense of guilt due to some event(s) in the past Walt has not come to terms with his Korean War experiences →killed at least 13 people, also an innocent teenager (→haunts him most) Only by his self-sacrifice at the end is Walt portrayed as redeemed from his guilt · ● ● ● ● ● Larry is innocent, but people believe he raped and murdered Cindy Walker → although there was no proof of his guilt, people have shied away from him ever since Finally, Silas Jones's telling the truth clears him off all allegations Ambiguity of Belonging Walt is like an old timer in a fast-changing world with respect to his values, he is still living in the 1950s • Only white man left in Highland Park → now a Hmong neighborhood Torn between his own family and his Hmong neighbors painful for him that he has to recognize that he has more in common with the Hmong neighbors than with his own relatives Larry has difficulties in finding his male identity Attempts to gain acceptance by his peer group fail (e.g. yelling "Monkey Lips" to an African American girl) He prefers reading → not as cool as the other kids, stays apart from the others Outsider like Walt due to the rumors about his killing the disappeared girl, he doesn't belong to Chabot's community Difficult father-and-son relations Different and difficult father-and-son relations: Walt as a father, Larry as a son ● ● ● ● Walt is completely alienated from his sons ● While Walt is loyal to Ford, his son Mitch drives a Toyota He is appalled by his sons' and their families materialist worldview Almost have no contact when they are together, arguments are inevitable Walt suffers from the fact that he did not find a way to get closer to his sons Larry misses his distanced father Carl considers his son unsuitable for a career as a mechanic ● ● ● ● ● ● He also lets the two boys fight about the rifle Larry's alleged crime estranges him from his father even more