Gran Torino Page #12

WALT:

So... what exactly was the deal

with those guys out on my lawn

that night? Who are they?

TAO:

A gang. Hmong gangbangers.

WALT:

I gathered that. What did they

want with you?

TAO:

They wanted to take me away

because I blew my first

initiation.

WALT:

You joined up with those pukes?

Damn, you are a p*ssy. Why in the

hell did you do that?

TAO:

I don’t know. They were

persuasive. My cousin’s in the

gang. They just talked me into it

I guess.

WALT:

Well, at least you’re honest about

it.

A LONG SILENCE. Walt finishes fixing the ceiling fan.

(CONTINUED)

71.

69 CONTINUED:
(3) 69

WALT:

So how’d you blow your first

initiation?

Tao nods towards the GRAN TORINO.

WALT:

The Gran Torino?

Tao nods. Walt laughs.

WALT:

Christ all Friday.

70 INT. WALT’S BASEMENT 70

Walt straps an old WESTINGHOUSE FREEZER onto a two-

wheeled DOLLY. Walt attempts to pull the freezer

upstairs.

Walt strains with the heavy appliance. It’s too much

weight for Walt, but this doesn’t stop him from heaving

and pulling.

Walt could have done this by himself when he was younger.

Walt sits down on the step and breathes hard.

71 INT. MITCH’S MASSIVE DEN 71

Mitch watches afternoon baseball, drinking an imported,

bottled beer. KAREN pokes her head into the room.

KAREN:

See you later, I’m taking the kids

to the mall.

Mitch never looks up from the TV.

MITCH:

Yeah, fine. Just don’t spend too

much goddamned money.

KAREN:

I will.

We hear Karen and the kids exit.

MITCH:

Thank God. Finally get the house

to myself for once.

The PHONE RINGS. Mitch looks at the Caller ID. It says;

“Dad.” Mitch almost doesn’t pick it up...

(CONTINUED)

72.

71 CONTINUED:
71

MITCH:

Hello.

WALT (V.O.)

Hello? It’s me, Dad... Walt.

MITCH:

Hey, Dad. What’s up?

The CAMERA INTERCUTS BETWEEN Walt in his small kitchen

and Mitch in his huge den.

WALT:

Well... I... um... I’m getting the

old Westinghouse up out of the

basement.

Mitch mouths the word “Sh*t.”

MITCH:

Uh-huh.

WALT:

So... I got it on the dolly.

MITCH:

Yeah, that’ll help.

WALT:

Yeah... And it’s a bit heavy...

for one guy.

MITCH:

Uh-huh.

WALT:

Yeah... I need a hand.

MITCH:

Oh.

WALT:

So are you busy?

MITCH:

Does it have to be done right this

second? It’s been down there for

years.

WALT:

Well... Yeah, I’d like to get on

it.

(CONTINUED)

73.

71 CONTINUED:
(2) 71

MITCH:

Does it work? We were thinking

about getting a freezer. What are

you going to do with it?

WALT:

Giving it to Aunt Mary.

MITCH:

Oh... Can’t she give you a hand?

WALT:

She’s eighty-one.

MITCH:

I know, I was joking... What does

she need it for?

WALT:

To freeze food.

Mitch opens another beer.

MITCH:

Yeah, well, I’d love to help you

out, Dad, but I’m just walking out

the door. I have to bring the

kids to the mall. Sorry.

WALT:

Uh-huh.

MITCH:

Why don’t you call Stevie?

WALT:

Your brother lives out of state.

MITCH:

Well, I don’t know what to tell

you, I’m on my way out. Keys in

my hand.

WALT:

Okay then.

MITCH:

If you can’t find anyone by next

week, give me a call.

Walt nods and hangs up.

Mitch hangs up and takes a sip of beer.

(CONTINUED)

74.

71 CONTINUED:
(3) 71

MITCH:

Aunt Mary. Like she needs a

freezer.

72 INT. TAO’S HOUSE 72

The doorbell rings and Tao opens the door. There stands

Walt. Tao is a little shocked.

WALT:

You got a minute, Toad?

CUT TO:

73 INT. WALT’S BASEMENT - A MINUTE LATER 73

Walt and Tao look at the freezer strapped to the dolly.

WALT:

I just need a little push. All

the weight is up top, so you stay

down and give me a little shove at

each step.

TAO:

Let me take the top.

WALT:

Naw, I got it.

TAO:

No really, I’ll take the top. It

looks pretty heavy.

WALT:

I’m not crippled. I got it.

TAO:

If you don’t let me take the top,

I ain’t helping. I’ll go home.

WALT:

Listen, zipper head, now’s not the

time to go and...

TAO:

You listen, old man. You came and

got me because you needed help, so

let me help you. Either it’s top

or I’m out of here.

Walt studies Tao for a second. Tao doesn’t blink, he

holds his ground. Walt nods, trying not to grin.

(CONTINUED)

75.

73 CONTINUED:
73

WALT:

Okay then, be my guest. Just

don’t let it slip out of yourlittle girl hands and crush me.

Tao laughs.

TAO:

Don’t give me any ideas.

74 EXT. WALT’S BACKYARD -MINUTES LATER 74

Tao and Walt ease the freezer down the back steps andpause to take a break. They both breathe hard.

TAO:

That thing weighs a ton.

WALT:

Yeah, but it runs like new. Theydon’t make them like that anymore.

TAO:

What are you going to do with it?

WALT:

Sell it. I haven’t used it in

years and it was always in the waydown there.

How much?

TAO:

WALT:

Oh, I don’t know. Sixty bucks,

maybe. Why, you need a freezer?

TAO:

(nods)

Our downstairs one died.

Walt thinks for a second.

WALT:

Twenty-five and it’s yours.

Twenty-five?

TAO:

You just said sixty?

WALT:

Save me from wasting money onputting an ad in the paper.

76.

75 EXT. WALT’S PORCH -DAY 75

Walt and Sue sit eating Laab as they watch Tao, who

washes and waxes the Gran Torino in Walt’s driveway.

Sue laughs and shakes her head.

SUE:

Kind of ironic, huh?

WALT:

What?

SUE:

What the hell do you think I’m

referring to? Toad washing the

car he tried to steal from you.

WALT:

It seems like justice to me. And

if he misses a spot, he’s doing it

all over.

SUE:

It’s nice of you to kind of look

after him like this. He doesn’t

have any real role models in his

life.

WALT:

I ain’t a role model.

SUE:

You’re a good man, Wally. I wish

our dad would have been more like

you.

WALT:

Don’t call me Wally.

SUE:

No, I’m serious. He was hard on

us, really traditional, really old

school.

WALT:

I’m old school.

SUE:

Yeah, but you’re American.

WALT:

What’s that supposed to mean?

Sue shrugs him off. They look at Tao for awhile.

(CONTINUED)

77.

75 CONTINUED:
75

SUE:

You like him, don’t you?

WALT:

Him? Don’t be crazy. He tried to

steal my car.

SUE:

And you spend time with him and

you teach him how to fix things

and you saved him from that f***

cousin of ours and...

WALT:

Hey. Watch the language.

SUE:

And you’re a good man.

WALT:

Hand me a beer, Dragon Lady.

Sue hands him a beer and Walt pops the top.

WALT:

So tell me the problem with Hmong

boys again. I’m not completely

clear.

SUE:

Hmong girls slip in and out of the

culture more easily. Date who we

want, stay close to our mothers,

but are able to keep a foot on

each side of the fence. The boys

fall through the cracks.

WALT:

Why?

SUE:

It’s tough. The boys float

around. The fathers belong in a

totally different world and the

boys have no one to turn to. Does

that make sense?

WALT:

Not sure. No.

SUE:

The boys don’t ask their fathers

for advice, because over here,

their fathers no longer have the

answers.

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