Gran Torino is a 2008 American drama film directed by, produced by, and starring Clint Eastwood. The film marks Eastwood's return to a lead acting role after four years, his previous leading role having been in Million Dollar Baby, and Eastwood has stated that this is his final film as an actor. The film features a large Hmong American cast, as well as one of Eastwood's younger sons, Scott Eastwood, playing Trey. Eastwood's oldest son, Kyle Eastwood, provided the score. The film opened to theaters in a limited release in North America on December 12, 2008, and later to a worldwide release on January 9, 2009.
The story follows Walt Kowalski, a recently widowed Korean War veteran who is alienated from his family and angry at the world. Walt's young Hmong neighbor, Thao, is pressured into trying to steal Walt's prized 1972 Ford Gran Torino by his cousin for his initiation into a gang. Walt develops a relationship with the boy and his family.
Gran Torino was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $260 million worldwide.
Gran Torino was directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Nick Schenk.It was produced by Village Roadshow Pictures, Media Magik Entertainment and Malpaso Productions for film distributor Warner Bros. Eastwood also produced alongside Malpaso partner Robert Lorenz and Bill Gerber. The original script was inspired by the Northeast neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, but filmmakers chose to film in Michigan, becoming one of the first productions to take advantage of the state's new law that provided lucrative incentive packages to film productions. Filming began in July 2008 locations included Highland Park, Detroit, Center Line,Warren, Royal Oak, and Grosse Pointe Park. Hmong crew, production assistants, consultants, and extras were used.
Eastwood directing on set in July 2008.
In the early 1990s, Schenk became acquainted with the history and culture of the Hmong while working in a factory in Minnesota. He also learned how they had sided with the South Vietnamese forces and its U.S. allies during the Vietnam War, only to wind up in refugee camps, at the mercy of northern Communist forces, when American troops pulled out and the government forces were defeated. Years later, he was deciding how to develop a story involving a widowed Korean War veteran trying to handle the changes in his neighborhood when he decided to place a Hmong family next door and create a culture clash. He and Dave Johannson, Schenk's brother's roommate, created an outline for the story.Some industry insiders told Schenk that he could not produce a film starring elderly characters as it could not be sold. Through a friend Schenk sent the screenplay to Warner Bros. producer Bill Gerber.Eastwood was able to direct and star on the project as filming for Invictus was delayed to early 2009, leaving sufficient time for filming during the previous summer. Eastwood said that he had a "fun and challenging role, and it's an oddball story."
Producer Robert Lorenz said that while the script was originally set in Minnesota, he chose Michigan as the actual setting as Kowalski is a retired car plant worker. Eastwood wanted Hmong as cast members, so casting director Ellen Chenoweth enlisted Hmong organizations and set up calls in Detroit, Fresno, and St. Paul; Fresno and St. Paul have the two largest Hmong communities in the United States, while Detroit also has an appreciable population of Hmong. Chenoweth recruited Bee Vang in St. Paul and Ahney Her in Detroit
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Torino
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