GRAN TORINO
Screenplay by
Nick Schenk
Story by
Nick Schenk & David
Johannson
This script is the
confidential and proprietary
property of Warner Bros.
Pictures and no portion of
it may be performed,
distributed, reproduced, used,
quoted or published without
prior written permission.
May 5, 2008
WARNER BROS. PICTURES INC.
© 2008
4000 Warner Boulevard
WARNER BROS. ENT.
Burbank, California 91522
All Rights Reserved
FADE IN:
INT. CHURCH
1
1
We’re at the funeral of
Dorothy Kowalski. In attendance
are mostly old folks, their
offspring and several bored
teenagers.
WALT KOWALSKI stands towards
the front of the church. He
speaks to an older MAN in a
bulky, out-of-date suit.
OLDER MAN
I’m real sorry about
Dorothy,
Walt. She was a real peach.
WALT
Thanks for coming, Al.
Walt Kowalski looks young
for his age. He has slate blue
eyes, physically fit and has
had the same buzz cut
hairstyle since getting out
of the military in 1953.
Walt is also a
perfectionist. Nothing escapes his
hawklike eyes, eyes that
pierce and judge.
Walt looks around at how the
young people have dressed at
his wife’s funeral. His eyes
narrow at his
GRANDDAUGHTER’s belly button
ring.
WALT
Jesus Christ.
Walt’s two sons, MITCH and
STEVE, watch their father from
across the pews.
MITCH
Look at the Old Man glaring
at
Ashley. He can’t even tone
it
down at Mom’s funeral?
STEVE
What do you expect? Dad’s
still
living in the ‘50s. He
expects
his granddaughter to dress a
little more modestly.
MITCH
Yeah, well your kid’s
wearing a
Timberwolves jersey. I’m
sure Dad
appreciates that.
STEVE
My point is that there’s
nothing
anyone can do that won’t
disappoint the Old Man.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
It’s inevitable. That’s why
we
stopped doing Thanksgivings;
the
deal with the boat motor,
the
broken bird bath, it’s
always
something.
MITCH
What are we going to do with
him?
Don’t you think he’ll get in
trouble by himself over in
the old
neighborhood?
STEVE
Why don’t you have him move
in
with you?
MITCH
Ha ha.
INT. CHURCH - LATER
2
2
The choir sings the
Beatitudes.
Walt looks around
disgustedly at the people gathered as
one woman looks through her
day planner, an old guy dozes
and his Granddaughter Ashley
applies nail polish.
FATHER JANOVICH, the very
young parish priest, steps up
to the altar and delivers
the eulogy for Walt’s wife.
Walt sits ramrod straight
and listens to the thin, weak,
unconvincing words of Father
Janovich.
FATHER JANOVICH
Death... is often a
bittersweet
occasion to us Catholics.
Bitter
in the pain it causes the
deceased
... and their families.
Sweet to
those who know the salvation
that
awaits them. And some may
ask,
what is death. Is it the
end? Or
is it the beginning? And
what is
life? What is this thing we
call
life?
WALT
Jesus.
Walt coughs. He takes a
handkerchief and wipes his lips.
He looks down and notices a
speck of BLOOD on the white
cloth.
2.
CONTINUED:
1
1
STEVE
(CONT'D)
INT. WALT’S HOUSE - SAME
TIME
3
3
The house is crammed with
people following the service.
Walt doesn’t know what to do
with himself. He has to
keep busy. Steve steps over
to his father.
STEVE
A lot of people showed up
after
the service.
WALT
Yeah, well, I s’pose they
knew
there’d be plenty of ham. I
think
I’ll go downstairs and get
some
more chairs.
STEVE
I’ll do it, Dad.
WALT
Naw, we need them now, not
next
week.
INT. CELLAR - SAME TIME
4
4
Grandsons JOSH, DANIEL and
DAVID look through boxes in
the cellar. A box of old
Korea War photos are pawed
through.
Josh holds up a
black-and-white PHOTO -- a young WALT
looks utterly exhausted,
behind him six bodies are
sprawled dead on the ground.
DAVID
Is that Dad?
DANIEL
No, it’s Grandpa Walt.
Josh turns the photo over
and reads it...
JOSH
‘Third Platoon, E company,
March
second, 1952, Korea.’
DANIEL
Where’s Korea?
JOSH
Hell if I know?
David holds up a MEDAL.
3.
(CONTINUED)
DAVID
Cool, I found a medal.
They hear someone coming
downstairs. By the time Walt
descends the staircase, the
boys sit on the couch,
pretending to be doing
nothing.
Walt gives them a hard look
as he grabs some chairs.
UPSTAIRS
5
5
People eat and chat. Ashley
marches over to her parents,
KAREN and Mitch.
ASHLEY (GRANDDAUGHTER)
How long do we have to stay,
this
ghetto is a dead zone for my
cell
and I’m bored.
Walt stands behind them with
an armful of folding chairs,
he overheard his
Granddaughter. Mitch and Karen are
embarrassed.
MITCH
Ashley, honey. Why don’t you
help
Grandpa Walt with the
chairs?
ASHLEY
Me?
KAREN
Yes you.
ASHLEY
Grandpa Walt, can I help you
with
the chairs.
WALT
I’ll take care of it, you
just
painted your nails.
Walt opens the folding
chairs and looks out the window.
It’s snowing. Walt puts on
his coat, he almost looks
relieved to get out of the
house.
WALT
I’d better salt the sidewalk
before someone falls and
breaks a
hip.
Walt taps the floor with his
boot and DAISY, his very,
very, very old DOG follows
him outside.
4.
CONTINUED:
4
4
EXT. WALT’S HOUSE - EVENING
6
6
Walt carefully shovels his
sidewalk. He deliberately
stops at the boundary of his
property.
The reason for this is that
Walt’s neighbors are now
mostly Asians who moved into
the house that once belonged
to Polish families.
Next door to Walt’s house
some sort of party is going on.
Walt can see through the
window that the living room is
jammed with at least forty
people, all Asians, all Hmong.
And this is a problem for
Walt, because Walt is a full-
blown, unrepentant racist.
Walt lights a cigarette and
speaks to his dog, Daisy.
WALT
Jesus Christ, how many swamp
rats
can they cram into a living
room?
Walt spits in the snow and
walks back to the garage.
INT. GARAGE - SAME TIME
7
7
Walt steps inside and
catches Ashley sneaking a
cigarette. She has pulled
back the canvas tarp that
covers his pride and joy,
his beloved 1972 GRAN TORINO.
The Gran Torino is in mint
condition. It has been babied
since the day it rolled off
the line.
Ashley tosses her cigarette
when she sees Grandpa Walt.
ASHLEY
Wow, Grandpa, when’d you get
the
vintage car?
Walt looks at her for a
second, then steps on her still
burning cigarette before
answering.
WALT
1972.
ASHLEY
I never knew you had a cool
old
car.
WALT
It’s only been in here since
before you were born.
5.
(CONTINUED)
ASHLEY
So, what are you like going
to do
with it like, when... you die?
Walt lights up a smoke --
WALT
Jesus, Joseph and Mary.
Walt pulls the cover back
over the Gran Torino.
ASHLEY
Then what about that super
cool
retro couch in the den, I’m
going
to State next year and I
don’t
have, like, any furniture?
Walt walks out without
commenting.
BACK IN WALT’S HOUSE
8
8
The doorbell rings and Walt
opens the door. Standing
there is TAO, a
sixteen-year-old HMONG boy. Walt scowls.
TAO is slight, he has long
hair, long lashes, but is very
good-looking -- like an
Asian Johnny Depp.
WALT
Who the hell are you?
TAO
(very quietly)
I’m Tao, I live next door.
WALT
What?! Speak up, boy, get
the
shit out of your mouth. What
do
you want?
TAO
Do you have jumper cables? My
uncle’s car is old and...
WALT
No. And have some goddamned
respect, zipper head, we’re
mourning over here.
Walt slams the door in Tao’s
face.
Walt turns and is suddenly
cornered by Father Janovich.
Walt hates situations like
this.
6.
CONTINUED:
7
7
(CONTINUED)
FATHER JANOVICH
How you holding up, Walt?
WALT
Mr. Kowalski.
FATHER JANOVICH
Huh?
WALT
It’s Mr. Kowalski, not Walt.
FATHER JANOVICH
Right, Mr. Kowalski. Your
wife
and I became quite close
these
last few months. She asked
that I
watch over you when she
passed on.
I told her I watch out for
my
entire flock, but she made
me
promise I’d keep an extra
sharp
eye on you.
WALT
I appreciate your kindness
to my
wife and now that you’ve
spoken
your piece, why don’t you
move on
to the next sheep?
Walt starts to step away,
but Father Janovich blocks him.
FATHER JANOVICH
Dorothy mentioned
specifically
that it was her wish for you
to go
to confession. She said she
couldn’t remember the last
time
you went.
WALT
Is that so?
FATHER JANOVICH
It is.
Walt drains his lowball
glass.
WALT
Well, I confess I never much
liked
church and only went because
of
the wife. And I confess I
have no
desire to confess to a boy
who is
fresh out of the seminary.
7.
CONTINUED:
8
8
EXT. WALT’S HOUSE - LATER
9
9
People are leaving Walt’s
house. A mass of shuffling,
stiff-jointed old Pollacks.
Right next door -- walking
the opposite direction are
more Hmong going up the
sidewalk. They laugh and chatter
and carry big dishes of food
and fruit. They are a happy
bunch compared to the dour
crowd exiting Walt’s home.
The Hmong are going to a
birth ceremony. A three-day-old
baby is named and three
souls are located for the
newborn.
CUT TO:
ANOTHER ANGLE
Walt leans over a car that
contains two shivering old
ladies from the funeral. He
hooks up the jumper cables
to their dead battery.
Mitch, Karen, Ashley and
Josh pull up next to Walt in a
brand new Toyota Land
Cruiser. Mitch opens the window.
MITCH
I’d really like to help,
Dad, but
we have to get the kids
home,
they’re getting restless.
Walt just looks at the
TOYOTA EMBLEM on the Land Cruiser
and then gives Mitch a
disgusted glance.
WALT
Fine. Go.
MITCH
I’ll call in a few, see how
you’re
doing.
Walt nods and lights a
cigarette as they drive off.
WALT
Kill you to buy American.
INT. LAND CRUISER - SAME
TIME
10
10
MITCH
Did you see him look at the
truck?
It’s always Rice-Burner this
or
Jap-Buggy that. Even at
Mom’s
funeral, he can’t let it go.
8.
(CONTINUED)
KAREN
At least he didn’t say
anything
this time.
MITCH
He didn’t have to.
KAREN
Well, what do you expect? The
man
worked at a Ford plant for
twenty-
eight years.
MITCH
And I suppose that’s my
goddamned
fault?
BACK ON WALT
11
11
Walt gets his guests’ engine
running.
As they drive off, Walt
hears faint SINGING. Walt looks
into his neighbor’s backyard
and can’t believe his eyes.
The Hmong all sing and chant
as three CHICKENS have their
heads sliced off, right
there in the yard.
The chickens are held up and
everyone chants louder.
It’s a sacrifice. Walt spits
in the snow and says to
Daisy.
WALT
Barbarians. Goddamned
barbarians.
INT. HMONG HOUSE NEXT DOOR -
SAME TIME
12
12
The house is a buzz of
activity. The older Hmong speak
their native language, the
younger generation speaks both
English and Hmong.
(NOTE: Hmong is subtitled
when necessary.)
Tao’s Grandmother (PHONG)
complains to a MAN.
PHONG
(subtitled)
There’s no man in this
house,
that’s why my daughter
should
remarry. Being a second wife
is
better than having a woman
be the
head of the household. It’s
not
our way.
9.
CONTINUED:
10
10
(CONTINUED)
MAN
(subtitled)
What about Tao?
PHONG
(subtitled)
What about him?
MAN
(subtitled)
He’s the man in the house.
PHONG
(subtitled)
Tao’s not a man.
(gestures)
Look at him in the kitchen,
washing dishes like a woman.
Even
his sister gives him orders
and he
obeys.
The CAMERA PANS TO the
kitchen where TAO washes a pile of
dishes. An older relative
drops dishes in the sink,
without acknowledging Tao’s
presence. It’s clearly an
insult.
In the LIVING ROOM the Hmong
“Soul Calling” ceremony
starts its next phase. An
elder, the family SHAMAN, is
present and begins the
ritual.
As the entire Hmong family
gathers to watch. Tao slips
on his coat and goes out the
back door.
EXT. TAO’S HOUSE - SAME TIME
13
13
Tao wobbles as he pedals his
bike through the snow.
Tao passes Walt’s garage and
is startled as Walt appears
from a shadow, JUMPER CABLES
in his hands. They make eye
contact as Tao passes.
Walt spits in the snow and
looks down at Daisy.
WALT
I thought these zips were
supposed
to be such hard workers. Christ,
I had my own car when I was
his
age.
EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE -
NIGHT
14
14
Tao exits the store, gets on
his bike and rides off.
10.
CONTINUED:
12
12
(CONTINUED)
A few blocks away, Tao rides
past a snowbank when --
WHAM! A HOCKEY STICK is
thrown through the spokes of his
front wheel. Tao flies over
the handlebars into the
snow.
A chorus of laughter is
heard. Three LATINOS stand
around the stunned, prone
Tao.
HEAD LATINO
Whatta you gonna do, gook? You
gonna ‘Kung Fu’ us?
Tao just lies there as
Latino #2 picks up his bike.
LATINO #2
Surprised it ain’t a girl’s
bike.
The Latinos laugh. Tao
remains on the ground.
HEAD LATINO
You gonna get up or what?
Tao doesn’t move.
HEAD LATINO
Tell you what, I’ll let you
take
the first swing. You drop me
and
you can have your bike back.
Tao smiles, he can’t help
it.
HEAD LATINO
What the fuck you smiling
at,
gook? Something funny?
He grabs Tao by the jacket
and pulls him to his feet.
HEAD LATINO
You better get the fuck
outta
here, bitch.
He pushes Tao backwards. Tao
falls back into the snow.
This time Tao crab-walks
back away from the Latinos.
The Latinos stroll away with
Tao’s bike.
EXT. WALT’S HOUSE - SUNNY
SPRING MORNING
15
15
SUPERIMPOSE: THREE MONTHS
LATER
Walt is going about the
chores of spring cleaning.
11.
CONTINUED:
14
14
(CONTINUED)
Walt looks around with
disdain at his neighbors’ houses.
Walt’s property is perfectly
kept, whereas his neighbors’
houses are rundown.
Walt’s eyes linger on every
defect, gutter hangs, ripped
screen doors, peeling paint.
One neighbor has installed
a chicken coop.
Walt looks down at Daisy --
WALT
Damn chinks let their yards
go to
hell. Polarski would turn
over in
his grave if he could see
what
they did to his lawn.
Tao walks past. Walt watches
him pass.
WALT
I don’t know why these
goddamned
slopes had to move to my
block.
This used to be a nice
neighborhood.
EXT. TAO’S HOUSE - SAME TIME
16
16
Tao nods to an older woman
rocking in a broken rocking
chair. PHONG nods back to
Tao, then turns her evil eye
back on Walt, whom she’s
been seething at all morning.
PHONG
(subtitled)
Why doesn’t that stupid,
hairy
white man move? He must be
too
dumb to realize he’s not
welcome
here. All the Mee-Khah left
in
the neighborhood should just
move
away. Look at him strut like
a
rooster.
She sees Walt glance at her
and spit. Phong glares back
and spits beetle juice,
which has turned her teeth black.
INT. WALT’S HOUSE - DAY
17
17
Daisy snoozes next to the
front door. The doorbell
rings; Daisy doesn’t even move.
Walt walks to the front
door holding a roll of duct
tape. The doorbell rings
again.
Walt looks down at Daisy --
12.
CONTINUED:
15
15
(CONTINUED)
WALT
Jesus Christ, dog, have you
gone
totally deaf?
Walt opens the door. Standing
on his front step is
Father Janovich.
FATHER JANOVICH
Hi there, Walt.
WALT
Listen, son, you’re not my
barber,
you’re not a friend, so why
in the
hell do you think you can
call me
Walt?
FATHER JANOVICH
Sorry... Mr. Kowalski.
WALT
So, what are you peddling
now?
FATHER JANOVICH
Oh, nothing. Thought I’d
drop by
and see how you were doing.
Haven’t seen you in church
in
awhile.
WALT
Okay. You’ve done your good
deed,
now why don’t you run along.
FATHER JANOVICH
I’d really like to talk, Mr.
Kowalski.
WALT
I don’t think so, kid. Sorry.
FATHER JANOVICH
Why? Do you have a problem
with
me, Mr. Kowalski?
WALT
You don’t want to know.
FATHER JANOVICH
No, I do.
WALT
The problem is I think
you’re an
overeducated, 27-year-old
virgin
who holds the hands of
superstitious old women and
promises them eternity.
13.
CONTINUED:
17
17
(CONTINUED)
Walt shuts the front door in
Father Janovich’s face.
EXT. STREET - DAY
18
18
Tao walks down the street,
his head in a book. He
finally realizes there’s a
blue Chevy following slowly
behind him.
The blue Chevy is now
parallel with Tao and keeps pace
with his step. Tao looks
over to the occupants of the
Chevy.
It’s two LATINOS. Tao
quickens his pace, but the Chevy
easily keeps up with Tao.
LATINO DRIVER
Is you a boy or a girl, I
can’t
tell?
LATINO #2
What you reading, gook,
Jackass
And The Rice Stalk?
Tao laughs, but keeps
walking.
LATINO DRIVER
That’s right, you keep
walking.
Fucking slopes everywhere
you
look, man. Why gooks come up
in
here and fuck up our
neighborhood?
Down the street -- is a
suped-up HONDA CIVIC with a big
SPOILER on the back. Inside
are five Hmong gangbangers.
The Hmong gangbangers notice
Tao being followed by the
Latinos. SPIDER, the driver,
squints and then points at
Tao.
SPIDER
Dude, that’s my little
cousin,
Tao.
SMOKIE
You sure about that, Spider?
SPIDER
I’m sure. Do we do
something...
or what?
Smokie is the gang leader. He
looks at Tao for a second.
SMOKIE
Your cousin tight with
anyone?
14.
CONTINUED:
(2)
17
17
(CONTINUED)
SPIDER
No, he flies solo, Smokie.
SMOKIE
Okay. Let’s go help out our
little cousin.
Smokie nods to Spider, they
roar up and stop right across
from Tao and the Latinos’
car.
SMOKIE
You better not be giving my
bro
here a hard time or you’re
gonna
wish you never been born.
LATINO DRIVER
Oh goody, more Rice Niggers.
The Latino Driver smiles and
flashes a PISTOL.
A Hmong kid in the back seat
opens the door and displays
a sub-machine gun. The
Latinos are way out-gunned.
LATINO #2
Fucking Viet Cong swamp
rats. Go
back to your fucking rice
paddy.
The Latinos screech their
tires and are gone. The Hmongs
in the car smile and
congratulate themselves.
Tao simply keeps walking
down the street!
SMOKIE
Where the fuck does he think
he’s
going? Turn us around and go
after that cousin of yours.
They swing a U-turn and pull
up to Tao, keeping pace with
him as he walks.
SPIDER
Hey, cuz, slow down, where
you
going? You should really
think
about hanging with us, man. If
we
all stick together, shit
like that
won’t happen, with those
Spicks.
Tao nods as he walks, but
doesn’t answer.
SPIDER
You can’t be such a little
girl.
You join up with us, we’ll
keep
you out of trouble, cuz.
15.
CONTINUED:
18
18
(CONTINUED)
Tao looks at the sub-machine
gun cradled by the Hmong
gangbanger in the back seat.
Smokie takes this all in. He
looks down the street and
sees that in a half block,
Tao will have to pass a group
of Latino gangbanger types.
SMOKIE
You think about it and we’ll
see
you tomorrow.
EXT. TAO’S HOUSE - DAY
19
19
Tao digs in the garden. Tao’s
younger sister SUE sits
and reads JANE magazine on
the porch.
The tricked-out Honda with
Blue Neon lights pulls up.
Spider, Smokie and two other
Hmong gangbangers get out.
SPIDER
Hey, cuz. Hey, Sue.
SUE
What do you want?
SPIDER
Came to talk to my cousin
Tao.
Smokie looks over to Sue.
SMOKIE
Spider, who’s the other cousin?
SUE laughs at the name
“Spider.” Sue is seventeen, has
long straight hair with red
highlights.
SUE
‘Spider’? Is that what he just
called you, Fong?
SPIDER
This is my little cousin,
Sue.
Smokie takes off his
sunglasses and smiles at Sue.
SMOKIE
Hey, Sue... how old are you,
girl?
SUE
Mentally, I’m way too old
for you.
I’m going inside.
16.
CONTINUED:
(2)
18
18
(CONTINUED)
SPIDER
That’s right, go inside
while the
men talk.
SUE
Yeah, that’s exactly what
I’m
doing, Fong.
Sue rolls her eyes and goes
inside. Smokie stares at
Tao.
SPIDER
You think about what we
talked
about?
A PAUSE. Smokie watches Tao
carefully, offers him a
cigarette. Tao shakes his
head “no” and looks at the
ground.
SMOKIE
That’s exactly the point,
Tao.
Spider told me how everyone
thinks
you’re a pushover, how
everybody
walks all over you and shit.
I
mean, look at you, out here
working in the garden like a
woman.
Tao nods silently, but still
looks at the ground.
SMOKIE
It ain’t no big thing. You
just
need a little guidance.
Tao looks up at Smokie. Tao
looks a little skeptical.
SMOKIE
It’s true, man. Shit, I used
to
be kind of a quiet little
punk
like you, everybody fucking
with
me. But finally I said ‘no
more.’
You, you’re lucky, Tao, we
got
your back. Me? I didn’t have
nobody. Had to mold my own
tribe.
SPIDER
Smokie’s right. We’re
family,
right? You with us or what?
SMOKIE
I swear, brother, we’re the
best
friends you’ll ever have.
And
anyone fucks with you,
they’re
fucked.
17.
CONTINUED:
19
19
(CONTINUED)
SPIDER
Come on, man.
Tao clears his throat and
speaks for the first time.
TAO
What do I have to do?
Smokie points to Walt’s open
garage.
SMOKIE
Spider mentioned that
neighbor of
yours.
CUT TO:
INT. GARAGE
ZOOM IN -- There it sits
with the tarp rolled back,
Walt’s gorgeous, shining
GRAN TORINO.
SMOKIE (O.S.)
Now that’s a car.
SPIDER (O.S.)
Shit ya. 1972 Gran Torino
fastback. Cobra jet engine.
Mint.
Next to the garage, Walt is
bent over planting tomatoes.
Walt notices the Hmong punks
looking at him.
INT. VFW
20
20
Walt sits at the bar in the
VFW (Veterans of Foreign
Wars) drinking with the old
buddies and cracking off-
color jokes.
WALT
I got one. A Mexican, a Jew
and a
colored guy walk into a bar,
the
bartender looks up at them
and
says -- ‘get the fuck
out.’
The gang laughs, until they
see Father Janovich step up
to the bar. He smiles as he
recognizes several faces.
FATHER JANOVICH
So, here’s where my flock
congregates when they’re not
in
church.
18.
CONTINUED:
(2)
19
19
(CONTINUED)
MEL
Hiya, Father J.
FATHER JANOVICH
Hi, Mel. Hey there, Darrel.
DARREL
Hello, Father.
FATHER JANOVICH
Hi, Walt.
Walt says nothing. He just
sips his beer.
DARREL
What brings you in here,
Father?
The meat raffle?
FATHER JANOVICH
No. I came down to talk to
Walt,
if that’s okay.
Mel and Darrel look at Walt.
It puts him on the spot.
WALT
I have to hand it to you,
Padre.
You are persistent.
FATHER JANOVICH
I promised your wife.
Walt looks over at Mel and
Darrel and then back at Father
Janovich.
WALT
Oh Jesus Christ, let’s grab
a
booth.
INT. VFW BOOTH - SAME TIME
21
21
The waitress comes over.
WALT
I’ll have a Pabst and a
shot.
What are you having, Father?
FATHER JANOVICH
I’ll have a Diet Coke.
WALT
Bullshit, this is a bar,
what do
you want to drink?
19.
CONTINUED:
20
20
(CONTINUED)
FATHER JANOVICH
Ummmm... I’ll have a gin and
tonic.
WALT
Attaboy.
The waitress leaves.
WALT
So, what do you want?
FATHER JANOVICH
I promised your wife I’d get
you
to go to confession.
WALT
Jesus Christ, why’d you do
that?
FATHER JANOVICH
She was very insistent. She
made
me.
WALT
You sure are fond of
promising
people stuff you can’t
deliver on.
FATHER JANOVICH
Let’s talk about something
else.
WALT
Like what?
FATHER JANOVICH
Life and death.
WALT
What would you know about
it?
FATHER JANOVICH
I’d like to think I know a
lot.
I’m a priest.
WALT
You stand at the altar and
preach
on and on about life and
death
without knowing anything
other
than what you learned in
priest
school. Everything you say
sounds
like it’s out of the Rookie
Preachers Handbook.
FATHER JANOVICH
I don’t know about that...
20.
CONTINUED:
21
21
(CONTINUED)
Walt waves his hand and cuts
him off.
WALT
‘Death is bittersweet?
Bitter in
the pain, sweet in the
salvation.’
That’s what you know of life
and
death? Good God, it’s
pathetic.
FATHER JANOVICH
What do you know, Mr.
Kowalski?
WALT
Plenty. I lived with death
for
three years in Korea. We
shot
people, we stabbed them with
bayonets, we hacked
seventeen-year-
old kids to death with
shovels,
for Christ’s sake. I did
things
that won’t leave me till the
day I
die, horrible things, things
I
have to live with.
FATHER JANOVICH
And what about life?
Walt has to think for a
second. He struggles with his
answer.
WALT
Well... I survived the
war... got
married... and raised a
family.
FATHER JANOVICH
Sounds like you know more
about
death than you do living.
Walt downs a shot.
WALT
Maybe so.
INT. WALT’S BEDROOM - THAT
SAME NIGHT
22
22
Walt hears a sound and wakes
up. He’s very groggy, he
had plenty to drink at the
VFW.
WALT
Daisy?
The dog sleeps in her bed in
the corner. Walt looks at
the clock; it’s 3:48 am.
Walt looks out his bedroom
window. He sees the faint
beam of a flashlight in his
garage.
21.
CONTINUED:
(2)
21
21
(CONTINUED)
WALT
Son of a bitch.
Walt pulls on his robe,
opens the closet and pulls out
the big, 30-06 M1 Garand
Rifle he took home from Korea.
Walt slides a magazine into
the top of the M1 and
chambers a round with a loud
SNAP.
INT. GARAGE - SECONDS LATER
23
23
The light flips on and
before he can blink, Tao is face
to face with the barrel of
Walt’s M1 RIFLE.
Walt is silent, he has one
eye closed so he can better
aim at Tao’s forehead --
which is nine inches away. Tao
drops the tool he was
holding, it bounces with a loud
metallic clang.
Tao backs away, his eyes
wide with terror. As Tao backs
up, Walt advances, step for
step.
Tao trips over a garden
hose, which causes Walt to trip.
They both start to fall. The
lightbulb is bumped with
the rifle barrel and swings
back and forth.
As Walt hits the garage
floor, he accidentally FIRES THE
RIFLE. The bullet goes
through a big, metal Hamm’s Beer
sign on the wall.
Tao scrambles to his feet
and jumps like a deer over
Walt. Tao runs out of the
garage and into the night.
Walt lies on the floor for a
second, stunned. Sweat runs
down his forehead. He coughs
up blood. The lightbulb
still swings, casting odd
shadows in the garage.
WALT
Shit.
EXT. ALLEY - SAME TIME
24
24
Tao scrambles down the
alley. Parked off to the side is
Spider’s Honda. Spider opens
the door.
SPIDER
Get in, get in!
Tao runs right past him. Spider
guns the motor and pulls
in front of Tao. Smokie, Spider
and another gangbanger
get out.
22.
CONTINUED:
22
22
(CONTINUED)
SMOKIE
Get in, Tao.
TAO
No way. No fucking way. Leave
me
alone!
Smokie, Spider and the other
gangbanger grab Tao.
SPIDER
I vouched for you, Tao,
because
you’re family and you’re
with us
now.
Tao struggles.
TAO
He shot at me! I’m out! I’m
out!!!
Tao squirms out of Smokie’s
grasp. Smokie yells at Tao
as he runs away...
SMOKIE
Don’t fool yourself, Tao. You
don’t join us and bail. Dumb
motherfucker.
SPIDER
Should we go after him?
SMOKIE
Naw, he’s got nowhere to go.
Let’s get out of here.
INT. GARAGE - AFTERNOON
25
25
Walt drills heavy-gauge
screen mesh over the windows on
the garage. The phone rings
and Walt answers.
WALT
Hello?
MITCH (V.O.)
Morning, Dad, it’s your
number one
son, Mitch.
WALT
It’s one in the
afternoon.
The CAMERA now INTERCUTS
BETWEEN Walt and Mitch in the
kitchen of his huge, modern
suburban house.
23.
CONTINUED:
24
24
(CONTINUED)
MITCH
Right, good afternoon, then.
WALT
So, what do you want?
MITCH
Me? Nothing. What would I
want?
WALT
I don’t know. Your wife
already
went through all of your
mother’s
jewelry.
MITCH
No. I was just wondering how
you
are, what’s going on,
anything new
in the old neighborhood?
Walt looks at the bullet
hole in his Hamm’s Beer sign.
WALT
Nope.
MITCH
Great. Smooth sailing then?
WALT
Yup.
There’s a very painful pause
in the conversation.
MITCH
Well good... Say, Dad?
WALT
Uh-huh.
MITCH
Do you still know that guy
from
the plant who has Viking
season
tickets?
EXT. WALT’S DRIVEWAY - DAY
26
26
Walt has parked the Gran
Torino at an angle across his
driveway. Walt mutters as he
rubs Turtle Wax on his car.
EXT. DRIVEWAY - THAT
AFTERNOON
27
27
Walt fishes out a soft pack
of cigarettes and lights one.
He exhales as he looks at
his car.
24.
CONTINUED:
25
25
(CONTINUED)
It’s stunning. It absolutely
sparkles. The chrome
shines, the tires look new
and the paint is waxed and
polished.
Walt looks up again and his
eyes sweep the neighborhood
in defiance. A couple of Hmong
teenagers look at the
car.
WALT
(mutters)
That’s right, ain’t she
pretty.
Walt drops down heavily into
an old lawn chair and pops
open a can of Pabst.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. WALT’S DRIVEWAY -
EVENING
28
28
Dusk is falling. Walt
finally gets up, folds up his lawn
chair and walks stiffly back
into the garage.
Walt flips on the outdoor
light, highlighting the Gran
Torino still sitting at an
angle in the driveway. The
whole scene looks like a
mid-sixties car ad in Popular
Mechanics.
Walt goes in the back door
and a moment later the kitchen
light comes on. The Gran
Torino remains in the driveway.
It’s a challenge, an
invitation. Walt is daring the
thief to come back. And
Walt’s ready this time.
EXT. WALT’S STREET - LATER
THAT NIGHT
29
29
The tricked-out Honda drives
up, but doesn’t stop at
Walt’s. It pulls up in front
of Tao’s house. Tao and
Sue exchange looks out on
the front step.
Smokie, Spider and two
others get out, walking
confidently up the sidewalk
towards them. They grin,
they’re cocky.
SPIDER
Hey, cuz. What’s up?
TAO
What are you doing here?
SPIDER
Be happy. We’ve got good
news.
25.
CONTINUED:
27
27
(CONTINUED)
SUE
Oh really? What’s that?
SMOKIE
We’re giving you another
shot.
TAO
I don’t think so.
SMOKIE
You blew it the first time. We’ve
got another little
inauguration
planned for you. This time
there’ll be no mistakes.
SUE
Another big, tough
gangbanger with
‘little-man’ complex.
Smokie leers at Sue. It
makes her uncomfortable.
SMOKIE
I got my eye on you too,
little
girl.
SUE
Whatever.
SMOKIE
Come on, Tao. Let’s go.
Tao says nothing. He looks
at the ground.
SPIDER
He said, let’s go.
SMOKIE
Come on, man. Nobody’s gonna
get
hurt. We’ll take care of
you.
SUE
Don’t go, Tao.
SMOKIE
You mind your own business,
girl.
Two Hmong gangbangers grab
Tao by the arms.
The front door swings open
and there stands a glaring
Phong.
PHONG
(subtitled)
Leave my grandson alone!
26.
CONTINUED:
29
29
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
I know what you are. Go away
and
don’t come back.
SMOKIE
That old woman’s got bigger
balls
than you. You always let
little
girls and old ladies fight
for
you?
Tao tries to squirm away. Smokie
grabs him by the hair
and opens his coat to reveal
the PISTOL in his belt.
SMOKIE
I’m not gonna say it again. Let’s
go. Now.
Tao is shoved towards the
car.
Suddenly -- Sue jumps on the
back of one of the
gangbangers and knocks him
to the ground. Tao breaks
free.
SUE
Run, Tao, run!
Sue is slapped to the
ground.
SUE
RUN!!
Tao is tackled by Smokie and
punched in the face. Tao’s
mother comes out the front
door.
Smokie and Spider pull Tao
towards the car as the other
gangbangers keep Mom,
Grandma and Sue at bay.
A middle-aged Hmong Man from
across the street comes into
the yard. All the
gangbangers overreact and pull their
pistols. The middle-aged
Hmong Man gets in Spider’s face
and is cracked across the
jaw with a pistol barrel.
Tao back-pedals away from
Spider and Smokie. It becomes
a pushing, rolling, surging
melee.
This mess boils over and
spills into Walt’s front yard.
EXT. WALT’S YARD - SAME TIME
30
30
The gangbangers, Tao, his
mother, grandmother and Sue all
struggle on Walt’s
painstakingly maintained lawn.
A ceramic Lawn Gnome is
knocked over and breaks.
27.
CONTINUED:
(2)
29
29
PHONG
(CONT'D)
(CONTINUED)
And before anyone can blink,
WALT has the muzzle of his
big 30-06 M1 Garand Rifle
pointing at Smokie’s face.
WALT
Get off my lawn.
SMOKIE
Listen, old man, you don’t
want...
WALT
I said get off my lawn. Now.
Walt’s calm demeanor is
unnerving to the gangbangers.
The guns in their hands seem
tiny compared to the big
military rifle Walt holds.
SMOKIE
Are you fucking crazy? Go
back in
your house, old man.
WALT
Get off my lawn.
SMOKIE
I’m not fucking around,
Gramps.
Walt spits out the side of
his mouth. He grins.
WALT
Don’t think for a second I
won’t
blow a big hole in your face
and
it won’t bother me a bit,
not any
more than if I shot a deer. Now
get off my goddamned lawn.
Two of the Hmong gangbangers
take a step back. Walt
senses their fear. Only
Smokie holds his ground.
WALT
Believe me, kid, I’ll blow
your
damn head off, go back to
bed and
sleep like a baby. I
couldn’t
care less.
SMOKIE
I’m not gonna warn you
again!
Walt laughs...
WALT
You’re nothing to me. In
Korea,
we stacked fucks like you
five
feet high and used you as
sandbags.
28.
CONTINUED:
30
30
(CONTINUED)
Complete silence, there’s no
sound anywhere in the
neighborhood. All eyes are
on Walt.
Walt CLICKS OFF the safety
on the M1 Garand Rifle.
Smokie and the gangbangers
give Walt fierce looks, but
melt back towards their car.
As they get into the car --
Smokie has to say something.
SMOKIE
You better watch yourself,
old
man.
The Honda screeches its
tires and goes off down the
street.
Walt looks at Tao, Sue, Mom
and Grandma who stand in
stunned silence in his front
yard.
A PAUSE. Finally, Sue speaks
up...
SUE
Thank you.
Walt lowers his rifle and
spits on the ground.
WALT
I said get off my
lawn.
INT. WALT’S HOUSE - NEXT
MORNING
31
31
We hear a sound outside. Walt
grabs his rifle, swings
open the front door and
leads with the barrel.
CUT TO:
EXT. WALT’S FRONT PORCH -
SAME TIME
32
32
Walt looks around and slowly
lowers his rifle.
His front porch is covered
with FLOWERS and FRUIT and
GIFTS of food. There must be
a dozen different gifts
piled there.
Daisy comes out and
stretches on the porch, before
putting her nose in a food
basket.
WALT
Bad dog. Bad deaf, dumb,
blind
dog.
29.
CONTINUED:
(2)
30
30
EXT. WALT’S HOUSE - DAY
33
33
Walt carries three big
bouquets of flowers to the trash.
He dumps them on top of
other gifts he received from the
Hmongs. His garbage is
overflowing.
Coming down the alley is
another Hmong couple, they smile
carrying a basket filled
with Asian vegetables.
Walt holds up his hand like
a traffic cop.
WALT
No. No more.
The Hmong couple nod, say
something with a smile and turn
around.
NEXT DOOR
Tao, his mother and Sue
argue in the yard. They gesture
towards Walt’s house. The
women buzz around Tao, all
speaking in his ear at the
same time.
Phong yells at them from the
porch, but they ignore her.
Walt watches as the mother
and Sue march Tao towards his
house. Tao looks like a
whipped dog.
WALT
Why won’t these people leave
me
alone?
Walt walks out to meet them
at his property line and puts
up his hands, indicating
they’ve come far enough.
Sue holds up a plant.
SUE
We brought you some shallots
to
plant in your garden.
WALT
I don’t want them.
SUE
They’re perennials, they
come back
every year.
WALT
No. You keep them. Why do
you
people keep giving me all
this
garbage?
Sue is a little taken aback.
30.
(CONTINUED)
SUE
Because... because you saved
Tao.
WALT
No, I didn’t. All I did was
get a
bunch of jabbering gooks off
my
lawn.
SUE
Well, you’re a hero to the
neighborhood.
WALT
No, I’m not.
SUE
Too bad, they think you are
and
that’s why they’re bringing
you
the gifts.
WALT
Just take your plant and
leave me
alone.
Walt turns and starts to
walk away.
Tao’s mother speaks rapidly
in Hmong to Sue. They look
at Tao and then to Walt.
SUE
There’s another thing.
WALT
What?
SUE
This is my mother, Vu, I’m
Sue and
this is my brother, Tao. We
live
next door.
WALT
So?
SUE
Tao is here to apologize.
Sue shoots a hard look at
Tao, who shifts uncomfortably.
TAO
I’m sorry.
WALT
For what?
31.
CONTINUED:
33
33
(CONTINUED)
TAO
For trying to steal your
car.
Walt’s eyes go wide in
recognition. He turns white with
rage.
WALT
Get this straight, I see you
on my
property again, you’re done.
Walt turns on his heels and
storms into his house.
INT. WALT’S ENTRYWAY
34
34
The doorbell rings. Walt
opens it to find Father
Janovich standing on his
front step.
FATHER JANOVICH
Good afternoon, Walt.
Walt’s eyes narrow.
FATHER JANOVICH
I mean, Mr. Kowalski.
WALT
I already told you I’m not
going
to confession.
FATHER JANOVICH
Why didn’t you just call the
police?
WALT
Pardon?
FATHER JANOVICH
I do work with some of the
Hmong
gangs and I heard there was
some
trouble in the neighborhood.
Why
didn’t you call the police?
WALT
Oh, I prayed for them to
show up,
but guess what? No answer.
FATHER JANOVICH
What were you thinking? Someone
could have been killed. We’re
talking life and death here.
32.
CONTINUED:
(2)
33
33
(CONTINUED)
WALT
Not that it’s any of your
goddamned business, but when
things happen quickly like that,
you have to react. In Korea,
we
never ‘called the police’
when a
swarm of screaming gooks
came
pouring into our lines. We
reacted.
FATHER JANOVICH
We’re not in Korea, Mr.
Kowalski.
Walt says nothing.
FATHER JANOVICH
I’ve been thinking about our
discussion on life and
death.
About what you said. About
how
you carry around the
horrible
things you were forced to
do.
Horrible things that won’t
leave
you. It seems that it would
do
you good to unload some of
that
burden. Things done during
war
are terrible, being ordered
to
kill, killing to save
others,
killing to save yourself.
You’re
right, those are things I
don’t
know anything about. But I
do
know about forgiveness. And
I’ve
seen a lot of men who have
confessed their sins,
admitted
their guilt and left their
burdens
behind them. Stronger men
than
you. Men at war who were
ordered
to do appalling things and
are now
at peace.
Walt nods. Father Janovich
threw a bull’s-eye. Almost.
WALT
I’m impressed. You came with
your
guns loaded, for once.
FATHER JANOVICH
Thank you.
WALT
You have balls, Father. And
what
you said, you’re right. I’m sure
stronger men than me have
found
their salvation. Hallelujah.
But
there’s one thing you’re way
wrong
about.
33.
CONTINUED:
34
34
(CONTINUED)
FATHER JANOVICH
What’s that, Mr. Kowalski?
WALT
The thing that haunts a guy
is the
stuff he wasn’t ordered
to do.
INT. OLD SCHOOL BARBERSHOP
35
35
The old, balding BARBER
finishes cutting Walt’s hair.
BARBER
There, you look like a human
being
again. You shouldn’t wait so
long
between haircuts, you cheap
bastard.
WALT
I’m just amazed that you’re
still
alive. I keep hoping you’ll
die
and they’ll get someone good
in
here, but you just hang in
there,
you dumb, Italian-Wop-Dago,
you.
BARBER
That’ll be ten dollars,
Walt.
WALT
Ten dollars? Jesus Christ,
Martin, you keep raising the
price. You sure you’re not
part
Jew?
Martin the Barber laughs at
Walt.
BARBER
It’s been ten bucks for the
last
five years and you know it,
you
thick-skulled, old Pollack
son of
a bitch.
WALT
Here’s ten, keep the change.
BARBER
See you in three weeks, you
prick.
WALT
If you live that long,
dipshit.
Walt and Martin shake hands
and Walt walks out.
34.
CONTINUED:
(2)
34
34
EXT. BARBERSHOP - SAME TIME
36
36
Walt gets in his old Ford
pickup and drives off. This is
a very bad, rundown
neighborhood.
EXT. SIDEWALK - SAME TIME
37
37
Sue walks with her
ridiculous Wigger (urban white kid)
boyfriend, TREY. Trey wears
big baggy pants, a sports
jersey and an Oakland Raiders
visor upside-down and
backwards.
They walk past three BLACK
GUYS leaning against a
building. The TALL BLACK GUY
spots Sue and smiles.
TALL BLACK GUY
Hey, girl, you come over
here and
talk to me. Come on, baby,
don’t
be shy.
Trey and Sue move as far
over on the sidewalk as they can
to avoid the black guys. They
try to ignore them.
TALL BLACK GUY
Come on, sweetie, don’t be
like
that. You talk to me, don’t
be
all stuck up and shit.
ACROSS THE STREET
Walt waits at a stoplight. He
watches Sue and Trey and
the three black guys who
block their path.
One black guy flips Trey’s
VISOR onto the ground. The
Tall Guy makes “kissy faces”
at Sue as he touches his
crotch.
Walt sits there for a
second; he shouldn’t help, but Walt
solves every situation by being
aggressive.
Walt drives off, then makes
a U-turn.
The Tall Black Guy now
focuses on Trey.
TALL BLACK GUY
What are you ‘sposed to be?
Trey puts up his hand to
“hi-five.” The Tall Black Guy
just looks at him.
TREY
Yo, it’s cool, dog.
35.
(CONTINUED)
TALL BLACK GUY
What the fuck are you doing
in my
neighborhood, boy?
TREY
Nothing. We’re going to Red
Roost
to get some CDs. That place
is
trippin’, bro.
TALL BLACK GUY
What you call me, you
fucking with
me, bitch? You think you’re
funny?
TREY
Nothing. No.
TALL BLACK GUY
I’m warning you, boy. What
you
all come up in here for? You
here
to bring me this present?
TREY
Huh?
TALL BLACK GUY
This Oriental yummy for me? Don’t
worry, I’ll take good care
of her.
SUE
Great, another asshole with
a
fetish for Asian girls. God,
it
gets so old.
TALL BLACK GUY
What’s your name, girl?
SUE
My name? It’s ‘take your
crude,
overly obvious come-on to
every
woman who walks past and
cram it.’
That’s my name.
TALL BLACK GUY
You should keep your bitch
on a
leash, put a choke chain on
this
whore and yank.
SUE
Oh, of course, right to the
stereotype thesaurus. Call
me
‘whore’ and ‘bitch’ in the
same
sentence.
36.
CONTINUED:
37
37
(CONTINUED)
The Tall Black Guy grabs Sue
by the arm. Trey moves
slightly towards Sue and is
pushed down into a pile of
garbage.
TALL BLACK GUY
You think you’re pretty
funny,
don’t you?
SUE
What, are you gonna hit me
now?
That’d pretty much complete
the
picture.
The Tall Black Guy pushes
Sue hard against the wall.
TALL BLACK GUY
You don’t know when to quit.
The old, black pickup pulls
up and stops next to them.
Sue, Trey and the black guys
look over.
Walt sits behind the wheel,
he looks right through the
Tall Black Guy.
TALL BLACK GUY
What the fuck you looking
at, old
man?
WALT
You... and your buddies. What’s
the matter with you? Don’t
any of
you work? I see you lazy
show-
offs in the middle of the
day,
slowly walking across the
street
or harassing women. Nobody
owes
you bastards anything so go
out
and get a job instead of
pushing
little girls around, for
Christ’s
sake.
TALL BLACK GUY
Why don’t you get the fuck
out of
here, while I’ll still let
you.
BLACK GUY #2
That’s right, bitch.
WALT
What makes you spooks think
you
can bully a couple kids with
impunity?
TALL BLACK GUY
What?! Are you fucking
crazy?
37.
CONTINUED:
(2)
37
37
(CONTINUED)
WALT
Look at me, Slick. You’re
crazy
if you thinking I’m fooling
around.
TALL BLACK GUY
You are fucking
crazy.
WALT
You have to be pretty
goddamned
dumb to think you can push
people
around without running into
someone who will push back.
The black guys are a bit
dumbfounded. Walt stares them
down.
WALT
But you might just be dumb
enough
not to recognize that your luck
just ran out.
All bravado drains away from
the black guys. Walt is a
rock.
Walt grins slightly and
spits on the ground.
TALL BLACK GUY
Fuck this guy. He ain’t
worth it.
The trio walks slowly across
the street, forcing a car to
miss a green light.
Trey puts his hand out to
shake Walt’s...
TREY
Man, thanks a lot, mister.
Walt doesn’t extend a hand,
he lets Trey stand there like
an idiot. Trey slowly lowers
his arm.
Walt looks at Trey’s outfit.
WALT
Go home, clown... and pull
up your
goddamned pants.
Walt turns to Sue.
WALT
Come on, I’ll give you a ride.
38.
CONTINUED:
(3)
37
37
INT. WALT’S TRUCK - DRIVING
38
38
Walt and Sue drive in
silence. Finally Sue speaks up.
SUE
So, what’s with you, you
have some
sort of savior complex or
something?
WALT
What in the hell’s the
matter with
you? I thought all you Asian
girls were supposed to be so
smart. What are you doing
walking
around in that neighborhood?
That’s how you end up in the
obituaries, that is, if they
can
identify your body once they
pull
it out of the goddamned
river.
SUE
I know, I know. Take it
easy.
Walt looks at her for a
second. She’s not ruffled at
all.
They drive.
WALT
So, that goofball back
there.
He’s your boyfriend?
SUE
Yeah, kind of, his name is
Trey.
WALT
Why in the hell would you go
out
with a clown like that. Why
don’t
you date one of your...
own...one
of those other... Hu-mungs.
SUE
You mean, Hmong? We’re
Hmong, not
Hu-mung.
WALT
Right. Hmong. What is
a... where
is Hmong or whatever?
Sue laughs.
SUE
Wow! You’re so enlightened.
Hmong isn’t a place, it’s a
people.
39.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
Hmong people come from
different
parts of Laos and Thailand
and
China.
WALT
Then why are you in my
neighborhood, instead of
back
there?
SUE
It’s a Vietnam thing. We
fought
on your side and when
America
quit, the Communists
starting
killing the Hmong, so we
came over
here.
Walt is quiet for few
seconds.
WALT
Why’d you pick the Midwest,
for
Christ’s sake? There’s snow
on
the ground near half the
year.
Jungle people on the frozen
tundra?
SUE
Hill people. We were hill
people,
not jungle people. Boo-ga,
boo-
ga, boo-ga.
WALT
Whatever.
SUE
Blame the Lutherans. They
brought
us here.
WALT
Still, you’d think the cold
would
keep all the assholes away.
Sue laughs again at Walt’s
conscienceless racism.
SUE
Thanks for the ride.
WALT
Sure... You know, you seem
okay.
What the hell’s the matter
with
your half-wit brother? He a
little slow or something?
40.
CONTINUED:
38
38
SUE
(CONT'D)
(CONTINUED)
SUE
Tao is actually really
bright, he
just doesn’t know which
direction
to go in.
WALT
Oh, poor Toad.
SUE
It’s really common. Hmong
girls
over here fit in better, we
adjust. The girls go to
college,
the boys go to jail.
EXT. WALT’S FRONT PORCH -
EARLY MORNING
39
39
Walt drinks coffee and reads
the newspaper. He flips
from section to section. Daisy’s
at his feet.
Next door, Phong sits
watching Walt. He can see her
mumbling under her breath.
WALT
Old hag, giving me the evil
eye?
Walt opens the paper to the
TV guide section and lingers
at the HOROSCOPES for a
second.
WALT
Aw, what the hell...
Walt reads aloud to himself.
WALT
Your birthday today; This
year you
have to make a choice
between two
life paths. Second chances
come
your way. Extraordinary
events
culminate in what might seem
to be
an anti-climax. Your lucky
numbers are: 84, 23, 11, 78
and
99.
Walt drains his coffee and
tosses the paper onto the
porch.
WALT
What a load of crap.
Walt lights up a cigarette
and exhales.
Walt watches as the only
white woman on the block
struggles to unload her groceries
from her car. One of
her bags rips.
41.
CONTINUED:
(2)
38
38
(CONTINUED)
Three teenagers walk past
and laugh at her spilled
groceries. One of them makes
a crude gesture behind her
back.
WALT
Christ all Friday. What’s
wrong
with kids today?
Walt gets up to go help, but
before he can get to the
sidewalk, another neighbor
has gone over to help...
It’s TAO. Tao bends down and
carries her bags up to her
door.
WALT
Well, I’ll be damned.
INT. WALT’S KITCHEN
40
40
Mitch and Karen sit across from
Walt. A small store-
bought birthday cake sits in
front of Walt.
Walt reads his birthday
card. It’s signed; Love Mitch,
Karen, Ashley and Josh. ALL
the signatures have been
written in a woman’s cursive
style and with the same pen.
Mitch slides a wrapped gift
across the table to Walt.
MITCH
Go ahead, Dad. Open it.
WALT
What is it?
MITCH
Just open it.
Walt opens the package, it’s
a Gopher Reaching Tool --
the kind that has an
alligator clamp so you can pick up
objects that have fallen
behind the stove, etc.
Walt looks at his son and
daughter-in-law.
MITCH
It’s a Gopher. It’s so you
can
reach stuff. You know, it
makes
things easier.
KAREN
Here’s one from me.
KAREN slides over a another
wrapped gift. Walt opens it.
It’s a PHONE with really big
numbers for old people.
42.
CONTINUED:
39
39
(CONTINUED)
KAREN
It’s a phone.
WALT
(emotionlessly)
Thank you, Karen.
KAREN
I just thought... we thought
that
it would... make things
easier.
WALT
Yeah, I see that.
KAREN
There’s nothing wrong with
making
things less hard on
yourself.
MITCH
Karen’s right, Dad. You’ve
worked
hard your whole life. Maybe
you
should think about taking it
a
little easier?
Walt lights up a cigarette.
MITCH
And that’s another thing,
Dad.
You should get rid of the
coffin
nails.
Walt says nothing.
MITCH
And the house, now that
Mom’s
gone, it’s got to be a lot
to
maintain, let alone clean...
and
you’re all alone in here.
It’s worse than Walt
thought. He puffs smoke.
KAREN
There’s these great places
now,
these communities where you
don’t
have to worry about mowing
the
lawn or shoveling snow.
People
who are like you, alert,
active,
but are alone and would
benefit by
being with other folks their
own
age.
43.
CONTINUED:
40
40
(CONTINUED)
MITCH
Dad, take a look. We brought
some
pamphlets.
CUT TO:
EXT. WALT’S HOUSE - SECONDS
LATER
41
41
Mitch and Karen storm out to
their Land Cruiser. Mitch
carries the Gopher Grabber
Tool and Karen has the big
numbered phone in her hand.
MITCH
I told you, I told you this
was a
bad idea.
KAREN
I know, you were right.
MITCH
Son of a bitch! He just
won’t let
anyone help him.
KAREN
Well, we tried. Now we can
just
drop it. No one can say we
didn’t
try.
MITCH
To hell with him, kicking us
out
on his birthday?! We
should’ve
stayed home with Ashley and
Josh.
They knew better, they
wouldn’t
even come. The goddamned
kids are
smarter than we are!
Mitch screeches the tires as
they take off. Walt waits
for them to clear out,
before coming out on the porch
with a can of Pabst.
Daisy comes out and lies at
his feet.
Walt covers his mouth as he
coughs. A dime-sized circle
of dark, red blood is left
in the palm of his hand.
Walt looks at the blood as
he takes another sip of beer.
EXT. WALT’S PORCH - EVENING
42
42
Walt continues to sit on his
porch, a long row of empty
Pabst beer cans are lined up
on the railing.
44.
CONTINUED:
(2)
40
40
(CONTINUED)
Walt looks at a photo in his
wallet, his and Dorothy’s
wedding photo. Walt looks
down at Daisy --
WALT
We miss Momma, don’t we, Daisy.
A vehicle pulls up to Tao’s
house. A party is in full
swing.
Sue comes out and helps the
Hmong women unload big
platters of food and carry
them to the house.
Sue catches Walt’s gaze and
steps over to his porch.
SUE
Hey, Walt, what are you up
to?
Walt points his index finger
at the can of Pabst in his
hand.
SUE
We’re having a barbecue. You
want
to come over?
WALT
What do you think?
SUE
There’s tons of food.
WALT
I’ll bet. Just keep your
paws off
my dog.
SUE
No worries, we only eat
cats.
WALT
Really?
SUE
No, I’m kidding, you moron. Come
on, come on over. You can be
my
special guest.
WALT
I’m fine right here.
Walt reaches into the cooler
for another beer. It’s
empty, just water and ice.
WALT
Son of a bitch.
45.
CONTINUED:
42
42
(CONTINUED)
SUE
What have you had to eat
today,
Walt?
WALT
A piece of cake and some
beef
jerky.
SUE
Come on over and get
something to
eat. We’ve got beer, too.
Walt exhales loudly --
WALT
Oh, what the hell. It’s my
birthday, I may as well
drink with
strangers instead of myself.
Walt gets up and walks with
Sue towards her house.
SUE
Happy Birthday, Wally.
WALT
Don’t call me Wally.
INT. TAO’S HOUSE - KITCHEN
43
43
Inside are thirty Hmong and
Walt, who sticks out like a
sore thumb. Total fish out
of water.
Walt looks in the
refrigerator, Sue looks over his
shoulder.
WALT
You do have a lot of beer,
but no
Pabst.
SUE
As they say, When in
Hmong.
WALT
Ha ha. Are you sure it’s
okay I’m
here? Everyone keeps looking
at
me and when I look back,
they look
at the ground.
SUE
It’s fine.
Phong appears from the crowd
and points at Walt.
46.
CONTINUED:
(2)
42
42
(CONTINUED)
PHONG
(subtitled)
You, get out. Out of our
house!
(to Sue)
What is he doing
here?
Walt cringes at her
presence.
WALT
What’d she say?
SUE
She said welcome to our
home.
WALT
No she didn’t.
SUE
No, she didn’t.
PHONG
(subtitled)
Why is this white man in our
home?
A man like him brings
nothing,
nothing but sorrow and
death.
Several relatives usher
Phong away from Walt. The
relatives are embarrassed at
the outburst.
WALT
She hates me.
SUE
Yes, she hates you.
WALT
What did I do?
A little Hmong girl walks
past and Walt pats her on the
head. Everyone in the room
looks in horror at Walt.
WALT
What?! What the hell are all
you
fish heads looking at?!
Sue looks around and then
pulls Walt out of the room.
SUE
Maybe we should go in the
other
room.
INT. DINING ROOM - SECONDS
LATER
44
44
Sue explains a few facts to
Walt.
47.
CONTINUED:
43
43
(CONTINUED)
SUE
A lot of the people in this
house
are very traditional. Number
one,
never touch a Hmong person
on the
head, not even a child. Hmong
people believe that the soul
resides in the head, so
don’t do
that.
WALT
That’s dumb, but fine.
SUE
Hmong people also consider
looking
someone in the eye to be
rude.
That’s why everyone looks
away
when you look at them.
WALT
Swell. Anything else?
SUE
Yeah, some Hmong smile or
grin
when they’re yelled at or
get into
a confrontation. It’s a
cultural
thing. It expresses
embarrassment
or insecurity, not that
they’re
laughing at you.
WALT
Good God, you people are all
nuts.
INT. LIVING ROOM
45
45
Walt opens another beer, as
Sue speaks Hmong to a
relative. Walt notices an
Old Hmong Man staring at him.
Walt interrupts Sue.
WALT
Hey, Sue.
SUE
What?
WALT
You said you guys don’t look
you
in the eye, but that guy
keeps
staring at me.
Sue laughs and gestures to
the Old Hmong Man. The Old
Hmong Man steps over and
nods to Walt.
48.
CONTINUED:
44
44
(CONTINUED)
SUE
This is Kor Khue. He’s the
Lor
family shaman.
WALT
Witch doctor?
Sue smiles and nods.
SUE
Something like that. The
Hmong
hold their clan Shaman in
very
high regards.
WALT
Boo-ga, boo-ga.
Kor Khue says something to
Sue in Hmong. She turns and
translates to Walt.
SUE
Kor Khue is interested in you,
he
heard what you did. He says
he
would like to read you.
WALT
Huh?
SUE
He wants to read you. Tell
you
your soul. It’d be rude not
to
allow him this, it’s a great
honor.
WALT
Tell Kor to be my guest,
fire
away.
Sue speaks Hmong to the
Shaman. The Shaman responds and
sits down across from Walt. He
looks at Walt for a long
time.
Walt stares straight back at
him. The Shaman mumbles to
himself.
Finally the Shaman turns to
Sue and speaks very rapidly.
As Sue translates, the
Shaman watches Walt’s reaction.
SUE
Kor Khue says that you think
you’ve been disrespected.
You do
not live your life. Your
food has
no flavor. You are scared of
your
past.
49.
CONTINUED:
45
45
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
You stopped living years and
years
ago. Kor Khue says you’re
not at
peace.
Walt looks like he’s been
hit by a truck. The Shaman
watches Walt closely, he
knows he hit the nail on the
head.
Walt looks pale. He’s been
spooked good. He wipes sweat
from his forehead.
WALT
Excuse me.
Walt gets up and steps into
the kitchen. He takes
several deep breaths. He’s
pretty shook up.
WALT
Je -- zuz -- Christ.
Walt looks around at all the
Hmongs eating and carrying
on.
Walt sees a young man give
up his seat to an Elder.
Walt sees a young woman go
to each of the older folks and
offer tea and cookies from a
tray.
Walt sees a child help an
old man out of the bathroom.
Walt coughs hard. He wipes
blood from his lips. Sue
comes in and looks at Walt.
SUE
Are you okay?
Walt brushes past her and
goes into the bathroom.
INT. BATHROOM - SAME TIME
46
46
EPIPHANY.
Walt washes his face in the
sink and dries his hands.
He’s still pale. He looks
long and hard in the mirror.
Walt is stunned, it all adds
up. Walt hasn’t really
lived in 50 years, he hasn’t
relaxed or exhaled or let
his guard down since he got
back from Korea in 1953.
WALT
(to himself)
Son of a bitch. I’ve got more in
common with these goddamned
gooks
than my own spoiled-rotten
family.
50.
CONTINUED:
(2)
45
45
SUE
(CONT'D)
(CONTINUED)
Walt looks at himself.
WALT
Happy birthday.
Walt opens the bathroom
door. Sue stands there with a
concerned look on her face.
SUE
Are you okay?
WALT
Me? I’m fine.
SUE
You were bleeding?
Walt smiles disarmingly.
WALT
I just bit my tongue. I’m
fine.
I’m great. Let’s get some of
that
gook food, I’m starving.
INT. KITCHEN
47
47
Walt sits amongst several
old Hmong Women, who take great
delight in feeding him
different Hmong dishes which he’s
obviously never tasted
before.
Walt reacts with great
enthusiasm to the food,
occasionally making jokes
like he’s choking, etc. This
corny stuff goes over like
gangbusters with the Hmong
ladies.
Sue comes in and rolls her
eyes at Walt.
SUE
Come on, you glutton, let’s
go
downstairs.
WALT
Why?
SUE
To mingle.
WALT
I’m fine right here. I’m
mingling.
SUE
Come on, you said ‘not to
leave
you alone.’
51.
CONTINUED:
46
46
INT. BASEMENT - SAME TIME
48
48
Walt and Sue descend the
stairway. Walt is really out of
his element down with all
the Hmong teenagers.
And the first person he sees
across the room is Tao.
WALT
Oh great.
SUE
Well, look who’s over there.
WALT
What’s-his-name who tried to
steal
my Gran Torino.
SUE
My brother Tao.
WALT
Yeah, Toad.
Tao is in the corner, he
avoids Walt’s gaze. Sue walks
over to a group of boys,
leaving Walt alone.
Walt doesn’t know what to do
with himself. He leans
against the DRYER. The DRYER
wobbles.
Walt gets on his hands and
knees. He looks under the
dryer. He adjusts the short
leg to balance out the
machine.
He just can’t help it.
All the Hmong kids watch
Walt, trying not to laugh at
this strange white man on
his hands and knees fixing a
dryer during a party. Walt
looks up -- deer in the
headlights.
WALT
It was wobbly, but I fixed
it.
It’s fine now, shouldn’t
wobble
anymore.
The Hmong kids look away,
covering their mouths with
their hands.
Walt glares at Tao, who
immediately wipes the smile from
his face. Sue walks over and
hands Walt a drink.
WALT
What’s this?
52.
(CONTINUED)
SUE
Rice liquor. Try it.
WALT
Alright.
Sue walks off. Walt sips his
rice liquor and watches the
interaction between the boys
and girls.
One particularly gorgeous
young willow-wisp of a GIRL
stares across the room at
Tao. Tao looks back at her,
but then looks away.
The Girl keeps looking at
Tao, smiling and twisting her
hair.
Tao doesn’t approach her,
but three other young men do.
They do their best to charm
her. She’s polite, but not
interested, she keeps
looking at Tao.
Walt laughs at Tao’s
ineptitude, shakes his head at this
wasted opportunity. Suddenly
the Girl steps over to
Walt.
She smiles --
WA XAM (GIRL)
My friends and I were just
wondering what you’re doing
here?
WALT
Good question. What am I
doing
here? Anyways, I’m Walt.
WA XAM
Hi, Walt. I’m Wa Xam.
WALT
Wa Yum?
WA XAM
No, Wa Xam. So... what do
you do?
WALT
Me? Not too much... I fix
stuff I
guess.
WA XAM
Like what?
WALT
Well, I fixed my wife’s
friend’s
sink yesterday.
53.
CONTINUED:
48
48
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
I drove my aunt to the
doctor to
straighten out her
prescription.
Even fixed my screen door
before
it was broke.
WA XAM
You’re funny.
WALT
That’s one thing I’ve never
been
accused of. A bastard, yes.
Funny, no.
Wa Xam laughs.
WA XAM
Well, have fun. I’m going to
take
off.
WALT
A pleasure to meet you, Yum
Yum.
She laughs at Walt
butchering her name and goes upstairs.
The three young suitors
follow her up. Tao watches her.
Walt comes over to Tao, who
is startled. Walt laughs.
WALT
Relax, zipper head, whatta
you
think I’m gonna do, shoot
you?
Tao looks like he wants to run
away.
WALT
I wouldn’t say anything
either, if
I was you.
Walt sips his rice liquor. Walt
can’t help but rib Tao.
WALT
You know, I knew you were a
dipshit even before the whole
garage deal, but I have to say
you’re even worse with women
than
you are stealing cars, Toad.
TAO
It’s Tao.
WALT
What’s that?
TAO
It’s Tao, not Toad. My name
is
Tao.
54.
CONTINUED:
(2)
48
48
WALT
(CONT'D)
(CONTINUED)
WALT
Good for you. Anyways,
you’re
blowing it with that girl. Not
that I give two shits about
a Toad
like you.
TAO
You don’t know what you’re
talking
about.
WALT
Wrong, egg roll. I
completely
know what I’m talking about.
I
know I’m not always the most
pleasant person to be
around, but
I got the greatest woman who
ever
lived to marry me. I had to
work
at it, but I got her and it
was
the best thing that ever
happened
to me. Hands down.
Walt points across the room.
He sways slightly.
WALT
But you? You just sit there
and
watch as Ding Dong and Click
Clack
and Charlie Chan walk away
with
what’s-her-face. She likes
you,
you know.
TAO
Who?
WALT
She was standing over there,
orange dress, twisting her
hair
and smiling at you.
TAO
You mean Wa Xam?
Walt takes a long swig off
his drink and nods.
WALT
Yeah, yeah. Anyways, she
likes
you, I know, I talked to
her.
Great girl, charming girl.
Love
her. I love Yum Yum. But
you?
You just watch her walk out
the
door with the Three Stooges.
Why?
Because you’re a big fat
pussy!
Walt drains his drink.
55.
CONTINUED:
(3)
48
48
(CONTINUED)
WALT
I gotta go home. Good luck,
puss-
cake. You need it.
EXT. WALT’S YARD - DAY
49
49
Walt empties the lawnmower
bag as two elderly Hmong Women
come over, each carrying a
FLOWER BOUQUET.
WALT
No. No thanks. No more
flowers.
The elderly Hmong Women nod
and speak rapid sentences in
Hmong to Walt. He has no
idea what they are saying.
WALT
No more. Please, keep your
flowers.
The Hmong women nod, smile
and chatter away, ignoring
Walt. They walk past him and
set the BOUQUETS on his
porch.
WALT
(defeated)
Okay, just put them on the
porch.
But that’s it. No more.
INT. WALT’S ENTRYWAY -
MORNING
50
50
The doorbell rings. Walt
answers, a Skillsaw in one
hand.
Standing on his doorstep are
three Hmong women.
WALT
What now, Gee?
Gee holds up a plate covered
with tinfoil.
WALT
No. Forget it. Stop bringing
me
stuff.
Gee scolds Walt in Hmong.
WALT
No. I’ve had it.
Gee opens the corner of the
tinfoil. Walt looks at the
food.
56.
CONTINUED:
(4)
48
48
(CONTINUED)
WALT
I can’t. You have to stop.
Gee pulls the tinfoil off. Walt
gazes at the food.
WALT
Is that the chicken dumpling
thing
you brought the other day?
EXT. WALT’S HOUSE - EVENING
51
51
Walt pulls up in his pickup
truck. Sue and Vu wait on
Walt’s porch. Tao stands out
on the sidewalk.
Walt gets out of his pickup.
WALT
What now? What?
Vu rambles on in Hmong. Walt
looks at his watch. He
looks at Sue for the
translation.
SUE
Tao is here to make amends,
he’s
here to work for you.
WALT
No he’s not.
SUE
Mother says that Tao
dishonored
the family and now he has to
work
off his debt. He’ll start
tomorrow morning.
WALT
No. The kid is useless, I
don’t
even want him on my
property. I
thought we already went over
that.
SUE
It’s very important to my
mother
that you accept. It’d be an
insult to refuse.
WALT
How is this all of a sudden
turned
around on me? The goddamned
kid
tries to steal my car and
somehow
I’m the bad guy if I don’t
accept?
57.
CONTINUED:
50
50
(CONTINUED)
SUE
My family is very
traditional and
it will very much upset them
if
you don’t let Tao repay...
Tao interrupts from the
sidewalk...
TAO
Come on, Sue. If he doesn’t
want
to, let’s just go.
Sue and Vu yell at Tao to
shut up at the same time; Sue
in English, Vu in Hmong.
SUE/VU
Shut up. Shut up! Shut up!!
Tao looks at the ground.
A PAUSE. Walt sees the
earnest looks on the Hmong
women’s faces. Their
expression “begs” Walt.
Walt gazes back at Tao. Walt
looks disgusted, he exhales
loudly...
WALT
Fine. Great. Tomorrow.
Walt walks past them and
into his house.
WALT
Jesus, Joseph and Mary. These
Hmong broads are like
badgers.
EXT. WALT’S PORCH - NEXT
MORNING
52
52
Walt sits drinking coffee
and reading the newspaper. Tao
walks sheepishly over to the
property line.
WALT
Son of a bitch, I didn’t
think
he’d show.
Walt waves Tao over. Tao
barely looks at Walt.
WALT
Okay. What are you good at?
TAO
Like what?
WALT
That’s what I’m asking. What
are
you good at?
58.
CONTINUED:
51
51
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
If you’re gonna work for me,
I
have to know what you can
do.
TAO
I don’t know.
WALT
That’s about what I
expected.
Okay, why don’t you go over
by the
spruce tree and count how
many
birds feed at the bird
feeder.
TAO
Count the birds?
WALT
Yeah, you can count? You
slopes
are supposed to be good at
math,
right?
TAO
Yes, I can count.
EXT. WALT’S GARDEN - MORNING
53
53
Tao stands in Walt’s garden
with his arms folded. Walt
walks over to trim weeds
around the garden fence.
Walt doesn’t even look at
Tao. Finally...
TAO
You want me to do
that?
WALT
No.
TAO
Why not?
WALT
I want it done right, that’s
why.
TAO
But you’ve got me just
standing
here. What am I supposed to
be
doing, anyway?
WALT
Scaring away crows.
Tao shoots Walt a dirty
look.
59.
CONTINUED:
52
52
WALT
(CONT'D)
(CONTINUED)
WALT
It’s a perfect job for you,
plus
you people don’t seem to
mind
squinting in the sun all
day.
EXT. WALT’S HOUSE - MORNING
54
54
Walt waters a flower bed. Tao
comes over and stands
there. Walt finishes
watering before even looking at
Tao.
TAO
What do you have for me
today?
You want me to watch paint
dry or
maybe count the clouds that
pass
by?
WALT
Don’t get flip with me,
zipper
head. I ain’t the one who
tried
to steal and don’t forget
it.
TAO
Go ahead. I don’t care if
you
insult me and say racist
things.
I’ll take it.
WALT
That I know. You have no teeth,
kid. That’s your problem. You
have no balls.
TAO
Look, I’m stuck here. Why
don’t
you give me something useful
to
do.
WALT
Because unlike you I’m not
useless. I maintain my
property,
whereas you swamp rats let
your
houses go to hell.
Walt looks across the street
at one very dilapidated
house.
WALT
Wait a minute... How long do
I
have you for?
Tao pauses... he doesn’t
want to answer.
WALT
How long, Toad?
60.
CONTINUED:
53
53
(CONTINUED)
TAO
(quietly)
Till next Friday.
Walt laughs out loud. It
makes Tao cringe.
WALT
Go get my ladder out of the
garage.
CUT TO:
EXT. NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE - SAME
DAY
55
55
Tao is at the top of the
LADDER. Walt and the Hmong
neighbor grin at him from
the bottom.
WALT
When you’re done caulking
the
siding, nail that gutter
back up,
I can see it right out my
kitchen
window, it’s been bugging me
for
three years.
The neighbor says something
in Hmong to Walt.
WALT
You said it, brother.
EXT. HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET
- RAINY MORNING
56
56
Tao digs up a big TREE STUMP
out in the rain. It’s hard,
draining labor and Tao is
covered with mud.
Tao’s shovel hits rocks and
roots and clay. Misery.
EXT. NEIGHBORING HOUSES -
DAY
57
57
We see Tao do various
chores; scrape paint, hang screen
doors, reattach house numbers,
trim bushes, etc.
Walt scrutinizes his every
move. Tao is a virtual slave.
EXT. WALT’S PORCH - MORNING
58
58
Walt watches with great
satisfaction as Tao paints one of
the neighboring houses. The
neighborhood is really
shaping up.
Walt sips his coffee with a
slight grin. He is really,
really, really enjoying
this.
61.
CONTINUED:
54
54
(CONTINUED)
A very old Hmong man and his
very young GRANDSON walk up
Walt’s driveway. The
Grandson translates for grandpa.
GRANDSON
Grandpa says he want to know
if
you can have Tao clear out
the big
wasp nest under our porch?
Walt reaches in his pocket
and studies a small note pad.
WALT
I don’t see why not.
(grins )
Tell him sometime after
lunch.
EXT. WALT’S HOUSE - MORNING
59
59
Tao walks up the sidewalk. Before
ringing the doorbell,
Tao looks down at his hands
which have several CALLOUSES
on them.
Tao rubs his hands with a
smile. This has been the first
time Tao has really risen to
a task presented to him.
Tao reaches for the
doorbell...
INT. WALT’S BATHROOM - SAME
TIME
60
60
Walt stands over the sink,
coughing. In the b.g. the
doorbell rings.
Walt coughs up a big spot of
blood, it’s thick with
fibers. The doorbell rings
again.
Walt wipes his mouth and
runs the water in the sink.
INT. WALT’S ENTRYWAY -
SECONDS LATER
61
61
Walt answers the door, just
as Tao rings the doorbell a
third time. Walt looks
angry.
WALT
Jesus Lord almighty, knock
it off.
TAO
It’s my last day, whatta you
want
me to do?
WALT
Take the day off, you’ve
done
enough.
62.
CONTINUED:
58
58
(CONTINUED)
Tao looks disappointed, but
says nothing. He nods and
starts to walk away. Walt
calls after him...
WALT
Toad.
Tao turns around. Walt wants
to say something, but
stops.
WALT
Nothing, never mind.
Walt shuts the door.
INT. DOCTOR’S WAITING ROOM
62
62
Walt sits in the crowded
waiting room. He looks around.
He’s the only WHITE PERSON
in the room. Even most of the
STAFF is African or from
India.
As Walt waits, names are
called out such as Alvarez,
Ngaima, Yang and Abdalla.
Finally when the name
“Kowalski” is called, the Muslim
woman can’t pronounce it
correctly. Walt winces.
INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE
63
63
Walt sits in a chair, his
hands folded in his lap.
A short Asian man in a
doctor’s smock comes in with a
chart.
ASIAN DOCTOR
Mr. Kowalski?
WALT
That’s right.
ASIAN DOCTOR
Good afternoon. I looked
over
your paperwork and I think
we
should immediately start on
a full
battery of tests. I feel
that
this...
WALT
Wait a minute. Where’s my
regular
doctor, where’s Dr. Fellman?
63.
CONTINUED:
61
61
(CONTINUED)
ASIAN DOCTOR
Dr. Fellman retired three
years
ago. I’m his replacement,
Dr.
Chang.
WALT
Jesus Christ.
INT. MITCH’S KITCHEN
64
64
Mitch, Karen and Ashley are
in the kitchen. The phone
rings and Ashley looks at
the caller ID.
ASHLEY
It’s Grandpa Walt.
KAREN
Well, pick it up.
ASHLEY
You talk to him.
KAREN
Mitch?
MITCH
I’m doing bills here.
KAREN
He’s your father.
Ashley hands him the phone
and he pushes the TALK button.
MITCH
Hello, Dad.
WALT (V.O.)
Hello? It’s me... Dad.
MITCH
I know. What’s up?
The CAMERA INTERCUTS BETWEEN
Mitch in his huge kitchen
and Walt sitting on the edge
of his bed.
WALT
Um... not much, how about
you?
MITCH
I’m fine, fine.
WALT
Fine. That’s fine... How
about
the kids and Karen?
64.
CONTINUED:
63
63
(CONTINUED)
MITCH
Everyone is fine.
WALT
Good.
There is a long,
uncomfortable pause. Walt looks at some
Xeroxed medical pamphlets
scattered on his bed.
MITCH
Good.
WALT
Well, that’s good... How’s...
work?
MITCH
Busy.
WALT
Right. I s’pose.
MITCH
Speaking of busy, I have a
lot on
my plate right now, unless
there’s
something pressing.
Walt looks at a pale, blue
pamphlet. Mitch looks at his
housekeeping bill.
WALT
No. Nope.
Another pause.
WALT
Okay then.
MITCH
Okay. Yeah, so it’s not a
good
time right now. Why don’t
you
call me over the weekend.
WALT
Sure.
MITCH
Okay, it was nice talking to
you,
bye, Dad.
Walt hangs up. He lies down
on his bed.
65.
CONTINUED:
64
64
EXT. WALT’S FRONT YARD - DAY
65
65
While Walt fills a bird feeder,
he notices Tao next door.
Tao stands, tiptoed on the
top of a six-foot ladder,
trying to cut a high branch
with a pole saw.
Walt shakes his head and
walks over to Tao.
WALT
Hey, moron.
Tao is startled and almost
falls off the ladder.
TAO
What?
WALT
I appreciate you’re doing
something on your own, but
you’re
the only person I know dumb
enough
to get himself killed
trimming
tree branches.
TAO
What now?
WALT
You don’t stand on the top
step of
a ladder and if you
cut through
that branch you’re hacking
away
at, you’ll end up kaput.
Tao looks and sure enough --
a thick, black POWER LINE is
five feet below the branch
he’s almost severed.
WALT
Go grab the extension ladder
from
my garage and I’ll show you
how to
do it right, zipper head.
CUT TO:
EXT. TAO’S YARD - LATER
66
66
Tao ties up bundles of
branches and twigs. Walt lights a
cigarette, looks up in the
tree and nods.
WALT
Looks good. Good job.
Tao nods.
66.
(CONTINUED)
WALT
Make sure you put the ladder
back
when you’re done raking up the
leaves.
TAO
I know. I will.
Walt walks back over to his
porch, grabs a Pabst from the
cooler and watches Tao rake.
A white Honda turns the
corner and drives slowly past
Tao.
Smokie and Spider smile
menacingly at Tao as they pass.
WALT
This kid doesn’t have a
chance.
The Honda now slowly passes
Walt’s house. Walt just
stands there, sipping his
beer.
The Honda slows to a stop
and the gangbangers glare at
Walt.
The REAR WINDOW of the Honda
opens.
Walt holds out his RIGHT
HAND like a GUN. He closes one
eye to better “aim” his
imaginary gun and moves his thumb
several times as if firing. Bang
-- bang -- bang.
The Honda takes off. Walt
watches it drive off and
lights another cigarette.
Walt doesn’t notice, but Tao
witnessed this whole
interaction from his yard.
INT. WALT’S ENTRYWAY -
MORNING
67
67
The doorbell rings.
Walt opens his door. Tao
stands there with his hands in
his pockets. He’s a bit
apprehensive.
TAO
What do you know about
faucets?
Walt stares at him for a
second and then laughs.
CUT TO:
67.
CONTINUED:
66
66
INT. TAO’S KITCHEN - A
MINUTE LATER
68
68
Tao looks on as Walt turns
the faucet on and off, it
drips water at its base. Walt
looks under the sink.
WALT
For the love of Pete.
TAO
What?
WALT
It must be a hundred degrees
in
here, turn on the fan.
Tao flips the switch on the
CEILING FAN, the fan wobbles
and shakes, it looks like
it’s about to fly off.
Walt stares up at the fan
and shakes his head.
INT. WALT’S GARAGE
69
69
The CEILING FAN and FAUCET
are taken apart on the
workbench. Walt reinstalls
the diverter valve. Tao
looks at all of Walt’s
tools.
TAO
Man, where did you get all
this
stuff?
WALT
What are you talking about?
TAO
All the tools and stuff.
WALT
Where the hell do you think
I got
them, Toad? This may come as
a
shock to a thief, but I
actually
bought the things I have with
money I earned.
TAO
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s not
what
I meant. There’s just so
much
shit packed in here.
WALT
You need the right tool for
the
right job. Every single
thing
here has a purpose.
68.
(CONTINUED)
TAO
Okay, what’s this?
Tao points to a tool.
WALT
Post hole digger.
Tao starts pointing at
things on the workbench in quick
succession, questioning Walt
with his expression.
WALT
Hand spade. Tin snips. Nail
punch. Tack hammer. Putty
knife.
Wire stripper. Drywall saw. Tile
spacers.
Silence. Walt can see
something is bothering Tao, but
he’s too uncomfortable to
speak up --
WALT
What?
TAO
I can’t afford to buy all
this
stuff.
WALT
I didn’t buy all this stuff
at
once, blockhead. I’ve lived
here
for fifty years. A man stays
in
one place long enough he
tends to
attract a decent set of
tools.
TAO
Yeah, but...
WALT
Look, kid, I think I
know where
you’re going with this. You
don’t
need everything to
maintain a
house. I’m going to let you
in on
a little secret.
Walt rattles around his tool
bench and slaps down THREE
items in quick succession.
WALT
This is for you. Roll of
duct
tape, can of WD-40 and a
pair of
vise-grips. Any man who’s
worth a
shit can do half his household
jobs with these three
things. In
the odd chance that doesn’t
work
out, you can borrow
something.
69.
CONTINUED:
69
69
(CONTINUED)
TAO
Okay. Cool.
Walt coughs and covers his
mouth. Both Tao and Walt see
the spot of BLOOD in his
hand.
TAO
What’s with that?
WALT
What’s with what?
TAO
The blood you just coughed
up.
That’s not good, you should
see a
doctor.
Walt quickly changes the
subject -- while tightening the
screws that hold the fan
blade to the motor hub.
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 pussy. 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.
70.
CONTINUED:
(2)
69
69
(CONTINUED)
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.
INT. WALT’S BASEMENT
70
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.
INT. MITCH’S MASSIVE DEN
71
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...
71.
CONTINUED:
(3)
69
69
(CONTINUED)
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
“Shit.”
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.
72.
CONTINUED:
71
71
(CONTINUED)
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.
73.
CONTINUED:
(2)
71
71
(CONTINUED)
MITCH
Aunt Mary. Like she needs a
freezer.
INT. TAO’S HOUSE
72
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:
INT. WALT’S BASEMENT - A
MINUTE LATER
73
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.
74.
CONTINUED:
(3)
71
71
(CONTINUED)
WALT
Okay then, be my guest. Just
don’t let it slip out of
your
little girl hands and crush
me.
Tao laughs.
TAO
Don’t give me any ideas.
EXT. WALT’S BACKYARD -
MINUTES LATER
74
74
Tao and Walt ease the
freezer down the back steps and
pause to take a break. They
both breathe hard.
TAO
That thing weighs a ton.
WALT
Yeah, but it runs like new. They
don’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 way
down there.
TAO
How much?
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.
TAO
Twenty-five? You just said
sixty?
WALT
Save me from wasting money
on
putting an ad in the paper.
75.
CONTINUED:
73
73
EXT. WALT’S PORCH - DAY
75
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.
76.
(CONTINUED)
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 fuck
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.
77.
CONTINUED:
75
75
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
Hmong boys become almost
invisible, they end up
banding
together and it all goes to
hell
from there.
WALT
The girls go to college and
the
boys go to jail.
SUE
It’s more common than not.
Walt reflects on this for
awhile, then changes the
subject.
WALT
You still going out with
that
clown?
SUE
No. I dumped him. He was a
dim-
wit.
Walt nods.
WALT
Good girl.
EXT. WALT’S GARDEN - DAY
76
76
Walt and Tao spread mulch
around Walt’s vegetable plants.
TAO
You know, the Hmong consider
gardening to be women’s
work.
WALT
Is that why I see you out in
your
garden all the time?
Besides,
zipper head, we ain’t in
Hu-Mong.
TAO
Funny.
Walt lights a cigarette.
TAO
You should quit those. It’s
bad
for you.
WALT
So is joining a gang, you
dipshit.
78.
CONTINUED:
(2)
75
75
SUE
(CONT'D)
(CONTINUED)
TAO
Seriously, you should quit,
I saw
you cough up blood.
WALT
So, you ever think about
what you
want to do with your life?
TAO
I don’t know.
WALT
You’ve never thought
about it?
TAO
Of course I have.
WALT
Well, while you’re thinking
about
it, try not to stomp all
over my
chives, you dipshit.
Tao looks down; sure enough,
he’s standing on Walt’s
chives.
TAO
Sorry.
WALT
Put some mulch around the
cucumbers.
Tao spreads more mulch.
TAO
I was thinking about sales,
maybe.
WALT
My oldest son’s a salesman. He
sells cars.
TAO
Does he do well?
WALT
License to steal. I worked
in a
Ford plant for thirty years
and my
son sells goddamned Japanese
cars.
TAO
You made cars?
79.
CONTINUED:
76
76
(CONTINUED)
WALT
That’s right. And I put the
steering column in the Gran
Torino
when it rolled down the line
in
1972.
TAO
Wow, that’s cool.
WALT
It is, isn’t it?
TAO
Does your son come over
much?
WALT
How are you going about
getting
into sales? You thinking
about
school?
TAO
Kinda.
WALT
Well, you should.
TAO
School costs money.
WALT
Maybe you should get a job
and
save instead of spreading mulch in
my garden.
TAO
Maybe you could just pay me.
WALT
That’s funny.
TAO
What kind of job could I
get?
WALT
Good question. Who the hell
would
hire you?
TAO
(deflated)
Yeah, I know.
WALT
Aw, go on. I’m kidding. You
could get a job, easy.
80.
CONTINUED:
(2)
76
76
(CONTINUED)
TAO
Like what?
WALT
I’d think about
construction.
TAO
Me? Construction? What, do you
have Alzheimer’s or
something?
WALT
Naw, you could hack it. You
just
need a little adjustment.
TAO
You said yourself I’m
worthless
and I have soft little girl
hands.
WALT
That’s exactly the point. I
know
some guys in the trades, but
you
have to get your shit
together.
We have to man you up a bit.
TAO
Man me up?
WALT
Yes. And you should
ask out Yum
Yum too.
EXT./INT. BARBERSHOP - DAY
77
77
Walt and Tao walk up to the
barbershop.
WALT
You have to learn how guys
talk.
Now watch how me and Martin
communicate. We just throw
it
back and forth. You ready?
TAO
Sure.
WALT
Okay, let’s go in.
Walt holds the door for Tao
and they enter. The Barber
has his feet up reading a
Playboy.
BARBER
Oh great, a Pollack and a
chink.
81.
CONTINUED:
(3)
76
76
(CONTINUED)
WALT
Afternoon, Martin, you dumb
Italian prick.
BARBER
Walt, you cheap asshole, I
should
have known you’d come in, I was
having such a pleasant day.
WALT
Why, did you jew some blind
man
out of a few bucks, give him
the
wrong change?
Walt and the Barber shake
hands warmly. Tao is wide-
eyed.
BARBER
Who’s the Nip?
WALT
This is Tao. He’s a pussy
kid who
lives next door and I’m
trying to
man him up a little.
Walt points at Tao.
WALT
Did you see? That’s how men
talk
to each other.
TAO
They do?
BARBER
What, do you have shit in
your
ears?
WALT
Okay. You go out, come back
in
and give it a try.
TAO
Come on, Walt.
WALT
I said go out there, come
back in
and talk to the barber like
a man.
Do it.
Tao shrugs, goes outside,
lets the door shut then comes
back in. The Barber stands
there with a sneer on his
face.
82.
CONTINUED:
77
77
(CONTINUED)
TAO
Wus up, you old Italian
prick?
The Barber levels a
sawed-off SHOTGUN at Tao.
BARBER
Get outta my shop before I
blow
your head off, you
long-haired
faggy little gook!
Tao is terrified, frozen
stiff.
Walt and the Barber throw
their heads back and laugh.
The Barber lowers the
shotgun.
WALT
Jesus Christ, Toad, you
don’t walk
in and insult a guy. What
are
you, an idiot?
TAO
But... but that’s what you
said.
That’s what you said men
say.
WALT
Not if you never met the
guy. If
you say that shit to the
wrong
stranger, they’ll blow your
goddamned gook head off!
Walt and the Barber laugh
again.
TAO
What should I have said?
WALT
Anything but that.
BARBER
Kid, you shoulda just
started with
‘Hi’ or ‘Hello.’
WALT
Right. You should have said,
‘Excuse me, I’m looking for
a
haircut if you have time.’
BARBER
Yeah. Be polite, but don’t
kiss
ass.
WALT
Or, even better is act like
you
just got off a construction
job.
83.
CONTINUED:
(2)
77
77
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
Or bitch about your
girlfriend or
getting your car fixed.
BARBER
Right. Son of a bitch, I
just got
my brakes fixed and those
sons a
bitches really nailed me.
Screwed
me right in the ass.
WALT
Exactly. Don’t swear at the
guy
you’re talking to, swear
about
another guy who ain’t there.
My
son of a bitch prick
fucking boss
made me work overtime and
he knew
I had bowling tonight.
BARBER
Or, my old lady bitches
to me for
two fucking hours about
how they
don’t take expired
coupons at the
grocery store and the
minute I
turn on the goddamned
game, she
starts crying how we
never talk.
WALT
See? You come back in, Toad.
Be
polite and then you bring up
something you can both talk
about.
It ain’t rocket science.
TAO
Yeah, but I don’t have a job
or a
car or a girlfriend.
Walt and the Barber laugh.
BARBER
Sweet Jesus, I shoulda blown
his
head off when I had the
chance.
WALT
Just go back outside and try
it
again. And don’t mention
you’re a
pussy with no car, girl,
job,
future or whatever. Come in
and
act like a man, Toad.
Tao goes out, turns around
and comes back in.
TAO
Excuse me, sir, I need a
haircut,
if you ain’t too busy... you
Italian son-of-a-bitch prick
barber.
84.
CONTINUED:
(3)
77
77
WALT
(CONT'D)
(CONTINUED)
Walt and the Barber laugh...
TAO
Boy does my ass hurt from
all the
guys at my construction job.
Walt and the Barber laugh
harder.
INT. WALT’S OLD PICKUP TRUCK
- MORNING
78
78
WALT
If you do this, you’re going
to
follow through, right?
TAO
Yeah, yeah.
WALT
No, not yeah, yeah. Yes,
as in
yes, sir, I’ll do my best.
TAO
Yes, I’ll do my best.
WALT
You better, because when I
vouch
for someone, it’s my word
and I
don’t want anyone making
me look
bad.
TAO
No, I’m good. I’m totally
into
this.
WALT
And don’t lay down to people
all
the time. Always look a
person in
the eye. When you shake a
man’s
hand, you can usually tell
where
you stand with him.
Walt hands a pair of beat-up
WORK GLOVES to Tao.
WALT
Here, stuff these in your
back
pocket.
TAO
Cool.
WALT
Just don’t blow this.
85.
CONTINUED:
(4)
77
77
(CONTINUED)
Walt and Tao walk up to the
Superintendent’s Office
Trailer on a construction
job site.
INT. JOB TRAILER - SAME TIME
79
79
Walt and Tao come in. Walt
shakes hands with TIM
KENNEDY, the job super.
WALT
Kennedy, you drunken Irish
goon,
how the hell are ya?
KENNEDY
Shitty, but who’s gonna
listen?
WALT
Not me.
Walt pours himself a cup of
the bad job-site coffee.
KENNEDY
Help yourself, Walt, you
dumb
Pollack.
WALT
I already did. This is the
kid I
told you about. Tao, this is
Tim
Kennedy, he’s the super on
the
job.
Kennedy looks Tao up and
down. Tao looks him in the eye.
KENNEDY
What do we got, Walt?
WALT
He’s done construction here
and
there. Whatever you need,
he’ll
pick it up quick.
KENNEDY
You sure?
WALT
Sure.
KENNEDY
You speak English?
TAO
Yes, sir.
KENNEDY
You born here?
86.
CONTINUED:
78
78
(CONTINUED)
TAO
You bet.
KENNEDY
You got a vehicle? I see
Walt
drove you here.
TAO
Not at the moment. I’m
taking the
bus for now.
KENNEDY
The bus? Jesus Christ, you don’t
have a car?
TAO
My headgasket cracked and
the
goddamned prick at the shop
wants
to bend me over for $2100.
KENNEDY
I just replaced the tranny
in my
Tahoe and the sons a bitches
fucked me hard, just under
$3200.
TAO
Goddamned thieves. It ain’t
right.
KENNEDY
You got that right. Come on
in on
Monday and we’ll find
something
for you to do.
Tao puts out his hand to
shake.
TAO
Thanks, Mr. Kennedy.
Tim Kennedy shakes Tao’s
hand.
KENNEDY
It’s Tim. What’s your name
again?
TAO
Tao.
KENNEDY
Okay. You owe me one, Walt.
WALT
I’ll send you a fucking
fruitcake
at Christmas.
87.
CONTINUED:
79
79
(CONTINUED)
KENNEDY
Fuck the fruitcake, why
don’t you
hand over the keys to that
Gran
Torino.
WALT
Yeah, everybody seems to
want that
car.
KENNEDY
I bet.
WALT
You don’t know the half of
it.
Come on, zipper head, let’s
let
this big Mick get back to
screwing
off.
Walt and Tao exit and walk
back to the truck.
INT. TRUCK - DRIVING - SAME
MORNING
80
80
Walt pulls into a Home Depot
parking lot.
TAO
What are we doing?
WALT
What are you gonna put all
your
tools in, an empty rice bag?
INT. HOME DEPOT
81
81
Walt and Tao walk the
aisles. Walt grabs a tool belt and
tosses it to Tao.
WALT
You’ll need this.
Walt then tosses Tao a
utility knife holder.
WALT
And you’ll need that. Now
where
the hell do they hide the
hardware
holders?
TAO
I can’t afford any of this.
WALT
I’ll get it, but you’re
paying me
back with your first check.
88.
CONTINUED:
(2)
79
79
(CONTINUED)
TAO
Cool.
Walt pitches a hardware
pouch at Tao.
WALT
And you need this too. That
should about do it.
TAO
Not to bitch, but won’t I be
needing some tools?
WALT
Tools I got, but I ain’t
loaning
you my tool belt. You can
buy
tools as you go.
TAO
I appreciate all this.
WALT
Aw, forget it.
TAO
No, I really do. Thank you.
Walt sticks out his jaw and
looks Tao straight in the
eye. Tao doesn’t know what
to expect.
A PAUSE. Walt puts out his
HAND to Tao. Tao extends his
and they SHAKE HANDS.
It’s really quite a moment
for both of them.
EXT. BUS STOP - AFTERNOON
82
82
Tao gets off the bus, his
tool belt over his shoulder.
Tao looks tired after
working, but content. He walks
past an abandoned lot.
The tricked-out Honda pulls
up and stops. Smokie, Spider
and company get out. Tao
looks nervous, but remains
calm.
TAO
What now?
SPIDER
Just seeing what you’re up
to,
cuz.
89.
CONTINUED:
81
81
(CONTINUED)
TAO
I’m getting home from work,
not
that you guys would know
much
about that.
SPIDER
So it’s true? You got a job.
TAO
Come on, what do you guys
want
with me?
SMOKIE
Jesus Christ, Tao. What do you
think? I’ve been sooooo easy
on
you, but I can’t just go on
like
nothing happened.
TAO
You can’t just leave me
alone?
SMOKIE
Afraid not.
The gangbangers grab Tao. Tao
kicks and struggles as
they yank away his tool belt.
TAO
Keep your hands off my stuff.
SMOKIE
Your stuff? You and everything
you have is mine. I own you.
Smokie pulls the tape
measure off the belt and smashes it
against the pavement.
Whatever tools Smokie can’t
destroy, he tosses onto the
roof of the closest building.
SMOKIE
You can’t just walk away
from us,
Tao. It looks bad. It makes me
look bad.
Smokie lights a CIGARETTE
and exhales...
SMOKIE
What’s the phrase I’m
looking for?
Oh yeah, I need to ‘save
face.’
Smokie grabs Tao by the neck
and presses the lit
CIGARETTE into Tao’s cheek.
Tao screams as his flesh
burns.
90.
CONTINUED:
82
82
EXT. WALT’S ALLEY - MORNING
83
83
Walt spots Tao as he takes
out the trash.
WALT
Hey there.
Tao looks to the ground and
heads in the other direction.
TAO
Hey, I gotta run.
WALT
Wait a minute. Where have
you
been, I haven’t seen you in
days?
TAO
Busy.
Walt squints at Tao. He
steps closer. Tao looks away.
Walt tilts Tao’s head up, he
sees the burn.
WALT
What in the hell happened to
you?
TAO
Don’t worry about it.
WALT
Don’t worry about it? Look
at
your goddamned face!
TAO
I said don’t worry about it.
It’s
not your problem.
Walt looks at the ground and
spits.
WALT
When?
TAO
Couple days ago. Grabbed me
after
I got off the bus coming
home from
work.
WALT
Cowards.
TAO
I did everything I could
possibly
do. They broke some of your
tools. I’ll replace them.
91.
(CONTINUED)
WALT
Forget the tools. Where does
your
cousin live?
TAO
No, Walt, I can manage. I
don’t
want you doing anything.
Walt is angry, but
eventually nods at Tao.
WALT
Alright. You need any other
tools
for work?
TAO
I could use a roofing hammer.
WALT
Go in the garage and get
whatever
you need.
INT. TAO’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
84
84
Tao leans over his desk with
a black Sharpie marker. He
carefully writes “Tao Vang
Lor” in black ink on the face
of his smashed-up tape
measure. He puts it back into the
tool belt and grabs another
tool to label.
INT./EXT. WALT’S TRUCK -
NIGHT
85
85
Walt sits in the dark, the
only light is from the radio
tuned to baseball. Daisy
lies in the front seat. Next
to Daisy is the M1 RIFLE.
Walt watches as Spider and
another Hmong gangbanger step
out of the rundown duplex,
get in their Honda and drive
off.
WALT
That’s the last of them.
Walt pulls out his Colt .45
automatic and chambers a
round.
EXT. DUPLEX - SAME TIME
86
86
Walt pounds loudly on the
door. A moment later the door
starts to swing open and a
voice is heard...
SMOKIE (O.S.)
What the hell did...
92.
CONTINUED:
83
83
(CONTINUED)
Walt kicks open the door and
grabs Smokie by the collar.
Walt drags the
tosses him off the front
porch onto the front sidewalk.
Smokie is stunned. Walt
kicks him hard in the ribs.
SMOKIE
How the fuck did you get
here?!
WALT
You aren’t that hard to
track
down.
Walt boots him again. Smokie
curls up in the fetal
position.
SMOKIE
What do you want?
Walt kicks him a second time.
WALT
I came to give you a chance.
SOMETHING comes out of the
shadows under the porch.
Walt swings the barrel of
the big Colt .45 at the
movement.
It’s a cat. Walt puts his
pistol away. Smokie exhales.
WALT
It’s just you and me. Nobody
knows or has to know I was
here.
You lay off Tao. Tell your
guys
he ain’t worth it or
whatever the
hell you want. You don’t
talk to
him, you don’t go near him. This
is your one chance. You
lay off
and no one will ever be the
wiser.
Smokie says nothing.
WALT
I’ll take that as a yes. I
don’t
want to come back here. But
if I
do, believe me, it’ll be
goddamned
ugly.
Walt kicks Smokie again and
stalks off into the dark.
93.
CONTINUED:
86
86
EXT. WALT’S HOUSE - SAME
EVENING
87
87
Walt pulls up his driveway
and parks. Daisy jumps out
and Walt carries his rifle
into the house. Walt walks
stiffly.
Walt gets to the door and
drops his keys. When he bends
down to pick them up, you
can really tell he’s sore and
hurting.
Walt groans as he goes
inside. He’s feeling his age.
EXT. WALT’S BACKYARD - DAY
88
88
Vu, Sue, Tao and Wa Xam all
sit in lawn chairs, talking
and laughing. Walt flips the
inch-thick STEAKS on his
Weber.
WALT
How do you want your dog... I
mean
steaks cooked? Medium, medium
well?
TAO
Funny.
Walt pops open a beer and
grabs an appetizer that Vu
made.
WALT
Is this Hmoog or Laab?
SUE
Laab.
WALT
Isn’t it usually a little
spicier?
Tao, Wa Xam and Sue laugh.
SUE
Oh whatever, Wally.
WALT
It does. Usually it’s got
more
zing.
SUE
Jesus Christ, look at you. I’ve
never seen you like this.
WALT
What?
94.
(CONTINUED)
SUE
Look at you smile, old man.
Kicking back, having a good
old
time. You’re sure pleased
with
yourself today.
TAO
And it’s a little unnerving
if you
ask me.
WALT
Aw, go on.
SUE
No, admit it. You are. You’re
feeling pretty good, aren’t
you?
WALT
Well, who wouldn’t? I’m
surrounded by beautiful
women,
it’s a beautiful day. Great
food,
good friends. Hell, even
Toad
isn’t driving me nuts for
once.
TAO
It never ends.
WALT
I’m just kidding. Let me
tell you
something, Yum-Yum. If Tao
doesn’t ask you out soon, I
will.
SUE
Don’t listen to him, Wa Xam.
He’s
a white devil.
WA XAM
(laughs)
I’d love to, Walt, but he
beat you
to it.
WALT
I’ll be damned. Movie?
Dinner?
Wa Xam and Tao nod. They’re
a bit embarrassed.
SUE
Yeah, they’re taking the bus.
WALT
The bus?! That’s no good. A
charming young lady like
this
deserves to go in style.
95.
CONTINUED:
88
88
(CONTINUED)
TAO
Like what? Take a limo?
Walt nods towards the GRAN
TORINO.
TAO
The Gran Torino? You’d let
me
drive it?
WALT
Sure. Why not.
TAO
Really?
Walt smiles.
WALT
Really.
They shake hands.
INT. WALT’S LIVING ROOM -
EVENING
89
89
Walt watches baseball. He
hears a car outside. Shouts
are heard and glass breaks.
Walt gets up and looks out
the shades...
TAO’S HOUSE is raked with
GUNFIRE coming from a VAN!
Windows shatter and the
siding splinters.
FIFTY BULLETS shake the
house before the VAN peels off.
EXT. TAO’S HOUSE - SAME TIME
90
90
Walt is up their front steps
and in the house in seconds.
Walt goes from room to room,
from Vu to Phong finally to
Tao -- making sure no one’s
been hit.
WALT
Is everyone okay? Is anyone
hit?
Sue? Vu? Tao, where’s Tao?
Tao sits up from behind the
couch. Blood pours down his
neck. He’s stunned.
WALT
Oh no.
Walt lays Tao down and rips
open the collar of his shirt.
Walt probes around Tao’s
neck.
96.
CONTINUED:
(2)
88
88
(CONTINUED)
TAO
What... what is it?
WALT
Hang on... you’re just cut,
is
all.
TAO
Is everybody else okay?
WALT
Yeah.
Walt looks around at the
BULLET HOLES in the walls. Tao
follows his gaze.
TAO
It’s a miracle no one was
killed.
WALT
They aimed high.
Sure enough -- most of the
bullet holes are above head
level on the walls.
WALT
Where’s Sue?
TAO
She went to our aunt’s.
WALT
Call her.
TAO
What?
WALT
I said call her. Get the
goddamned phone and call and
see
if she’s there.
Tao scrambles for the phone
and dials.
Tao speaks Hmong to whomever
answered. Tao starts to
speak faster. He looks at
Walt and shakes his head “no.”
For once -- Vu and Phong
understand what Walt was talking
about. There is anguish on
every face in the room.
CUT TO:
97.
CONTINUED:
90
90
INT. TAO’S HOUSE - LATER
91
91
Walt sits across from Tao,
drinking rice liquor. Walt
speaks loudly, without any
consideration for Phong who
shoots him dirty looks.
WALT
This is exactly what I
didn’t
want. Damn gooks. Why the
hell
am I even here?
TAO
Maybe one of her friends
called
and she just changed plans.
Walt sips the rice liquor. Walt
now speaks quietly to
Tao.
WALT
In Korea I learned not to
care.
The best friends of my life
are
still missing somewhere in
Korea.
You harden yourself. Don’t
let
anything get to you.
Phong looks out the window
and screams. She runs over
and swings open the door.
Everyone expects the worst...
And it comes like a cold
wind -- SUE WALKS IN LIKE A
ZOMBIE. She has been
brutally beaten. Her clothes are
dirty and torn.
BLOOD runs down SUE’S legs
from under her shirt.
Walt looks at her and the
glass falls from his hand.
Sue staggers into Vu’s arms.
Vu weeps. Sue hugs her
mother and sobs.
Tao reaches to hug his
sister, but Phong screeches at
him, pointing at Walt and
back to Tao.
Walt is destroyed. He steps
outside into the dark.
EXT./INT. WALT’S HOUSE -
SAME TIME
92
92
Walt staggers across the
yard to his house.
WALT
No, no, no, no, no.
98.
(CONTINUED)
Walt bursts in the door,
throws himself in an easy chair
and CRIES. He tries to stop
and cries harder.
It’s the first time Walt has
cried in fifty years. He
wails, crying for Tao, Sue,
his wife, kids and himself.
He lets it all out. Daisy
jumps in his lap and he hugs
his old dog as he bawls.
CUT TO:
INT. WALT’S LIVING ROOM -
LATER
93
93
Walt sits, red-eyed. He’s
done crying. Family photo
albums are scattered around.
Father Janovich knocks and
eases open the front door.
FATHER JANOVICH
Mr. Kowalski, are you in
here?
WALT
Come on in.
Father Janovich comes in and
sits down across from Walt.
FATHER JANOVICH
Are you okay?
Walt nods.
FATHER JANOVICH
The police finally left. No
one
is talking. One thing about
the
Hmong, they keep their
mouths
shut.
WALT
I’ve noticed that.
Father Janovich picks up a
photo album and flips through
it. Pictures of Mitch and
Steve as babies.
WALT
You know, there’s no way
that Tao
or Sue are gonna have any peace if
these gang guys don’t go
away. Go
away forever. You know it as
well
as I do.
FATHER JANOVICH
What are you saying?
99.
CONTINUED:
92
92
(CONTINUED)
WALT
You heard what I said.
FATHER JANOVICH
They took Sue to the
hospital.
She’s scared. They’re all
scared.
WALT
I’m not.
FATHER JANOVICH
I know that. Believe me,
they all
know that. Tao especially.
He’s
sitting out there staring at
your
front door. You know what
he
expects, Mr. Kowalski.
WALT
Yeah, well what would you do
if
you were me? If you were
Tao?
What would you do?
Father Janovich shakes his
head.
FATHER JANOVICH
I know what I’d do if I was
you,
or at least what you think
you
should do. If I was Tao I
guess
I’d want vengeance. I’d want
to
stand shoulder to shoulder
with
you and kill those guys.
WALT
And you?
FATHER JANOVICH
What would I do? I’d come over
here and talk to you I
guess. I
know you’re close with these
people, but this pisses me
off
too, Mr. Kowalski.
Walt nods.
WALT
Wanna beer?
FATHER JANOVICH
I’d love one.
WALT
They’re in the cooler, grab
me one
too.
100.
CONTINUED:
93
93
(CONTINUED)
Father Janovich grabs four
beers, two for each of them.
He opens a Pabst and takes a
big swig.
FATHER JANOVICH
Damn all this. It just isn’t
fair.
WALT
Nothing’s fair, Father.
Father Janovich and Walt sit
for awhile.
FATHER JANOVICH
So, what are you going to
do, Mr.
Kowalski?
WALT
Call me Walt.
Father Janovich nods.
FATHER JANOVICH
Alright, what are you going
to do,
Walt?
WALT
Not sure yet. All I do know
is
they don’t have a goddamned
chance.
INT. WALT’S KITCHEN - MORNING
94
94
Walt sits at the kitchen
table in his robe, drinking
coffee. Tao comes in without
even knocking on the door.
TAO
What are you doing?
WALT
I’m thinking.
TAO
Thinking time is over. Now
it’s
time to knock the ass out of
those
pricks.
WALT
I know you don’t want to
hear
this, but you have to calm
down.
TAO
What?!
101.
CONTINUED:
(2)
93
93
(CONTINUED)
WALT
You have to have a clear
head,
otherwise mistakes get made.
Back
away from what’s happened,
Tao.
TAO
No. Don’t let me down, Walt.
Not
you. This is going to end,
today.
Walt stands up and pulls out
a chair for Tao to sit in.
WALT
Sit down.
TAO
I don’t want to sit.
WALT
I SAID SIT DOWN! Just listen
up
for a second and don’t say
anything.
Tao sits down. Walt rubs his
hands together.
WALT
I know what needs to be
done. I
need to prepare, this needs
to be
carefully planned. You know
I’m
the right man for this. So
cool
down for a little while and
meet
me back here at 4 P.M. I promise
you, what needs to be done, will
be done.
TAO
I say we go now. Right now.
WALT
And do what? You want to go kill
your cousin and those other
Zips.
Mr.
Tough-Guy-All-Of-A-Sudden is
out for blood. What do you
even
know about it?
Tao is furious, but says
nothing.
WALT
Trust me, Tao. Cool down and
we’ll meet back here at
four.
Okay?
Tao doesn’t answer.
102.
CONTINUED:
94
94
(CONTINUED)
WALT
I said ‘okay?’ You won’t do
anything without me. You
meet me
back here at four? Say
‘okay.’
TAO
Okay.
Tao storms out the back
door. Walt pours more coffee.
INT. BATHROOM
95
95
Walt soaks in the tub. It’s
filled with bubbles. Walt
looks over at Daisy who
rests on a towel in the corner.
Walt lights a CIGARETTE and
exhales. Daisy curls up her
lips at the smoke.
WALT
I know, I know. Give me a break,
it’s the first time I’ve
ever
smoked in the house.
EXT. WALT’S YARD - DAY
96
96
Walt meticulously mows his
lawn. He carefully trims
around the fence and
birdbath.
INT. OLD SCHOOL BARBERSHOP
97
97
Martin finishes cutting
Walt’s hair.
BARBER
There, all done. Ten bucks
American.
WALT
I don’t suppose you still
have
steady enough hands to give
a guy
a straight shave, you
withered,
old Italian mummy?
BARBER
You? A straight shave?
You’ve
never ordered a straight
shave,
ever.
WALT
That’s right. I always
wondered
what they were like. Unless
you’re too goddamned busy?
103.
CONTINUED:
(2)
94
94
(CONTINUED)
BARBER
No, no. That’s fine. Let me
heat
up a towel.
Walt hands Martin the Barber
a twenty.
WALT
Here’s a twenty. Keep the
change
in case you slip and hit my
jugular.
INT. OLD SCHOOL MEN’S
CLOTHING STORE
98
98
Walt gets fitted for a new
suit. The OLD TAILOR
carefully measures Walt’s
shoulders.
WALT
So you can take it in right
here?
TAILOR
Yes, sir. Take about an hour.
WALT
That’s great. Thank you.
TAILOR
Yes, sir.
WALT
Never had a fitted suit.
INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH OFFICE
99
99
Walt comes in and Father
Janovich looks up.
FATHER JANOVICH
Mr. Kowalski, what can I do
for
you?
WALT
I’ve come for confession.
FATHER JANOVICH
Oh Lord Jesus, what have you
done?
WALT
Nothing. Take it easy.
FATHER JANOVICH
What are you up to?
104.
CONTINUED:
97
97
(CONTINUED)
WALT
Are you going to let me
confess or
not?
CUT TO:
INT. CONFESSIONAL BOOTH
100
100
Walt calmly sits on one side
and a very nervous, sweating
Father Janovich sits on the
other.
FATHER JANOVICH
How long has it been since
your
last confession?
WALT
Forever. Bless me, Father,
for I
have sinned.
FATHER JANOVICH
What are your sins, my son.
WALT
In 1968, I kissed Betty
Jablonski
at the work Christmas party.
Dorothy was talking with the
other
wives and it just happened.
FATHER JANOVICH
Yes. Go on.
WALT
I made nine hundred dollars
profit
selling a boat and motor and
never
reported the taxes which is
the
same as stealing.
FATHER JANOVICH
Yes. Fine.
WALT
And lastly, I was never
close to
my two sons. I don’t know
them.
I didn’t know how.
FATHER JANOVICH
That’s it?
WALT
Whatta you mean, ‘That’s
it?’
It’s bothered me for years.
105.
CONTINUED:
99
99
(CONTINUED)
FATHER JANOVICH
God loves and forgives you. Say
ten ‘Hail Marys’ and five
‘Our
Fathers.’ Are you going to
retaliate for what happened
to
Sue?
Walt says nothing. Father
Janovich looks hard at Walt.
FATHER JANOVICH
I’m going over to that house
today, Mr. Kowalski.
WALT
Is that so?
FATHER JANOVICH
It is. And every other day
until
you see the folly in what
you are
planning.
WALT
I gotta go, Padre. Busy day
ahead.
FATHER JANOVICH
Go in peace.
WALT
I am at peace.
Walt and Father Janovich
shake hands. Walt exits.
Father Janovich exhales
loudly and drops into his chair.
FATHER JANOVICH
Je -- zuz -- Christ.
INT. WALT’S KITCHEN - 3:51
P.M.
101
101
Walt carefully reassembles
the two weapons he just
cleaned and oiled. Tao comes
in and looks down at the
two weapons --
The 30-06 M1 GARAND RIFLE
and the COLT .45 PISTOL.
Tao picks up the heavy RIFLE.
TAO
Which one do I get?
WALT
You ever fire a weapon?
106.
CONTINUED:
100
100
(CONTINUED)
TAO
No.
Tao aims the rifle at an
imaginary target.
WALT
Put that down. I got
something
for you.
TAO
What?
WALT
In Korea, October, 1952. We
were
sent up to sweep a Chink
machine
gun nest that had carved us
up
pretty bad. I was the only
one
who came back... I received
the
Silver Star. I want you to
have
it.
TAO
Why?
WALT
When we went up that hill,
we knew
it was ten to one against
us, but
we went anyway. This trouble
now,
it’s similar. We’re walking
right
into it. We might not be
coming
home tonight.
TAO
The hell we won’t. We’re
going to
roll in there and tear ass.
WALT
Don’t be a fool, these guys
are
waiting for that exact
reaction.
Tao is quiet for a minute.
TAO
How many?
WALT
How many what?
TAO
How many men did you kill in
Korea?
WALT
Thirteen for sure. Probably
more.
107.
CONTINUED:
101
101
(CONTINUED)
TAO
What was it like to kill a
man?
WALT
You don’t want to know.
TAO
Why not?
WALT
Go get the Silver Star. It’s
in a
blue wooden box in the
cellar.
Tao goes downstairs. He
turns on the light and goes into
the cellar. Tao locates a
BLUE WOODEN BOX and opens it.
Tao holds up the MEDAL. He
looks at it closely.
AND WHAM -- Walt slams the
heavy cellar DOOR shut behind
him. Walt slides the BOLT
LOCK into place with a loud
CLICK.
Tao couldn’t kick his way
out of there in ten years. Of
course he tries anyway. Tao
is furious. He throws
things.
TAO
What the hell are you
doing?! Let
me out of here, you
goddamned son-
of-a-bitch!!
WALT
Quit smashing everything. You’ll
never get out of there, so
just
relax.
TAO
You let me out, you crazy
old
fuck, or I will kill you
when I
get out of here.
Tao pounds on the door. Walt
pounds back with a strength
and authority which startles
Tao.
WALT
You want to know how it
feels to
kill a man? It feels
goddamned
lousy. And it feels even
worse
when you get a medal for
bravery
right after you mowed down
some
scared kid when he tries to
give
up. A dumb, scared, little
gook,
just about your age. I shot
him
with the same rifle you just
held
upstairs.
108.
CONTINUED:
(2)
101
101
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
I’ve thought about that kid
for
fifty years. And I promise
you,
boy, you want no part of it.
Me,
I’ve got blood on my hands. I’m
soiled. Forgive me for
tricking
you like a dope. I’ll call
someone and have them let
you out
later.
TAO
No! Let me out!!
Tao pounds on the door.
WALT
You’ve come a long way. I’m
proud
to call you a friend. You
have
your whole life ahead of
you,
whereas this is what
I do. I
finish things. You’d just
get in
the way. Sorry.
Walt goes back upstairs,
leaving Tao locked up in his
cellar.
Tao howls to be let out.
EXT. WALT’S HOUSE
102
102
Walt walks out his front
door with Daisy on her leash.
He walks over to Tao’s house.
Phong sits in a lawnchair
and glares at Walt. She yells
in Hmong as Walt walks
straight up to her.
WALT
Aw, pipe down, you hag.
PHONG
(subtitled)
You're an evil man. I’ve
seen
your kind before. Back home,
white soldiers came to our
villages and filled our
young
men’s minds with ideas of
glory.
Then you’d lead them away to
their
deaths.
Walt, of course, has no idea
what she said.
WALT
Fine, I hate you too.
109.
CONTINUED:
(3)
101
101
WALT
(CONT'D)
(CONTINUED)
Walt holds out the DOG LEASH
to Phong. She looks down at
Daisy and back at Walt. She
lashes out again in Hmong.
WALT
I need you to watch my dog.
Walt holds the leash closer.
Phong folds her arms in
defiance. Walt exhales
loudly.
Walt lifts up one of the
LEGS OF HER LAWNCHAIR and slips
the loop of the leash
underneath it so Daisy can’t follow
him.
WALT
Her name is Daisy.
Walt bends down on one knee
and lovingly pets Daisy. He
scratches her belly.
WALT
You take it easy, old gal. You
good old girl.
Walt gets up and walks away
without looking back.
Phong is stunned; she is
silent for once.
INT. VFW
103
103
Walt walks in and sits down.
He nods to the regulars.
WALT
Good afternoon, gentlemen.
DARREL
Walter, how are you doing?
WALTER
Never been better.
BARTENDER
Beer and a shot, Walt?
WALT
I think I’ll have something
different.
Walt looks at the liquor
display. At the pinnacle of
bottles sits a bottle of
Johnnie Walker Blue.
WALT
Think I’ll try that Johnnie
Walker
Blue Label.
110.
CONTINUED:
102
102
(CONTINUED)
The regulars all “Oooooo”
and “Ahhhhhhh” at Walt’s order.
MEL
Whatta ya win the lottery,
Wally?
WALT
Naw, just having something
special.
Walt sips his Scotch and
nods. It’s good.
WALT
Why don’t you get all the
guys the
same.
BARTENDER
You sure?
WALT
I’m sure. This is too good
not to
be shared.
Walt finishes his Scotch and
points for one more.
Several regulars hold up
their drinks towards Walt.
INT. VFW PHONE BOOTH
104
104
Walt slips into the phone
booth. He puts in change and
dials.
CUT TO:
INT. TAO’S HOUSE - SAME TIME
105
105
Sue weakly answers the phone
next to her bed.
SUE
Hello?
WALT (V.O.)
It’s Walt. The key to my
front
door is under the ceramic
turtle.
Open the door and go let
your
brother out of the cellar. I
have
to go.
The line goes dead as Walt
hangs up. Sue jumps up out of
bed, pulls on some clothes
and runs downstairs.
Phong blocks her path. Phong
grabs Sue by the arms.
111.
CONTINUED:
103
103
(CONTINUED)
PHONG
(subtitled)
Who was that? Where are you
going? You tell me what’s
going
on?!
Sue squirms away from Phong
and runs outside. On her way
over to Walt’s house, she
sees Daisy leashed to Phong’s
chair. It scares Sue even
more.
EXT. SMOKIE’S DUPLEX -
AFTERNOON
106
106
Father Janovich paces back
and forth. The SQUAD CAR
pulls up to him, which is
exactly what he’s been afraid
of all day.
OFFICER
Sorry, Father, we have to go.
FATHER JANOVICH
I’m telling you. If we’re
not
here, there will be
bloodshed.
OFFICER
We’ve been here for hours. We
can’t afford to anchor a
unit to
one location.
FATHER JANOVICH
I’m begging you to stay.
OFFICER
I just got word from my
Sergeant,
we’re pulling the plug.
FATHER JANOVICH
I’m staying.
OFFICER
No you aren’t. My orders are
specific. You came with us,
you’re leaving with us.
Father Janovich looks hard
at the duplex before getting
into the SQUAD CAR. The
SQUAD CAR drives off.
Walt pulls up in front, gets
out of his pickup and slams
the door. He looks at the
duplex. It’s a total eyesore.
WALT
(mutters)
What a goddamned mess. You
slopes
should be ashamed of
yourselves.
112.
CONTINUED:
105
105
(CONTINUED)
Walt walks up the sidewalk
and stops twenty feet from the
duplex.
Six very scared, very
jittery Hmong gangbangers look out
at Walt from various
doorways and windows.
WALT
Is that all you swamp rats
or is
there more vermin scurrying
in the
shadows?
Smokie and Spider step out
and stand on the porch.
Smokie smiles at Walt. Walt
spits on the ground.
SMOKIE
I wasn’t sure that you’d...
WALT
Shut up, gook. I’m not here
to
listen to one goddamned
syllable
of what a shrimp-dicked
little
baby midget like you has to say.
Spider pulls his PISTOL.
WALT
That’s right, boy. Defend
your
boyfriend after he or
you or
whoever rapes a member of
your
family. Your own blood, for
Christ’s sake. Go ahead,
pull
your pistols, just like a
bunch of
ridiculous miniature toy
cowboys.
Smokie and several other
Hmong gangbangers pull their
guns.
WALT
You have no honor. You’re
the
scum of the earth and when
you’re
gone, do you think anyone
will
care? No one will mourn. You
won’t be missed.
All the Hmong are spooked at
Walt’s absolute lack of
fear.
SMOKIE
Where’s Tao, old man? He too
scared to come and stick up
for
himself?
113.
CONTINUED:
106
106
(CONTINUED)
WALT
No. Tao is too good for this.
You pukes aren’t worth one
second
of his time.
Walt slowly puts a CIGARETTE
in his mouth. Even this
slight movement has the
gangbangers waving their PISTOLS
around.
Walt laughs.
WALT
You boys are a little bit
jumpy.
SPIDER
You watch it, old man.
WALT
No, I think you’d better
watch it.
Walt looks around. Other
than the gangbangers, a small
group of people have
gathered to watch this showdown.
CUT TO:
INT. WALT’S HOUSE
107
107
Sue opens the front door,
runs to the stairwell and
pounds down the stairs.
SUE
Tao? Tao, are you alright?
TAO (O.S.)
I’M DOWN HERE! LET ME OUT!!
She unlocks the CELLAR DOOR.
Tao comes out in a rage.
TAO
Goddamn it!
SUE
What’s going on?
TAO
He left without me!
SUE
Where? Where’d he go?!
TAO
He went to Smokie’s without
me.
Tao takes the stairs two
steps at a time.
114.
CONTINUED:
(2)
106
106
(CONTINUED)
SUE
No! No, Tao!
Sue grabs Tao’s legs and
hangs on.
SUE
No! Don’t you dare! Stay
away
from them, Tao! I don’t want
anyone else getting hurt.
TAO
Leave me alone.
SUE
NO, TAO. NO!
They struggle at the top of
the stairs and spill into the
kitchen floor. Tao runs for
the door when something
catches his eye...
The kitchen table.
The RIFLE and PISTOL are
still there.
Walt purposely left the guns
at home.
TAO
Oh God! NO!!
QUICK CUT BACK TO:
EXT. SMOKIE’S DUPLEX - SAME
TIME
108
108
WALT AND COMPANY...
WALT
Anybody got a light? No? I
got
one.
Walt’s slight grin fades. He
mutters to himself...
WALT
Hail Mary, full of grace.
Walt reaches into his coat
pocket. Six Hmong gangbangers
simultaneously level their
PISTOLS and FIRE.
BULLETS FLY. Walt is struck
down. People scream.
Walt falls dead. A ZIPPO
lighter clutched in his hand.
Walt never intended to kill
anyone. Self-sacrifice.
115.
CONTINUED:
107
107
EXT. SMOKIE’S DUPLEX - LATER
109
109
Tao and Sue arrive just as
Smokie, Spider and company are
being driven away in Police
cars.
Tao looks at Smokie in the
squad car. Smokie no longer
looks tough or hard, he just
looks scared.
On the street, Walt is being
bagged by the ambulance
crew. Father Janovich prays
over him.
Tao steps up to a POLICE
OFFICER.
TAO
What happened?
POLICE OFFICER
You have to step back.
TAO
He was a friend of mine.
POLICE OFFICER
I said step back.
Tao turns to the HMONG
POLICE OFFICER.
TAO
What happened, man?
The Hmong Police Officer
looks at the WHITE POLICE
OFFICER and then to Tao.
HMONG POLICE OFFICER
You heard him, step back.
Tao speaks to the HMONG
OFFICER in their native language.
TAO
(subtitled)
Please, man, it’s important.
He’s
my friend. Tell me what
happened?
HMONG POLICE OFFICER
(subtitled)
The old guy reaches for a
lighter
and they gunned him down.
The
gang said the old guy was
here to
kill them, but he didn’t
have a
weapon.
TAO
(subtitled)
What’s going to happen?
116.
(CONTINUED)
HMONG POLICE OFFICER
(subtitled)
We actually have witnesses
for
once. These guys are going
away
big time.
The WHITE OFFICER yells at
the HMONG OFFICER.
POLICE OFFICER
Officer Chang, get those
people
back.
HMONG POLICE OFFICER
Yes, sir. You have to step
back
now.
Tao hugs his sister. Sue
openly weeps. Tao holds it in.
He looks at his friend Walt
as the bag is zipped over
him.
EXT. TAO’S HOUSE - DAY
110
110
Tao and Sue wait in front.
Tao wears a suit, Sue is in a
traditional Hmong dress. A
TAXI pulls up and they get
in.
Sitting on the porch is
Phong who rocks back and forth in
her rocking chair. Phong
holds Daisy in her arms, gently
petting the old dog.
INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH
111
111
We’re at the funeral of
Walter Kowalski. Walt is dressed
in his new suit.
Along with the crowd you’d
expect, Tao and Sue are seated
near the front.
Walt’s sons and family are
there. Mitch gives Tao a
dirty look. Tao looks back
at him, his gaze bores right
through Mitch. Mitch looks
away.
Father Janovich steps up to
the pulpit and speaks.
117.
CONTINUED:
109
109
(CONTINUED)
FATHER JANOVICH
Walt Kowalski once said to
me I
didn’t know anything about
life or
death because ‘I was an
overeducated, 27-year-old
virgin
who held the hands of
superstitious old women and
promised them eternity.’
Walt
definitely had no problem
‘calling
it like he saw it.’ But Walt
was
right. I knew really nothing
about life or death until I
got to
know Walt. And boy, did I
learn.
INT. LAW OFFICE
112
112
All of Walt’s family are
seated in an office as a LAWYER
reads Walt Kowalski’s will.
Tao is present along with
Walt’s family.
LAWYER
Which brings us to our last
item.
And again, please forgive
the
language used in Mr.
Kowalski’s
will. I’m simply reading it
as it
was written.
The LAWYER takes a sip of
water before reading...
LAWYER
‘And to my friend, Tao Vang
Lor, I
leave my 1972 Gran Torino on
the
condition that you don’t
choptop
the roof like a damned
spick,
don’t paint any idiotic
flames on
it like some white-trash
hillbilly
and don’t put a big gay
spoiler on
the rear-end like you see on
all
the other zipper heads’
cars. It
just looks like hell. If you
can
refrain from doing any of
that,
it’s yours.
FADE OUT.
THE END
118.
CONTINUED:
111
111
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