Gran Torino Page #4

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.

13 EXT. TAO’S HOUSE -SAME TIME 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.

14 EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE -NIGHT 14

Tao exits the store, gets on his bike and rides off.

(CONTINUED)

11.

14 CONTINUED:

14

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 f*** you smiling at,

gook?

Something funny?

He grabs Tao by the jacket and pulls him to his feet.

HEAD LATINO:

You better get the f*** outta

here, b*tch.

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.

15

EXT. WALT’S HOUSE -SUNNY SPRING MORNING 15

SUPERIMPOSE:
THREE MONTHS LATER

Walt is going about the chores of spring cleaning.

(CONTINUED)

12.

15 CONTINUED:
15

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

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