Gran Torino Trivia Quiz

Answer: Michigan

Clint Eastwood's 2008 movie "Gran Torino" took place in the state of Michigan, supposedly in the Detroit suburb of Highland Park. The movie was filmed on location in the Wolverine State. Detroit, of course, is known as the Motor City and nearby Dearborn serves as home of Ford Motor Corporation. Ford manufactured Gran Torino cars between 1968 and 1976.

Answer: The Korean War

Clint Eastwood played the title role of Walt Kowalski in the film "Gran Torino." Kowalski was a veteran of the Korean War in the 1950s and mentioned the horror of warfare several times during the movie. Kowalski, a recent widower, felt bitter and angry towards the world around him, quite possibly because of his combat experience.

Answer: Because he was being initiated into a gang.

In an early scenes of "Gran Torino", Thao Vang Lor, a shy teenager, reluctantly agreed to join his cousin Spider's gang after being bothered by some young punks from another gang. As part of Thao's initiation into Spider's gang, Thao was ordered to steal Walt Kowalski's 1972 Gran Torino car. Thao, Kowalski's neighbor, broke into the garage where the Torino was parked; however, Kowalski interrupted the attempted theft, and Thao fled into the night empty-handed. Spider and his gang of thugs repeatedly harassed Thao throughout the movie.

Answer: Wally

Sue, Kowalski's neighbor, played a key role in the movie "Gran Torino." She became Kowalksi's first real friend by talking to him after Kowalski had rescued her from a gang of street thugs. Sue learned to see beyond Kowalski's outwardly unfriendly attitude towards the world.

She called him "Wally" because she knew Kowalski would be upset by this diminutive form of "Walter"; she wasn't afraid of Kowalski's gruff demeanor. Sue gave "Wally" lessons about the history and culture of her relatives, the Hmong people. Sue called Kowalski "a good man." Unfortunately, Sue would later be brutally beaten and raped by members of Spider's gang.

Answer: By working for Kowalski.

After the attempted theft by Thao of Kowalski's prized Gran Torino, the Vang Lor family felt ashamed of his action. Therefore, Thao's mother convinced her daughter Sue to tell Kowalski that Thao would work for him. Kowalski reluctantly agreed, and he taught Thao how to be a handy man around the house. Kowalski, a former auto worker, owned a great variety of tools, and he showed Thao how to "act like a man." Kowalski and Thao eventually became good friends. Kowalski even managed to get Thao a job in the construction business.

Answer: Because he made a promise to Kowalski's dying wife.

Father Janovich (Christopher Carley) was a young Roman Catholic priest without much real-world experience. Kowalski called Janovich an "overeducated" man who didn't understand life and death. Janovich wanted Kowalski to go to confession because the priest had promised Kowalski's wife Dorothy that he would make her husband partake of this sacrament.

In the final day of his life, Kowalski did indeed make his confession. One of the "sins" that Kowalski confessed to was that he had not been a good father to his two sons.

Answer: His Silver Star

Thao and Kowalski were naturally furious after Spider's gang brutalized Thao's sister Sue. Thao wanted to get immediate revenge. He urged Kowalski to retaliate by shooting Spider. Kowalski, however, ordered Thao to remain calm and to plan carefully. He escorted Thao down to his basement where he presented the young man with his Silver Medal, a medal which Kowalski received for "gallantry in action." Kowalski did not feel proud of his medal; he felt guilty because he had earned it for killing enemy soldiers.

After Kowalski gave Thao the medal, he locked the teenager in the basement.

Answer: A cigarette lighter

Walt Kowalski waited for darkness before he approached the home of Spider and his gang. He confronted the gang members and insulted them for their beating of Sue, "one of your own blood." He then "shot" them, using his index finger as an imaginary pistol. Kowalski then quickly reached for his pocket and pulled out a Zippo cigarette lighter, an artifact from his military days. Kowalski clutched this lighter in his right hand as he was shot repeatedly by Spider's gang members. Kowalski got his revenge: the murder was witnessed by several neighbors who presumably would later testify in court against Spider's gang. Kowalski sacrificed himself for two major reasons: he realized that he was in very poor physical health, and he didn't want young Thao to get jailed for murder.

Answer: Daisy

Daisy was the name of Kowalski's Golden Labrador in "Gran Torino." Daisy, like Kowalski, was a longtime veteran of life in Highland Park. After the murder of Kowalski, Thao took control of both Daisy and the Gran Torino car. In the final scene of the film, Thao was seen driving the Gran Torino with Daisy sitting in the front seat.

Answer: Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood directed the film "Gran Torino", and it was yet another successful effort for the veteran director and actor. Unfortunately, Eastwood was not nominated for an Academy Award as Best Director for this movie; indeed, "Gran Torino" did not garner any Oscar nominations. Bill Gerber was one of the producers for "Gran Torino"; Nick Schenk wrote the movie's screenplay, and Kyle Eastwood composed music for the film.