Go Ahead, Push My Wheelchair

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Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino is going to be a geriatric Dirty Harry film? I don't know whether to laugh, cry or take it in stride, but an AICN correspondent, allegedly from North Hollywood and going by the name of "Kurt," is claiming inside knowledge about Eastwood's next film, a Warner Bros. December '08 release that's yet to be shot. Yesterday I speculated that it might be one of Eastwood's amiable films, but this "Kurt" guy is saying nope, total opposite.

He's saying he "recently advertised [a] 1974 Ford Gran Torino classic original for sale in the local here, and within 24 hours someone from Village Roadshow Pictures [was] interested in having a looksee. He ultimately passed for numerous reasons, probably the modifications, [but] he told me they were looking for the right car for a new Clint Eastwood movie.

"He said it was a thriller about a killer that drives a 1972 Ford Gran Torino, and that this is the only thing the police have on him. The story is about a retired police lieutenant, one Harry Callahan, making it his mission to track down the culprit [after] two young police officers, one of them being Callahan's grandson, are shot and killed by the guy."

In other words, if Kurt can be trusted it's going be a little bit like Eastwood's Blood Work ('02), in which he played another old lawman (a retired FBI guy) on the hunt for a killer. If it's real, the aging Harry Callahan idea is a hoot. Except the implied force and ferocity of the Callahan persona would be a moot point for a guy in his mid '70s. Would the former San Francisco detective still pack a .44 Magnum? That seems silly. He'd have to be quieter, mellower, gentler. It's a workable idea, I suppose, but it also seems oddly self-mocking. Almost the basis for a black comedy.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 20, 2008 at 11:04 AM

comment #1

Karsten says ...

Damn, "Blood Work" is one emarassingly bad film. But if "Gran Torino" can be more like "Unforgiven", then we're talking about Eastwood making my day, come December.

Posted by Karsten at March 20, 2008 11:41 AM

comment #2

Karsten says ...

Almost as embarassing as forgetting the "b".

Posted by Karsten at March 20, 2008 11:42 AM

comment #3

BurmaShave says ...

My calendar swears it's not April 1, but obviously its full of shit.

Posted by BurmaShave at March 20, 2008 11:47 AM

comment #4

T. S. Idiot says ...

To Mr. Eastwood: Feelin' lucky, punk?

Posted by T. S. Idiot at March 20, 2008 11:50 AM

comment #5

Rich S. says ...

First of all, it doesn't take a degree in "CSI" to know that there can't be that many '74 Gran Torinos left in L.A., so there wouldn't be much of a mystery there. So that sounds fishy right off the bat. Plus, the title sounds all wrong: Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, The Enforcer, Sudden Impact, The Dead Pool ... Crappy Old Ford Car.

However, I seem to recall Eastwood doing okay with a similar plot not only in Unforgiven, but also in In the Line of Fire. So I guess it could be decent (especially if they took a No Country for Old Men kind of approach).

Posted by Rich S. at March 20, 2008 11:52 AM

comment #6

Monument says ...

Dirty Harry carried a .44 Magnum

Posted by Monument at March 20, 2008 11:53 AM

comment #7

Rich S. says ...

Oh, and Jeffrey? If John Milius were here, he'd probably laugh in your face for forgetting that Harry Callahan carried "a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world...."

Posted by Rich S. at March 20, 2008 11:54 AM

comment #8

btwnproductions says ...

His grandson? Harry settled down? I'm interested, but suspect black comedy is the way to go. It's the perfect tie-in with the new HARRY DVDs coming out.

Posted by btwnproductions at March 20, 2008 11:55 AM

comment #9

le corbeau says ...

" it also seems oddly self-mocking. Almost the basis for a black comedy."

Which would make it a lot like The Dead Pool, the last Dirty Harry movie, wouldn't it?

Posted by le corbeau at March 20, 2008 11:59 AM

comment #10

Balthazar says ...

If this is true (a huge if), might Eastwood be seeking to do his version of "Unforgiven" for the police/crime genre? In other words, tilt the whole damn genre on its head with an anti-violence treatise? I wouldn't put it past him. I highly doubt he's just looking to make an action flick at this point in his career/life.

Posted by Balthazar at March 20, 2008 12:00 PM

comment #11

le corbeau says ...

Speaking of comedy, has anybody ever seen that Italian anthology film where he was directed by Vittorio DeSica, La Streghe? One of the reviews at the IMDB raves that it's "the best 25 minutes of his career," but I've never seen even a clip from it.

Posted by le corbeau at March 20, 2008 12:01 PM

comment #12

drillo cocco says ...

Blood Work wasn't good at all, but if you like to watch actors, no matter how flawed the film, Anjelica Huston and Wanda De Jesus are worth ticket by definition.

Posted by drillo cocco at March 20, 2008 12:02 PM

comment #13

Mr. Peel says ...

I defend Blood Work the way a hardcore Hawks/Wayne fan might defend Rio Lobo. I know I shouldn't enjoy it, but I still kind of do.

I can't imagine that this would be a new Dirty Harry movie, but who knows. I'm intrigued to see anything he'll still be acting in.

And yes, The Dead Pool is a damn good black comedy.

Posted by Mr. Peel at March 20, 2008 12:05 PM

comment #14

Pelham123 says ...

"Man's just got to know his limitations."

Posted by Pelham123 at March 20, 2008 12:14 PM

comment #15

115thDreamer says ...

"Are you feeling....(cough)....I said...(cough, cough)....are you feeling...damnit, give me a minute......(cough) Are you feeling....hey, come back here!!!"

Sheesh. Maybe Clint just feels like he's directed too many serious movies in a row and wants to have some fun. Instead of watching dailes of guys in caves speaking Japanese all day, he gets to drive around and shoot at stuff....I'm going to cut him a break if this story is true.

Posted by 115thDreamer at March 20, 2008 12:18 PM

comment #16

MikeSchaeferSF says ...

I guess this rules out the possibility of him being McCain's running mate...

Posted by MikeSchaeferSF at March 20, 2008 12:22 PM

comment #17

Edward says ...

if you love film how can you not want to see anything directed/starring Clint Eastwood? His body of work is phenominal.

Posted by Edward at March 20, 2008 12:22 PM

comment #18

JeffGP says ...

Mgmax: I have seen that.. THE WITCHES. The Eastwood short certainly is a funny bit of business. Like all short movie anthologies it's a mixed bag. The best of the bunch, by a long, long shot is the Visconti.

Here's stuff I wrote about each last year: http://sixreelshuffle.blogspot.com/2007/03/witches.html

Posted by JeffGP at March 20, 2008 12:26 PM

comment #19

Pablo VillaÃ§a says ...

I don't buy that. I don't buy that AT ALL.

Posted by Pablo VillaÃ§a at March 20, 2008 12:43 PM

comment #20

Geoff says ...

There's a scene in the very beginning of BLOOD WORK where Eastwood, tailing a bad guy who hops over a rickety fence in an alley, just plows through the damn thing. It made me laugh.

Posted by Geoff at March 20, 2008 12:46 PM

comment #21

jodyr says ...

Why on earth can't a 70-something pack and use a .44 magnum? If he's in reasonably good shape and isn't too out of practice, there's no reason he can't fire that weapon.

Posted by jodyr at March 20, 2008 1:42 PM

comment #22

Spicer says ...

I would be stunned if Gran Torino were in fact a new Dirty Harry pic, but, as people have already said before me, if it were done like Unforgiven it could be pretty special.

Am I alone in my love for True Crime? It's not on par with Million Dollar Baby, but I really love Dennis Leary and James Woods in it.

Posted by Spicer at March 20, 2008 1:47 PM

comment #23

Josh Massey says ...

It makes sense, only because Eastwood wouldn't want to release another potential Oscar nominee to compete with The Changeling.

Posted by Josh Massey at March 20, 2008 3:07 PM

comment #24

Carl LaFong says ...

It has always bugged me that the Dirty Harry series finished on a down note with the silly and forgettable DEAD POOL. I remember sitting in the theater and saw the story was credited to "life-extension" experts Durk Pearson & Sandy Shaw (staples on The Merv Griffin Show), I got the proverbial Harry Coen Butt Itch. The picture is means little more now than the answer to a Jim Carrey trivia question. Harry Callahan needs a better send-off; I'm not sure if GRAN TORINO is it, but it could only be better. After all, Clint is a little closer to the skill of a Don Siegel than a Buddy Van Horn. Or so it would seem to me...

Posted by Carl LaFong at March 20, 2008 4:25 PM

comment #25

muteprotest says ...

Edward Haven, didn't you say you had the scoop on this one? Are you able to relinquish any details, at least to confirm or deny?

Posted by muteprotest at March 20, 2008 4:27 PM

comment #26

muteprotest says ...

Oops, sorry about that. Should read "Edward Havens."

Posted by muteprotest at March 20, 2008 4:30 PM

comment #27

Dublin101 says ...

If you love film how can you not want to see anything directed/starring Clint Eastwood? His body of work is phenomenal.

Hey I love Clint as much as the next red-blooded film fan. But you deny that he's starred in (and diected) plenty of shit movies. The Eiger Sanction, Firefox, Pink Cadillac, The Dead Pool, Blood Work and Absolute Power to name but a few stinkers on the great man's resume. He has managed to put these turkeys behind him with his recent work. But a new Dirty Harry would be a reminder of his bad movie history.

PS And how about those movies where he co-starred with an Orangutan? Bloody hell.

Posted by Dublin101 at March 20, 2008 4:43 PM

comment #28

joemart says ...

I've read this script...it is not a Dirty Harry movie...far from it

Posted by joemart at March 20, 2008 4:56 PM

comment #29

actionman says ...

what's it all about joemart?

Posted by actionman at March 20, 2008 6:04 PM

comment #30

JPlatt says ...

"Gran Torino" is good...real good...solid writing...

Posted by JPlatt at March 20, 2008 11:34 PM

comment #31

muteprotest says ...

Can somebody please shed a little more light on this for those of us who haven't been able to read the script? Just a basic plot summary or precise of some kind would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Posted by muteprotest at March 20, 2008 11:43 PM

comment #32

Edward Havens says ...

http://www.filmjerk.com/news/article.php?id_new=545

Posted by Edward Havens at March 21, 2008 12:50 AM

comment #33

joemart says ...

Sorry for the delay...didn't check back after I posted...Film Jerk is spot on in it's logline. The character Walt seems tailor made for Clint. Short, gruff lines (many to his old dog Daisy). There's even a young priest Walt gets to curse out throughout. A simple straight forward story told in quiet, yet compelling writing. The entire movie rests on Clint's back and the realtionship he builds with his young Asian neighbor Tao.

Posted by joemart at March 21, 2008 5:50 AM

comment #34

Don Murphy says ...

Why are people on teh internets so stupid? Did anyone really think that two unknown producers all of a sudden are placed on the Dirty Harry franchise? Especially when Clint runs the whole show anyway? THINK people- you can't all be morons. IESB is run by a guy called Dirty Sanchez- and still it gets picked up!
-----------------------------
IRON MAN
from the director of ZATHURA

Posted by Don Murphy at March 21, 2008 8:41 AM

comment #35