Eastwood rides into race in 'Gran Torino'

As the final contenders are finally screened this week, one decorated veteran of the Oscar wars just planted another flag in the race.

Clint Eastwood may have had trouble finding the Clarity Screening Room on Monday night, but landing a third best actor nomination should be no problem.

Based on mixed reaction afterward from the normally jaded press corps, his new film's fate in other categories is unclear, but my guess is whatever happens, general audiences are likely to eat it up.

As the press gathered inside the Beverly Hills office building lobby of the Clarity for the Warner Bros.-sponsored "Gran Torino" pre-screening reception, the man of the hour was somewhere outside on Wilshire Boulevard, looking for the party. Eastwood, in typical no-frills Clint fashion, didn't want the de rigueur studio-ordered limo and drove himself (not in a Gran Torino we trust). He eventually managed to sneak in the front door undetected even by the phalanx of Warner publicists waiting for his arrival. He made light of the whole thing in his (very) brief remarks before the film screened, its much-awaited first formal press unveiling.

Producer Rob Lorenz, who had arrived earlier, said the picture (which was still shooting into late summer) was finally locked at 116 minutes and ready for its Dec. 12 release in New York and L.A. (recently moved up a week earlier than originally planned). It will widen around Christmas and go even wider in January following the same successful release pattern of Clint's previous Oscar-winning "Million Dollar Baby." His most recent best picture nominee, "Letters From Iwo Jima," was also, like "Baby," a last-minute December entry, so this is clearly Clint's favorite season.

Shortly after he made his low-key entrance, I asked Eastwood if it's true that "Torino" (which he also co-produced and directed) will be his last acting role.

"Well, there aren't too many parts lying around for 78-year-olds, and I don't intend to start playing 40 anytime soon,"  he said, smiling.

It wasn't a definite "Yes, this is it," but close enough, although he added, "You're never too old to learn something new," which also serves as his mantra in the new film.

If "Gran Torino" does prove to be his acting swan song, he couldn't have picked a better way to go out. As a grizzled, racist, foul-mouthed ex-Marine refusing to move from an old neighborhood now populated  with Asians and overrun by gangs, Eastwood summons up memories from his past roles. As Eastwood's character  stands in front of his house pointing his gun at a group of young toughs and utters lines like "Get off of my lawn" or "Did you ever think you would be [expletive] with the wrong guy," you could almost see what Harry Callahan would be like when he hit retirement age.

"Gran Torino's" Walt Kowalski  is a proud man who squints and grunts and, like a descendant of some reluctant Western sheriff, takes a town now bullied by "outlaw" Latino, Asian and black gangs and tears them a new one. Giving real dimension to what could have been an unlikeable Archie Bunker-style bigot, not to mention heart and a 21st century enlightenment that we all have to live together, Eastwood has channeled his whole screen persona, taken it to a new place and delivered the ultimate valedictory.

When he croaks the lyrics of the title song (co-written by son Kyle) over the end credits, audiences will be applauding not just a fine performance but also a remarkable screen career.

In a hugely competitive best actor race , sentimental favorite Eastwood faces really stiff competition from a couple of first-rate actors playing politicians, Frank Langella's Richard Nixon and Sean Penn's Harvey Milk (Eastwood directed Penn to his first Oscar in "Mystic River"). There's also other vets in the hunt like "The Visitor's" Richard Jenkins and "Last Chance Harvey's" Dustin Hoffman, along with Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Will Smith and Mickey Rourke, to name just a few.

Although he has four Oscars already on his mantel, Eastwood has never won one for acting despite nominations for "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby." In fact, his nod for "Baby" was a surprise contender in a similarly super-competitive  2004 best actor race and indicated just how much love there is for him in the academy actors'  branch.

Amazingly, "Torino" doesn't even represent Clint's first serious awards contender this season. Universal sent out screeners last week for his Angelina Jolie starrer, "Changeling." He co-produced and directed the  October release, which he shot in about 35 days, not even using all the alloted time the studio had given him for principal photography. DVD screeners of "Gran Torino" began arriving in the mailboxes of various awards groups Tuesday despite the fact that the film has not yet opened.

Whatever fate Oscar has in store this year for the remarkably prolific Mr. Eastwood, this 2008 twofer is a major feat for anyone at ANY age.

--Pete Hammond

(Photo courtesy  Anthony Michael Rivetti / Warner Bros.)

Comments

[James]

I hate his Million Dollar Baby nom with a passion and hope the voters completely ignore this. He doesn't deserve an acting Oscar. Let Penn or Rourke win. And let Jenkins have the spot Eastwood is predicted to have. Where's the justice?