Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Page #11

SALANDER:

Wait.

She puts her backpack and leather jacket on a chair.

Sits on the edge of the bed. He stands over her. She

knows what she’s supposed to do, but seems unable to.

BJURMAN:

Is there a problem?

SALANDER:

I just want to know, am I going to

have to do this every time I need

money to eat?

BJURMAN:

It’s so cute when you do that surly

thing. Take my hand

She reaches out to it and before she can react, there’s

a handcuff around the wrist. He quickly cuffs the other

to his own wrist. This is bad. She tries to get out.

He gets her in a strangle hold and chokes her into

unconsciousness.

100A

INT. BJURMAN’S APARTMENT - LATER - NIGHT

100A

She comes to, on her stomach, sees her wrists cuffed to

the headboard posts, her ankles secured to the foot posts

with silk ties, and scissors slicing her jeans off. She

starts to scream and he stuffs her mouth with her

underwear.

BJURMAN:

Please. I have neighbors.

He lights a couple candles. Switches on some New Age

music.

BJURMAN:

What we’re going to do now is teach

you the value of money.

He watches her struggle. But she’s not going anywhere.

He tears open a condom package with his teeth.

Dragon Tattoo Final 9/1/11 SZ 55.

55.55.

BJURMAN:

I forget - did I ask you before if

you liked anal sex?

He crams a pillow under her stomach and climbs on top

of her. She keeps fighting but there’s not much she can

do handcuffed. Eventually, she retreats to another place

inside herself. She’s had to go here before in her life;

it’s the only place to go in such situations.

101

INT. COTTAGE - NIGHT

101

The cat turns its head to a sound Blomkvist can’t hear.

He has Harriet’s box of belongings out again and looks at

photos of her school friends in her wallet. Then picks

up the Bible. Handwritten on the inside cover is Harriet

Vanger. He opens it at random. Hebrews:

HARRIET V/O

Faith is the assurance of things

hoped for, the evidence of things not

seen. Through faith we understand

that the world was created by the

word of God - and that what is seen

was not made of things that are

visible ...

He sets it down. Rubs his eyes. Everything - his

daughter, his life, this cabin, the word of God - is

depressing.

101A

INT. BJURMAN’S APARTMENT - DAWN

101A

Dawn light outside the living room window.

Bjurman, at his dining table with a glass of orange

juice, writing out a check.

In the bedroom, Salander slips on her leather jacket,

shoulders her backpack, hobbles out to the living room.

BJURMAN:

I’ll drive you home.

SALANDER:

I can get home on my own.

BJURMAN:

Are you sure?

It’s bizarre:
his manner seems to be one of genuine

concern. She nods. He hands her the check. Then opens

the door for her like a perfect gentleman.

BJURMAN:

So, next Saturday, here?

102

103

104

105

106

107

Dragon Tattoo Final 9/1/11 SZ 56.

56.56.

She nods. Leaves. The door closes.

EXT. STOCKHOLM - DAWN

102

A lone figure hobbles through the empty streets.

INT. SALANDER’S APARTMENT - DAWN

103

She sets a check down. On the memo line he’s neatly

written, “for food.” She takes a bottle of water from

the fridge and drinks.

INT. SALANDER’S APARTMENT - DAWN

104

Shower water hits the dragon tattoo on her shoulder

blade and runs down past several others. By the time the

water reaches the drain it has turned red.

EXT. HEDEBY ISLAND - DAY

105

Coming through trees with a bag of groceries, Blomkvist

sees a BMW parked outside his cottage.

EXT. COTTAGE - MOMENTS LATER - DAY

106

Blomkvist taps on the car’s fogged-up driver’s window.

A hand inside wipes at it, revealing Erika. She lowers

it a crack.

ERIKA:

Is it any warmer inside?

BLOMKVIST:

No.

INT. COTTAGE - DAY

107

As he tries to get some logs in the fireplace going,

using more pages torn from one of his books, Erika wraps

herself in a blanket. The cat, who has no trouble with

the cold, naps on the paperwork on the desk.

BLOMKVIST:

What have I missed besides you?

ERIKA:

The steady exodus of two-thirds of

our advertisers.

BLOMKVIST:

Seriously?

ERIKA:

Is that hard to believe? Sitting up

here in Lappland with your cat?

Dragon Tattoo Final 9/1/11 SZ 57.

57.57.

BLOMKVIST:

I’m not. I’m working.

ERIKA:

I can see.

What she can see is the Vanger research covering the

walls and table surfaces, and that the threads of the

family tree lead to a photograph of Vanger at the top.

BLOMKVIST:

Would you like to meet him?

ERIKA:

Maybe in about an hour. If you’re

interested.

He is.

108

INT. VANGER MANOR - EVENING

108

Vanger and Martin all but ignore Blomkvist as they chat

with Erika over dinner. They seem charmed by her.

VANGER:

I apologize if you’re having

financial problems at the magazine

in Mikael’s absence.

ERIKA:

We’ll work through them.

VANGER:

Are you sure?

Erika looks at Blomkvist, but he hasn’t talked to them

about this.

MARTIN:

How long do you think you can hang

on? Six months or so?

ERIKA:

That sounds about right.

VANGER:

(cheerfully)

You know, I used to be in the

newspaper business. We owned six

dailies back in the 50’s.

MARTIN:

We still own one. The Courier, here

in town.

Dragon Tattoo Final 9/1/11 SZ 58.

58.58.

VANGER:

I let my nephew Birger run it since

he can’t run anything else.

Erika nods politely.

MARTIN:

So what do you say to taking on a

partner?

ERIKA:

We’ve never considered it before.

We value our independence.

MARTIN:

Your independence is dependant on

advertisers - if we’re being honest.

However much you think that is, you’d

retain. We don’t care about content.

Blomkvist suddenly feels like someone coming late to a

party.

BLOMKVIST:

Excuse me. Did I miss something?

VANGER:

We’re talking about an investment in

the magazine.

BLOMKVIST:

I gather. Why would you want to do

that?

MARTIN:

Not for the return, that’s for sure.

VANGER:

(to Erika)

I feel bad that I’ve take Mikael

away from you at the worst possible

time. This is the right thing to do.

The moral thing. That’s one reason.

ERIKA:

And.

VANGER:

The enemies of my friends are my

enemies. I hate Wennerstrom as much

as you hate what he’s done to you.

Silence.

VANGER:

So what do you say?

Dragon Tattoo Final 9/1/11 SZ 59.

59.59.

Erika half-shrugs to say she’ll consider it.

VANGER:

Is that a maybe?

She nods.

VANGER:

Wonderful! More wine, Anna.

Blomkvist looks at Erika, but she glances away to Vanger.

VANGER:

I think Mikael is adapting well to

rustic life, by the way.

ERIKA:

Have you seen him try to make a fire?

VANGER:

Put the logs on end, like this.

He makes a teepee shape with his hands, like praying.

109

INT. COTTAGE - LATER - NIGHT

109

Erika lights a teepee of logs in the fireplace.

BLOMKVIST:

How long have you been discussing

this with them?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes