Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Page #2

Lisbeth Salander walks in: A small, pale, anorexic-

looking waif in her early 20’s. Short black-dyed hair -

pierced eyelid - tattoo of a wasp on her neck; probably

several more under her black leather jacket - black t-

shirt, black jeans, black Caterpillar boots.

Frode is only middlingly successful in concealing his

initial reaction to her. This isn’t punk fashion. This

is someone saying, Stay the f*** away from me.

ARMANSKY:

Lisbeth, Mr. Dirch Frode.

FRODE:

How do you do?

Dragon Tattoo Final 9/1/11 SZ 7.7.

She doesn’t shake Frode’s hand, but does address him:

SALANDER:

Something wrong with the report?

FRODE:

No. It seems quite thorough.

There’s a wealth of data here. But

I’m also interested to know what’s

not in it.

SALANDER:

There’s nothing not in it.

FRODE:

Your opinion of him isn’t.

SALANDER:

I’m not paid to give my opinion.

FRODE:

So you don’t have one?

Salander sends Armansky a weary look. His look back

begs her not to say anything unpleasant. Eventually

SALANDER:

He’s clean. In my opinion.

FRODE:

He’s - excuse me?

SALANDER:

He’s honest. He’s who he presents

himself to be. In his business,

that’s an asset.

FRODE:

There’s less in his asset column

after his conviction today.

SALANDER:

That’s true. He made a fool of

himself with that. If it happened

that way.

Frode looks at Armansky. What’s that supposed to mean?

SALANDER:

If he made up the story, that’s

out of character. So is giving up

without a fight. People don’t do

things that are out of character.

FRODE:

Are you saying he was set up?

Dragon Tattoo Final 9/1/11 SZ 8.8.

SALANDER:

That wasn’t part of my assignment.

And, apparently, she has no opinion on it either.

FRODE:

You’re quite right he made a fool of

himself professionally. How big of a

fool did he make of himself

financially?

SALANDER:

The judgement will just about empty

his savings.

This seems to please Frode more than anything else that

has been said, and Salander sees it.

SALANDER:

May I go?

FRODE:

Your report is light in another

area. His personal life. Anything

you chose not to include?

SALANDER:

Nothing that warranted inclusion.

FRODE:

I’m not sure if that means yes or no.

ARMANSKY:

I think what Ms. Salander means, and

I agree, is that everyone has a right

to a certain amount of privacy, even

when they’re being investigated.

FRODE:

Not in this case. I have to know

if there’s anything about him I might

find unsavory - even if she doesn’t.

Armansky’s look to her at once apologizes for Frode, and

encourages her to speak. She finally relents but puts no

more spin on it than any other piece of raw data

SALANDER:

He’s had a long sexual relationship

with his co-editor. It wrecked his

marriage, but not hers. Her husband

accepts it. Sometimes she sleeps at

Blomkvist’s, sometimes at home.

Frode thinks about that, perhaps imagining how much

simpler his own life would be with such an arrangement.

Dragon Tattoo Final 9/1/11 SZ 9.9.

FRODE:

You were right not to include that.

SALANDER:

I know.

FRODE:

Anything else?

SALANDER:

No.

FRODE:

Please think before you say no.

SALANDER:

I did.

FRODE:

I don’t want to be surprised by

something later.

Salander offers nothing more.

FRODE:

So. Nothing else. In the personal

department. You’re sure.

SALANDER:

(pause)

He likes sandwiches.

A15

EXT. BLOMKVIST’S APARTMENT - ESTABLISHING

A15

15

INT. BLOMKVIST’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

15

Blomkvist isn’t sentimental, but does have a few framed

snapshots:
his daughter, his sister, and one with Erika -

in their 20’s - in which he’s wearing a black leather

jacket.

She wakes up alone in his bed. Pads to the darkened

living room to find him typing on his laptop, a half-

eaten sandwich and glass of water next to it.

ERIKA:

Usually when I wake up in a cold

bed, it’s at home.

BLOMKVIST:

Sorry.

ERIKA:

What are you doing?

Dragon Tattoo Final 9/1/11 SZ 10.

10.10.

BLOMKVIST:

Writing the press release.

ERIKA:

Saying

BLOMKVIST:

You’re taking over as publisher.

You’re sorry for any nuisance

Wennerstrom was caused. I can’t be

reached for comment.

ERIKA:

You’re giving up.

BLOMKVIST:

Just taking a few steps aside.

For you.

ERIKA:

This makes me sick.

OMIT:
INT. BOOKSTORE - STOCKHOLM - DAY

16

INT. MCDONALD’S - STOCKHOLM - DAY

17

Salander sits alone at a table waiting for someone with

a coffee and a gift haphazardly wrapped with a Christmas

bow, the price tag still on it, a paperback book -My 60

Memorable Games, by Bobby Fischer. She notices the price

tag is still on it. Peels it off. Dials a call on her

cell. Hangs up when it goes to voice mail.

A18

EXT. PALMGREN’S APARTMENT - ESTABLISHING

A18

INT. PALMGREN’S APARTMENT - STOCKHOLM - DAY

18

She knocks on a door. Hears classical music playing

softly inside, but no one answers. She tries the door.

It’s unlocked. The gift in hand, she pushes it open.

She comes into an apartment which looks like it could

belong to a professor. Sees a chess piece on the floor.

Then a trail of them that lead her to an overturned chess

table and, next to it, a body.

The gash on the old man’s head could have been caused

by a fall into the corner of the table, or from a blow to

it. She quickly tries to determine if he’s breathing.

Calls for an ambulance.

INT. BLOMKVIST’S APARTMENT - STOCKHOLM - EVENING

19

It’s doubtful there’s a stranger Christmas gathering

going on anywhere in the world. Standing around with

eggnog are:

Dragon Tattoo Final 9/1/11 SZ 11.

11.11.

Blomkvist; his teenage daughter Pernilla; his sister

Annika and her Italian husband; Erika and her weirdly

understanding artist husband Greger, whose arm is around

her waist; a few other friends (and perhaps lovers).

GREGER:

You needed a better attorney. You

needed your sister.

BLOMKVIST:

She offered.

ANNIKA:

He declined.

BLOMKVIST:

As she hoped.

ANNIKA:

Never a good idea mixing family and

business.

BLOMKVIST:

And I still would have lost.

GREGOR:

Did you have ... anything on him.

BLOMKVIST:

I had a lot. It just wasn’t any

good.

ERIKA:

It wasn’t even about Mikael. It

was Wennerstrom sending a message to

the press as a whole - and the FSA:

Don’t ask questions.

Blomkvist’s daughter seems concerned for him.

BLOMKVIST:

I’m fine, Nilla. You don’t have to

worry about me.

PERNILLA:

Mom’s worried.

BLOMKVIST:

About me?

PERNILLA:

About all that money.

20

21

22

23

Dragon Tattoo Final 9/1/11 SZ 12.

12.12.

INT. SODER HOSPITAL - STOCKHOLM - NIGHT

20

Outside the ICU, Salander sits on the floor like a dog

who won’t leave the spot its master told it to wait. For

the first time since we’ve met her, she looks vulnerable.

The doors swing open. A doctor steps out. Salander gets

up to hear his report

DOCTOR:

You’re Mr. Palmgren’s daughter?

SALANDER:

His ward. He doesn’t have a

daughter.

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