Movie vs. Movie
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
By Tom Houseman
January 5, 2012
BoxOfficeProphets.com
So there's this girl, see? And she has a tattoo, understand? And it's a tattoo of... no, wait, I can remember this...
When the Swedish crime drama The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo became an international megahit (its original Swedish title is Men Who Hate Women, which I think is much more interesting), it was only a matter of minutes before somebody made a movie of it. Not surprisingly, the Swedes were the early birds, taking some time out from their busy schedule of exporting timber (that's a thing that Swedes do; Wikipedia it) to adapt the novel for the big screen. The Americans were right behind them, with Stephen Zaillian writing the script and David Fincher directing. That film is also set in Sweden, but in an alternate universe where Swedish people speak English with accents ranging from almost Swedish to basically just American.
At first I thought about writing this column as a standard comparison, breaking down the various aspects of the two adaptations of Larson's novel to see which did it better. But I decided not to for a couple of reasons. First, people would expect me to compare their faithfulness to the book, and those people would be stupid, because I've already established that I refuse to read under any circumstances. When I watched the Swedish film I turned off the subtitles so that I wouldn't have to read; it made it very difficult to follow what was going on, but I was willing to make that sacrifice.
The second reason I decided to eschew the typical format is that I assume there is only one aspect of either film that anybody cares about: Lisbeth Salander. Probably the most interesting literary character since Jane Eyre (I'm just kidding, Jane Eyre was a whiny loser), Lisbeth is the driving force behind the novel, giving it both its edge and its heart. I'd be willing to bet one million kroner (which I'm pretty sure is like 20 bucks) that you don't care that the Swedish version cut out Mikael Blomkvist's daughter or that the American version changed the ending. you just want to know who is the superior Salandar: Noomi Rapace or Rooney Mara.
In order to make that judgment I decided to compare the two actresses in four critical scenes:
1. The First Meeting:
Lisbeth meets with her boss at Milton Security, Dragan Armansky (badass name, by the way) and a representative of Henrik Vanger, to give her report on Michael Blomkvist. This is the first time that we get a good look at her in either film, and first impressions are important.
In the Swedish version, Lisbeth is an intimidating presence, very tall, partially because she is wearing monstrous boots. Her hair is spiked and her multiple ear and facial rings are distinct and attention-grabbing. This is a woman who, anywhere except a goth club, would stick out like a sore thumb. By comparison, Mara's Lisbeth is much less ostentatious. She is a quieter woman, who seems content to fade into the background, although anyone who noticed her would take in quite a few piercings and an odd hair style.
She is also tiny! The first two adjectives that Larson use to describe Lisbeth in the novel are “pale” and “anorexic,” and both of those words perfectly describe Mara. And just as Mara's appearance is different from Rapace's, so is her attitude. Rapace gives off a “fuck you, this is who I am so take it or leave it” with every glare and movement. Mara is, in her way, much more inconspicuous; she comes off as an observer, someone who does not draw attention to herself but who sees everything. Both are antisocial and unfriendly, but Rapace gets in your face, daring you to piss her off, while Mara retreats into her own space, unwilling to let anyone in.
2. Showdown with Bjurman
After her computer breaks, Lisbeth has to go to her newly appointed legal guardian, Nils Bjurman, to ask for money. Bjurman had already shown up in both films before this scene and gave off major creepy vibes, but here he goes beyond what anyone would expect of him. Abusing his position of power over a woman declared incompetent by the courts, Bjurman only agrees to give Lisbeth the money if she blows him.
This is the scene when we see Lisbeth at her weakest. She is completely powerless, dependent on this man for not just the money that she needs, but also for her freedom, as one word from him would have her institutionalized. Without saying anything, we see the gears in Lisbeth's head working, and there is a clear distinction between the way Rapace plays this scene and the way Mara does. Mara gives in almost immediately; this is a woman who has lived her life in the system, and understands that it is set up to beat her down and destroy her. Mara's Salander hates what she is going through, but knows that this is what she has to put up with to survive. She has learned by bending she can avoid being broken.
Rapace has a very different interpretation of this moment. Her version of Salander is fiercely defiant, and the fire in her eyes makes it clear that she is doing this because she has to, but she still despises Bjurman with every fiber of her being. While Mara put up almost no struggle, Rapace resists so that Bjurman has to grab her by the hair and pull her forward. If Mara is dealing with a quiet despair as she fellates Bjurman, Rapace's emotion would be better described as a silent rage.
3. Lisbeth's Revenge
This is Lisbeth at her most intense and aggressive, and while the events of the two scenes are pretty similar, the emotions behind the actions are rather different for the two actresses. After Lisbeth's most recent meeting with Bjurman involves him chaining her to his bed and raping her, Lisbeth has had enough. After knocking him unconscious, Lisbeth ties Bjurman down, leaving him naked and prostrate on the floor. Lisbeth less than delicately inserts a large dildo into Bjurman's ass before blackmailing him with footage of their previous encounter, which she had clandestinely videotaped. As a topper, Lisbeth uses a tattoo machine to write some choice words about her thoughts of Bjurman on his chest.
Because these are two very different Lisbeths, their motivations during the course of this scene stand in stark contrast. Mara is a softer, gentler Lisbeth; sure, she can take care of herself, but her M.O. is reacting, not acting. She is punishing Bjurman, and while she does it she stays in control of herself, but you can clearly see the fury behind her eyes. She moves and works like a surgeon... okay, maybe like the surgeon from Human Centipede, but still, you get the idea. Her movement is very fluid, as if she had choreographed every action before beginning.
Rapace's Lisbeth actually seems to be enjoying herself. She taunts and teases Bjurman, getting a certain sadistic pleasure from the control she has over him, and she almost cracks a smile. While for Mara this is justice, for Rapace it is revenge. She is more aggressive, improvising a few kicks to the back for good measure. This is the scene where Lisbeth finally takes control, and both women take advantage of that moment in their own way.
4. Lisbeth “seduces” Blomkvist
Okay, so I'm gonna come out and say that the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is vastly superior to the Swedish. The Swedish is good, but with Fincher at the reigns, the American version is superb, one of the most entertaining movies at the year. In particular, the Swedish version tends to meander a bit, while the American version moves so quickly and efficiently that, even at two hours and 40 minutes, it never gets boring.
However, because of its slower, more lyrical pace, there are a few moments that the Swedish version really nails, while the American version rushes through them a bit, not giving them the attention they deserve. The first time that Lisbeth sleeps with Blomkvist is one of those moments, and it wasn't until rewatching the Swedish version after seeing the American version that I realized how good the former scene is.
Which is not to say that the American scene is bad, just not that interesting. For Mara, Lisbeth is taking what she wants. She is sitting in bed with Mikael and she decides it's time for a screw. Off come his clothes, off come her clothes, and away they go. Mara is very aggressive in this scene, which makes sense; Lisbeth is unapologetic about her sexuality and when she decides to sleep with someone she doesn't dilly-dally around.
But for Rapace's Lisbeth, this act is about much more than just attaining pleasure. Lisbeth is inherently untrusting of everybody she meets (which makes sense considering her interactions with the last person she met before Blomkvist), which makes it very difficult for her to get close to anyone. This is the scene where she lets herself be vulnerable with Blomkvist; this scene is as much about intimacy as it is about sexual gratification, and watching Rapace let her guard down is quite touching. This is the scene when we see Lisbeth's relationship with Mikael begin to change, and it is very effective in showing how she will let herself get hurt by him at the end of the film.
So Which is Better?
That's a loaded question, and depends on what you are looking for in your Lisbeth. Mara is much smaller and thinner, which fits the quiet, non-confrontational persona. This makes her attack on Bjurman even more intense, because you can't imagine such a tiny girl doing so much damage. Rapace is bigger, stockier and more muscular, which makes her a more masculine presence than Mara (she is also naked much less frequently).
In the four scenes described above we see the emotional development of the two characters. If we are going by which character is more true to the Lisbeth of the books (Fine, I admit it. I read the damn books) then Mara's physical presence bears a stronger resemblance to Larsson's character, while Rapace's anger and threatening tone hew closer to how Larsson describes Lisbeth. But Mara's Lisbeth is the more likeable character, less aggressively antisocial and at times even bordering on friendly. Mara also lets her feelings show more often, her emotions closer to the surface than Rapace, who wears her leather jacket and boots like armor.
So how do you take your Salander? Light or dark? Your answer to that question will likely determine which actress you find more compelling in the part. What is undeniable is that both actresses make strong choices and deliver memorable performances; a character as complex as Lisbeth is wasted on neither of them, and is definitely part of why it is worth watching both adaptations, even if it means having to read during one of them.