The Pelle/Dani Receipts: Post Three, âThe Couch Scenesâ
 Perhaps the first truly straightforward evidence of Pelleâs romantic interest in Dani (which, as we will continue to explore, is very much tied in to his intention to incorporate her into his home community) occurs during the scene where Christian announces to his friends that Dani is coming to Sweden, and Dani and Pelle have their first solo interaction.
First, when Christian simply tells his friends that Dani is coming up to the apartment to join in their studying/sketching/weed-smoking group, Pelle glances up with a smile (the only one to look at all happy at the prospect of her presence). Pelleâs face while Christian admits he invited Dani to Sweden, however, is a symphony. He looks up sharply and freezes as Christian prevaricates about Dani ânot actually coming,â literally holds his breath as Mark and Josh seek clarification, and then when Christian says âshe accepted,â Pelle relaxes, drops his hovering sketchbook into his lap, and exhales as though in relief. Finally, when Christian informs his friends of the cover story he gave Daniâthat they told him to invite her and they all know she is comingâPelle agrees with a grin, âYep.â A facetious acknowledgement of his real feelings, or perhaps an implication of some kind of influence on Pelleâs part, overt or covert? After all, the Americans are being hosted by Pelleâs family. It would be incredibly rude to invite another person without checking with Pelle firstâor perhaps Christian already knew Pelle would be in favor of including Dani.
After Dani enters the apartment, we get even more potentially facetious truth-telling lines from Pelle. As he confirms with Dani, âYouâre coming, right?â Dani replies, âI guess so, if thatâs not completely ruining you guysâ plans,â and Pelle responds, âNot at all,â still the only one genuinely smiling. Indeed, if you accept that Pelle has planned on Dani coming to Sweden all along, this would in fact be the fulfillment of his plans. The next moment continues the mirror motif, as we see Christian hug Dani from behind in the reflection of the mirror above the couch, allowing us to see what Pelle sees and to see Pelleâs reaction to itâwe are meant to pay attention to his perspective here. Dani and Christianâs embrace is out of focus, refracted, spotted with the dirt thatâs on the mirrorâthe way Pelle sees them, in all their hazy wrongness. And sure enough, Pelleâs expression here turns dreamy and even a little creepily vacant as he gazes at the couple, as though he is mentally cutting Christian out of a photograph and putting himself in. If you buy into the HĂĽrgan notion that Pelle has âunclouded intuition,â which might translate into some kind of precognition, you could interpret Pelleâs expression as him quite literally âseeingâ what will ultimately happen between the three of them, now that it is affirmed that Dani is coming to Sweden.
Finally, when Mark peels Christian off to âlook at a paragraphâ (a transparent pretext to scold Christian about allowing Dani to wheedle her way into the trip), Pelle glares at Mark as though to say, Donât fuck this up for me, you asshole. He even looks as though he may say something but then decides against it, and he sets Mark aside and brightens as Dani approaches.
So much for Pelleâs nonverbal giveaways and facetiously-revealing lines. Over the rest of the scene, we also see how Dani relates to Pelle, particularly what she is like one-on-one with him. Once Dani sits down, the camera gives us constant close-up POV shots between Dani and Pelle, intentionally creating a strong sense of connection. This will continue throughout the movie, with Dani and Pelle featured in close, communicating shots, one to the other and back. Compare this to the way Dani and Christian are often shot from a distance, even during charged moments, evoking their emotional alienation.
In fact, there are several scenes between Dani and Christian which are followed by mirrored scenes with Dani and Pelle, where the framing is in direct contrast. For instance, note the framing and lighting when Christian âholdsâ Dani in a moment of mourningâŚ
Itâs distant, alienated, disconnected (not to mention dark). Compare with the framing when Pelle âholdsâ Dani during a moment of mourningâŚ
Itâs close, tight, and, of course bright.
Here are some more resonant mirror scenes: Notice the contrast in the body language and the eye-lines, even when the shots are comparable.
If you looked at these gifs without any other context, knowing nothing of the story, which man would you guess is Daniâs boyfriend of four years?
Back in our original âcouch scene,â the camera draws our attention to Pelle pointedly closing his sketchbook and putting it away, focusing totally on Dani. They are both awkward as they begin their conversation, suggesting they have not spoken to each other in a while. Pelle is so giddy (his âAnd you???â is pretty darn warm) that he stumbles into bringing up Daniâs tragedy in a way that doesnât seem purposeful like it will later in the scene. âBut AnonLady and Rimanez,â you say, âif Pelle has carried a torch for Dani all this time, how does he not even know that her field of study is psychology and not psychiatry?â And to that we say, âOf course he knows that her field of study is psychology, you fool, you absolute fool!â Seriously though, we presume that Pelle has known Dani for at least an entire school year at this point. Itâs clear he hasnât spent a lot of time with her post-tragedy, but itâs pretty egregious to not know this basic fact about your close friendâs longtime girlfriend. âOh,â you say, âisnât this just about obfuscating his intentions to lure her into a false sense of security, thus not tipping her off about future cult indoctrination?â And to that we say, âWhat would be suspicious about knowing her field of study? Also, Dani is already comingâChristian invited her, and she accepted. But do you let your crushes know the degree to which youâve stalked learned about them?â
This fairly blatant misdirection on Pelleâs part may be what catches Joshâs attention. He watches Pelle and Daniâs awkwardness from under his brow as though making noteâbut why would he? Is there something unusual about this interaction? Something that might make Josh look as wary as he does? We could be spinning off into theoretical territory, but remember how we said we have reason to believe that there may have been some kind of interrupted, quasi-romantic spark that ignited between Pelle and Dani, pre-tragedy? Joshâs wariness here could be a callback to it. For instance, when Pelle attempts to draw Josh into the conversation, Josh actually looks to Dani first, before looking to Pelleâalmost as though he is more interested in gauging Daniâs reaction to Pelle rather than responding to Pelle himself, which he does with wide-eyed, poignant silence. (Also, a perfect way to get an introvert to go away: Attempt to include him.)
Speaking of a potential interrupted Dani/Pelle pre-canon spark, we contend that Daniâs reactions to Pelle in this part of the scene show a lot of fondness for and familiarity with Pelle, especially after Josh removes himself. In general, most of the only times in this film we see an unreserved smile on Daniâs face, itâs when she is reacting to Pelle. The precedent is set here: When he wishes her an early happy birthday, Dani doesnât merely smile but also giggles, raises her shoulders and wrinkles her nose, her voice cracking on her thanks. Her affect with him resembles behavior around a crush more than it does behavior with an acquaintance who doesnât even know her field of study, suggesting that she is settling back into a dynamic that was established prior to her tragedy.
Pelleâs expression during this point in the conversation is as zany as we ever see him, all bug-eyed with excitement as he explains the âcrazy nine-day festival.â He is still taking it in: Dani is coming! Also, Dani is here, and she is being all giggly with me!Â
When they sit together on the couch and Pelle shows Dani photos of last yearâs Midsommar, Pelle barely leans toward Dani as heâs showing her the photos on his phone, but she leans way in. This is perhaps a sneaky move on Pelleâs partâhe doesnât extend the phone toward her much at all, kinda making her do that deep lean toward him. Need we even bring up the warm glow and the barely-leashed smile on his face when he identifies last yearâs May Queen for her? Like, please, people. If this look doesnât spell, âYes, my love, and guess whoâs gonna be this yearâs May Queen?â then letâs all just pack it up now.Â
And, folks, the setting/scenery reinforces Pelleâs destiny-eyes that forecast not only Daniâs ascension to the status of May Queen but his own to Green Man/May King. This is only the first of several scenes in which Dani and Pelle are both âcrownedâ in the cameraâs framing. First, the fern by the bookshelf gives Pelle a crown when he is seated on the couch when seen from Daniâs POV, foreshadowing the fern-and-laurel crown he will later wear. The (upside-down!) poster in the kitchen gives Dani a crown when she is seated on the couch from Pelleâs POV.
Isnât it interesting how it is from each otherâs POV that they are crowned? Further enforcing the Green Man angle, there is a drawing of a man-tree creature on the wall behind the couch stage left by Pelle, and there is also a photo of a woman sitting on a flower-bedecked throne further up and to the left on the wall behind Pelle. Finally, what color is Pelle wearing in this scene? Seafoam green. Many of these details and more are pointed out in this great post by @heylo35â.
Anyway, when Pelle says oh so softly that heâs âvery, very happyâ sheâs coming, Dani graces him with another open-faced smile. Then⌠whoops, Pelleâs attempt to let her know that he is also (technically) an orphan misfires a bit, as it makes her flee to hide her tears. But nonetheless, the attempt is one which is very significant in this moment: Pelle is choosing now, minutes after heâs found out Dani is coming to Sweden, to try and connect with her over shared loss. The stops have been removed; Dani is coming home, so time to really start that empathetic intercourse (so to speak). As we know, he will later insist on talking with her about this, over her objections, in the âdo you feel heldâ scene. He knows it will bond them. One could read this is a rather calculated move (and hey, Pelle is a calculating character), but to extrapolate from Vilhelm Blomgrenâs words about how he played Pelle âwith total loveâ: From Pelleâs perspective, an act which ensures Dani will come home is a loving act.
For more, click on The Pelle/Dani Receipts Masterpost