It’s always interesting to see any actor’s break through performance, the role that propelled them from relative obscurity to cinematic stardom. Typically these breakthroughs occur through perfect casting that the actor not only physically looks the part but there’s creative overlap with their particular strengths and what the character needs. In essence we get to see this performer being used in a way that fits so well that it triggers our imagination to wonder what else is possible for them. For Alan Rickman this role came at the age of 42 when he took on the role of Hans Gruber in Die Hard, so let’s examine how and why this unforgettable performance resonated with audiences comparing it to how the character is written in the script and what unique elements Alan Rickman brings to the table.
If we look at the way we’re first introduced to the character, the first person to inform us that hands matters is the camera, as it chooses to focus on him out of the pack of potential leaders. In the script this intro is written as ”Reveal Hans Gruber, impeccably dressed, lean and handsome, he steps out into the lobby like he owns the building and in a way he does”. But if we just look at the character’s body language so much is communicated through subtle details. Firstly, as the script indicates, Hans is far better dressed than everyone around him, but notice how he pulls ahead to the front so we can see that he’s the boss. Additionally and unusually he’s also got his hands in his pockets while everyone else is carrying tools they need for their job. This instantly communicates to us that Hans is the thinker of the group, his value doesn’t come from what he can physically carry, but the responsibility that weighs on his shoulders and how he strategizes. His hands being in his pocket also show a level of relaxation. As he steps out of the elevator he doesn’t blink just takes a big guiding step, then he waits for someone else to take their position showing us that he’s calculated and every single step of the process is meticulously planned. His head and body only move minimally toward the direction he’s scoping, so we naturally focus on the only parts of him that are reacting – his eyes and nose.
Think of how someone else might have performed this scene, how distracting it would be if he whipped out a gun or kept actively nodding at everyone to take their position, but he doesn’t. Instead his physical performance is subtle and elegant. We then get this moment, where he looks out to see if there’s any witnesses around, he’s yet to even speak but he’s still captivating. The audience are now used to watching him just looking at things. In an old interview a BBC host quoted Rickman as once saying: ”The camera likes you if it can see you thinking, and most importantly – listening”, to which he responded: ”I have an absolute mantra which is that you only speak because you wish to respond to something you’ve heard”. Which adds a new texture to the performance that Hans is listening, he’s in tune with his surroundings, he’s present. When he exits the elevators upstairs, surrounded by armed men, again, without a word spoken, we actually hear gunshots before we even hear Hans, so we hear the violence and chaos he brings as a character, before we even get fully introduced to him yet. But the screenwriters, Jeb Stuart and Steven E. De Souza, deserve the credit for that as they easily could have ruined the performance’s potential by having the bad guy deliver a big speech explaining the plan before they all enter.
Body Language
Then he finally speaks, 25 minutes into the running time, and this reveals the most captivating aspect of Alan Rickman – his voice. ”I do enjoy making films yeah”. He was already delivering a masterful performance but now we get to experience the uniqueness of the actor too. Unsurprisingly it’s said that Rickman walked into the movie premiere like anyone else and after the very first screening was mobbed by fans and needed security to get out.
In the script this scene starts the same but the writers kept it much simpler and shorter. Hans asks: ”Where is Mister Takagi? Where is the man who – (slight smile) – used to be in charge here”. And Takagi is shoved forward. That’s all. But Rickman beautifully adapts the script, creating a much more tense scene, as he stalks through the crowd almost like he’s sniffing him out, interrogating with his eyes. Bullying them with more and more information, exposing how much research he’s done for this moment. Notice how Rickman plays this scene, like a snake slithering through the crowd, stalking its prey. And once Takagi reveals himself, he stares straight into his eyes, like he’s found his feast. And then unexpectedly breaks into a little smile. This shows us how multi-dimensional the character already is after his very first speaking scene.
We’ve experienced several aspects of his personality: the leader, the perfectionist, the hunter, and now this charming amused side. His character’s nature is gradually unraveled through a series of small decisions from both Rickman and the screenwriters. For instance, when he sees the model buildings, and instead of smashing them or making a vague threat, he praises them as if he’s a genuine fan and reveals something about himself. ”I always enjoyed to make models when i was a boy. The exactness, the attention to every conceivable detail”. This scene demonstrates to the audience that Hans is very exact and now we can safely assume, he has covered every conceivable possibility in his planning of this operation, and as the story continues, that’s proven to be true, time and time again. When it comes to how hans treat his subordinates, it’s written in the script, ”Hans gives them both a look like an annoyed schoolmaster turns back to Takagi”, and Rickman plays that description so well, that you can instantly see him in the role of Severus Snape all those years later.
This scene negotiating with Takagi lets us see our villain in action. He calmly points a gun at Takagi, requesting the information. Everything is done so smoothly, and once it becomes clear that he won’t hand over the details. Without a moment of hesitation Hans instantly shoots him. Which teaches the audience that Hans isn’t playing around here, he will kill anyone that gets in the way of his plan, which perfectly sets the stakes for his rivalry with John McClane, who intends to do nothing but get in his way. Think of all the ways someone could have played this scene, sure they could have said the words or fired the gun but it would just feel so different. They might be too intimidating, too loud, trying to seem like too much of a bad guy or trying to be too funny or make the performance big, but Rickman stands out because he’s the calm epicenter of chaos, the personification of the eye of the storm. Just notice the sharp contrast between Hans and all the other characters around him. His men are intimidating and look aggressive and the hostages all look petrified, but there’s only one man in this entire building who’s behaving this at ease (scene in the elevator when Hans whistling a melody). Even choosing to eat food later as he reveals to the hostages that one of their colleagues is dead.
These little decisions add such flavour to the character, as we can see how little he values human life and can not only stomach, but enjoy eating, while revealing the news. It’s all in his body language, it’s so fluid and relaxed, that it’s almost sensual. Notice how Rickman touches everything which not only shows us that he views everything as his, but also shows us how present he is. He can kill someone and then plant his hand on the desk, almost to indicate ”I’m here, now and this is mine”. Even later when he comes face to face with John McClane, Hans has to pretend to be someone else, changing his voice and body language, but once he gets his hand on a weapon, he turns back into hands, as the script describes: ”Hans as well Hans again, from expression to posture”. That one line is so open to interpretation for any actor, but Rickman really made it his own, so much, so that you can actually tell, when he’s back from such small gestures. Firstly from how he puts the cigarette out with his foot, again, almost sensual, like the way he touched the table earlier. He’s so at home, just like the script said in his intro, then even out of focus the way he points the gun is very fluid loose and relaxed, especially compared to the more butch performance of Bruce Willis. One person’s body language is steady and strong and the other is fluid and in control. Other characters lash out, they panic, but Hans remains calm, cool and collected in every circumstance, whether it’s part of the plan or not. Alfred Hitchcock once said: ”If it’s a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience would still have a perfectly clear idea of what was going on.” But I think Rickman takes it to another level here, that not only could the sound go off, but the camera could be out of focus, and just from the blurry, but swift movement, as his arm points the gun, you can tell: Hans is back.
Closing Statement
All of these small details add up to create an abnormally deep performance, in what could easily have been a shallow role. But perhaps that’s because Alan Rickman doesn’t attempt to simply play a baddie: ”With as I’m concerned I’m not playing the villain, I’m just playing somebody who wants certain things in life, has made certain choices and goes after them”. The antagonist to any story needs to be more than a match for the protagonist. They need to be even more intelligent, ruthless and cunning, this way it seems as if the hero has no chance of defeating them. The ”cat and mouse” dynamic between Hans and McClane works so well, because on the one hand we have Rickman’s relaxed calculated character, who leads with the precision of a swiss watch, and on the other hand Willis is playing the total opposite, a chaotic force, trying to literally blow up Han’s plans. The script does detail a lot of the character, what he does and most of what he says, but no one could ever write the feeling, that Alan Rickman brought to the role. A villain, that the audience not only fear, but simultaneously admire. He’s cold but warm, precise but fluid, ruthless but charming, and that’s what made Hans Gruber the ultimate antagonist and rightly propelled Alan Rickman into super stardom for his unforgettably magnetic performance.
