Script To Screen: “Dallas Buyers Club”

Ron ‘asks’ someone to shake Rayon’s hand in a scene from the 2013 movie written by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack.

Setup: In 1985 Dallas, electrician and hustler Ron Woodroof works around the system to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is diagnosed with the disease. One patient is Rayon, a trans woman, who Ron befriends. They are out shopping together at a supermarket.

The scripted version of the scene:

INT. SUPERMARKET - DALLAS - DAY

A near empty cart stands next to Ron as he studies the label
on a box. Rayon, dressed in his pink coat, walks up.

RON
This is the shit that'll rot your
insides. What a surprise, FDA approved.
What the fuck is potassium benzoate?

RAYON
Preservative.

Rayon throws a pack of bologna in the cart.

RON
You fuckin' kiddin' me?

Defiant, Rayon puts his hand on his hips.

RON
Don't pollute me with that processed
crap. I'm eatin' healthy.

Ron removes the bologna and throws it at Rayon who almost
fumbles the catch.

RAYON
It's protein, it's good for you.

RON
Put it back.

Rayon tosses it back at Ron.

RAYON
You can't tell me what to do.

Ron throws the Bologna harder at Rayon, who catches it like a
pro football player, much to Ron's surprise. Rayon enjoys the
moment and disappears down the aisle, proud, with his bologna
under the arm.

Ron turns the corner of the next isle. T.J. is there putting
a case of BEER in his shopping cart. An uncomfortable moment
passes.

T.J.
Uh, hey Ron.

Ron nods at him.

T.J.
How're you doin'?

RON
Fine.

Rayon appears at the other end of the aisle. T.J. sees him and
laughs.

T.J.
Jesus, faggots everywhere.

T.J. looks at Ron for confirmation. Rayon reaches them and
throws a bag of chips in the cart.

RAYON
Hi.

T.J. and Ron don't answer. An awkward beat.

RON
This is Rayon.
(off T.J.'s silence)
He said hi to you.

Rayon sticks out his hand. T.J. doesn't respond.

RON
Shake his hand, T.J.

He doesn't.

RON
Come on, buddy, what's your fuckin'
problem?

T.J. gives Ron the finger. Ron grabs T.J.'s hand and twists
it behind his back. T.J. resists, tries to get out of Ron's
grip but can't. He finally extends his hand. Rayon shakes
it.

RON
Good. Now get the fuck outta here and go
back to your miserable life.

T.J. stares at Ron for a while, angry, humiliated, then
leaves. Ron watches him go. Rayon stares at Ron, unsure of
how to react to this. A subtle smile appears on his face.

RON
What?

Rayon's moved that Ron stuck up for him. He starts to tear
up.

Ron sees the bag of chips in the cart and throws it at Rayon.

The movie version of the scene:

The movie is substantially the same as the script with this difference: When Ron has T.J. in a chokehold, he tells T.J., “ Shake his hand. Shake his hand, T.J., give him a good one.” Those lines were likely added to make clear to the audience what Ron’s goal is in the moment and not just punishing T.J. for not shaking Rayon’s hand.

I moderated a 2014 Austin Film Festival panel which included Craig Borten, screenwriter of Dallas Buyers Club and when it was time for the Q&A session, someone asked Craig why he chose to use “his / him” when referencing Rayon? Why not “hers / her” for a character — a fictional one in the movie — who identified as female? I suspect if the movie were made today, Craig may have done that.

This raises the issue of the singular they. It has been around since the 14th century, but in the 21st century has come to be used in reference to individuals who do not identify as male or female. This is something you must consider in your writing: what gender does a character identify with.

One of the single best things you can do to learn the craft of screenwriting is to read the script while watching the movie. After all a screenplay is a blueprint to make a movie and it’s that magic of what happens between printed page and final print that can inform how you approach writing scenes. That is the purpose of Script to Screen, where we analyze a memorable movie scene and the script pages that inspired it.

For more articles in the Script To Screen series, go here.