Dallas Buyers Club Page #6

Dr. Vass sees Ron, quickly moves over to him.

DR. VASS

You have something for me to sign?

RON:

I’m lookin’ for Dr. Vass.

Dr. Vass steps over.

DR. VASS

Speak up.

RON:

I’m lookin’ for Vass, for some AZT.

DR. VASS

Looking to poison yourself?

He grabs an empty bottle of pills on the counter. Throws it

to Ron.

DR. VASS

That's from the chemical manufacturer who

makes AZT, Sigma.

Ron looks at the bottle labeled with skull and crossbones:

HIGHLY TOXIC, NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

DR. VASS

First thing I tell my patients: you won't

find that sh*t here!

Ron looks confused. A nearby stack of boxes tumbles over.

Dr. Vass shouts to no one in particular.

VASS:

Who stacked those boxes there?

(to Ron)

Check in with a nurse.

Dr. Vass is off, ripping open boxes.

Ron starts to cough again. Badly. Vass notices, and shouts

something in Spanish.

Dallas Buyers Club / Green Revision / Dec 2, 2012 / P. 29

42 INT. DR. VASS’ CLINIC - MEXICO CITY - DAY 42

Frail and weak, Ron lies on a cot, surrounded by a dozen other

PATIENTS of varied nationalities. A NURSE records his vital

signs in a chart, then hands it off to Dr. Vass, who peruses

the information and begins reading aloud:

DR. VASS

Cocaine, alcohol, methamphetamine, AZT.

(to Ron)

That's what I call a recipe for disaster.

RON:

(looking around)

Doc, this place is a sh*t-hole.

DR. VASS

Who said I was a Doctor? They revoked my

license to practice three years ago,

that’s why I’m down in this sh*t-hole.

RON:

Why? What'd you do?

DR. VASS

I didn't play ball.

Ron smiles.

DR. VASS

These drugs you’re doing, they're

breaking down your immune system, making

you susceptible to infections.

RON:

So cocaine gave me pneumonia?

DR. VASS

Cocaine made you more susceptible.

As did AZT.

RON:

I thought AZT's supposed to help me.

DR. VASS

The only people AZT helps are the people

who sell it.

(beat)

It kills every cell it comes in contact

with, good and bad.

RON:

So medically speakin', I kicked my own

ass!

Dallas Buyers Club / Green Revision / Dec 2, 2012 / P. 30

DR. VASS

(nods as he writes)

I'm prescribing a regimen of vitaminsas well as the mineral zinc to build yourimmune system back up. You'll also be

taking Aloe and essential fatty acids.

43 INT. DALLAS MERCY HOSPITAL - ROOM - DAY 43

In gloves and surgical masks, Eve looks on Nurse Frazin who isdrawing blood from Rayon’s arm, five other AIDS PATIENTS

nearby. That done, the Nurse dispenses meds, giving eachpatient a paper pill cup marked with a different NUMBER.

Rayon takes his pill, winces; Eve makes a mental note, thenwalks down the line of patients, touching each of them. She

comes to Rayon, gives his shoulder a squeeze, then exits.

BLACK. SUPER:

Six months Later

44 INT. DR. VASS' CLINIC - MEXICO CITY - DAY 44

Medical journals everywhere; on the wall are rows of

entomology, various butterflies encased in GLASS. A healthier

Ron sits across from Dr. Vass who reads his test results.

Well?

RON:

DR. VASS

Better. Your T-Cell count's improving.

RON:

Am I still positive for HIV?

DR. VASS

You'll always test positive for HIV, andnow, you have AIDS, due the toxic shityou've been pumping into your body, allthe drugs, plus the AZT.

(MORE)

Dallas Buyers Club / Green Revision / Dec 2, 2012 / P. 31

DR. VASS (CONT'D)

You shot your immune system. Now you

have chronic pneumonia, among other

things. It can cause memory loss, mood

swings, aching joints...

RON:

If it sucks, I got it.

Dr. Vass smiles and holds up a bottle in each hand.

DR. VASS

This is DDC, it works as an anti viral

similar to AZT but less toxic. And this

is Peptide T, it's a protein -- totally

non-toxic. Early studies have shown it

can help with all of that. This is what

I had you on since you got here.

RON:

And you can't buy them back in the U.S.?

DR. VASS

No, not approved.

Ron takes the bottle of PEPTIDE T, turns it over in his hand,

looks around.

RON:

Chinks, homos and herbs, you got a new

world order here, Vass. You could be

makin’ a fortune off this stuff.

45 EXT. DR. VASS' CLINIC - MEXICO CITY - DAY 45

Ron stares into the trunk of his Lincoln Convertible.

VARIOUS BOXES filled with illegal meds are packed to the brim.

It won't close. Ron slams it shut.

Dr. Vass emerges from the building. He hands Ron a neatly

folded black vest, black pants and a detachable clerical

collar on top.

DR. VASS

If you get caught, don't tell them you

got AIDS. They'll never let you back in.

You've got thirty days to get your ass

back down here and pay me the other half,

after that I send MIGUEL.

Ron nods to Miguel, hops in his car, starts it, nods to Vass

and takes off.

Dallas Buyers Club / Green Revision / Dec 2, 2012 / P. 32

46 EXT. CAR - THE CHIHUAHUAN DESERT - MEXICO - DAY 46

Ron's convertible races along the asphalt road. Hot desert

sun. Sand and dirt cake the rims and tires. The car slows

down and comes to a stop on the side of the road.

47 INT. RON'S CAR - THE CHIHUAHUAN DESERT - MEXICO - DAY 47

BINOCULARS POV on CARS making their way across the

MEXICAN/AMERICAN BORDER. Ron puts down the binoculars and

writes on a NOTEBOOK. A crude drawing of the border. He

marks different lanes, studies it, looking for patterns.

Ron throws the pen down and exits the car.

48 EXT. CAR - THE CHIHUAHUAN DESERT - MEXICO - DAY 48

As Ron goes to get out of the car he is pulled back by a

PLASTIC TUBE attached to his ARM.

We follow it up to a shirt HOOK on the passenger side.

An I.V. BAG hangs carelessly from the hook, a liquid flowing

INTRAVENOUSLY into Ron's arm.

He reaches in and grabs the bag off the hook, gets out of the

car, holds the bag above his shoulder and takes a PISS.

49 INT. RON'S CAR - AMERICAN/MEXICAN BORDER - DAY 49

Ron now wears a PRIEST UNIFORM. He hands the BORDER AGENT his

passport.

BORDER AGENT:

Anything to declare.

RON:

Nada.

The Border Agent takes him in a moment, his outfit, the car,

the frame of the trunk almost touching the wheel and...

CUT TO:

50 INT. U.S. CUSTOMS HOLDING ROOM - AMERICAN/MEXICAN BORDER - DAY 50

Ron sits behind a table when a MAN in a suit walks in. He

takes off his jacket and sits.

Dallas Buyers Club / Green Revision / Dec 2, 2012 / P. 32A

RICHARD BARKLEY:

I’m Richard Barkley from the Food and

Drug Administration office.

Ron nods. A beat.

RICHARD BARKLEY:

You're a priest?

Dallas Buyers Club / Green Revision / Dec 2, 2012 / P. 33

Ron smiles. The customs agent doesn't.

RICHARD BARKLEY:

You have over 2,000 pills here. You are

only allowed to bring in a ninety day

supply.

RON:

Well as I told the gentlemen, I am a sick

man. I have cancer. I take 22 pills a

day and these here vials of Vitamin A, C,

E and Zinc. That there is ninety days.

The man looks at Ron, not really buying it. He takes a bottle

of Peptide T and looks at it.

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