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There is a scene in Django Unchained in which Candie (Leo DiCaprio) demands that Schultz shake his hand.

Did Candie really want just a handshake or did he have something more sinister in mind?

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I wish I could edit the question to add "If there was indeed a law in southern US, particularly Mississippi that dictated deals to be finalized with a handshake?". But I can't in my right mind, pollute the original question. Great question btw! – KeyBrd Basher Jan 24 at 7:06
I believe Dr.Schultz had simply met his disgust with Mr.Candie face to face. Earlier in the film he stated that he did not believe in slavery nor did he have any intention of abiding by it. Those flashback were sort of adding fuel to the fire in his mind. – Sam Mayne May 13 at 21:00
Welcome to Movies & TV. Can it be this answer was actually meant to be for this related question? – Christian Rau May 13 at 22:24

3 Answers

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I believe it is to be interpreted as "getting the last laugh", "getting one up", or "getting the better" of the other person. A game of wits in which the two are playing mind games with each other to see who can get the last laugh.

Throughout the scenes leading up to this moment, after Candie forces Schultz to pay 12,000 for Broomhilda, Candie repeatedly says things to Schultz such as:

You're just upset that I got the better of you

(not an exact quote), implying that he outwitted Schultz. So when Schultz refuses to shake Candie's hand, Candie devises a scheme to "get one up" and force Schultz to shake his hand, to which Schultz replies with a gun shot to the chest. Schultz ultimately gets the better of Candie, but does so knowing he will lose his life. "I couldn't resist" shrugs

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So Schultz essentially committed suicide, just to win a battle of egos? To me, such recklessness would be inconsistent with his character's behavior through rest of film. But maybe that was the point -- maybe that's how upset Candie made him. Hmm. – Shane Finneran Jan 10 at 19:20
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@ShaneFinneran not so much reckless as vengeful. Immediately prior to this he was contemplating (via flashback) the scene of dogs attacking and killing the runaway. His moral sense that Candie deserved to be punished may have neutralised his risk aversion and allowed vengeance to dominate. – matt_black Jan 22 at 23:29
That explanation makes sense, Matt - thanks. Although I took the flashback to the dogs as Schultz thinking "he's going to kill us anyway, so I might as well take him out." – Shane Finneran Jan 23 at 19:34
@matt_black Indeed his moral aversion against Candie is a much better eplanation for Schultz's shot. But otherwise good answer regarding Candie's motivation. – Christian Rau Jan 23 at 22:06
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@ShaneFinneran I'm not so sure Candie was really going to kill them. In fact I wondered why he didn't and waited for something sinister to happen, but in the end I'm not that sure he was really going to kill them, but who knows. – Christian Rau Jan 23 at 22:08
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I think, that he wanted handshake, because of last abasement from Schults, who felt him his nonentity: he underlined Candy's faux-gentility, that he had many of books by Dumas but hadn't mind on its content (Schults was disgusted by Bethoven music because of this spuriousness too)

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Anybody think schultz poisoned dicaprio? he walks off scene after asking for a pen and.then comes back and give dicaprio the penn. when schultz takes the pen youll notice he grabs it in a certain spot, as apposed to dicaprio grabbed it full fisted. i think he poisoned him and was gonna leave but by shaking his hand he wouldve been poisoned as well. back against a wall he shot him unexpectedly to end it all

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I would guess the "grabbing it in a certain spot" is a reaction to Candie's grabbing it "full fisted." In other words, Schultz was so disgusted by Candie that he minimized his contact with the pen Candie just man-handled. – Shane Finneran Apr 22 at 20:42
Interesting theory! But I think @ShaneFinneran's theory makes more sense. – KeyBrd Basher Apr 29 at 8:04

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