8
Old apartment, worn carpet. Nothing's new inside but it's
fairly neat and well-kept.
Joker closes the door behind him, leans his back against it
and swoons. Hears a deep purring sound. He looks down and
sees an OLD ORANGE CAT, rubbing up against his leg.
Then--
11.
MOM (OS)
(shattering the moment,
calls out)
Happy?! Did you check the mail
before you came up?
JOKER
Yes, Ma. Nothing. No letter.
MOM (OS)
You sure you looked? Sometimes I
don't know where your head is.
Joker glances back down and sees the cat is gone.
JOKER
Yes I'm sure. And my head's right
here. I’m gonna make you some
dinner, okay?
QUICK CUTS:
JOKER TEARS OPEN THE PRESCRIPTION BAG... A FLURRY OF PILL
BOTTLES TUMBLE OUT ONTO THE COUNTER.
SEE HIS NAME, "ARTHUR FLECK" ON THE ORANGE PILL BOTTLES, AND
GLIMPSE THE GENERIC DRUG NAMES, TEMAZEPAM... PERPHENAZINE...
AHENELZINE... AMITRIPTYLINE... BENZEDRINE... DIAZEPAM...
MEPROBAMATE...
TAKES OUT ONE PILL FROM EACH THE TEMAZEPAM AND MEPROBAMATE
BOTTLES.
TWO PILLS BEING CRUSHED UP TO POWDER.
SPRINKLES THE POWDER ON TOP OF A TV DINNER.
SWALLOWS A HANDFUL OF PILLS FROM THE OTHER BOTTLES.
LOOKS DOWN AND SMILES AT THE ORANGE CAT LOOKING UP AT HIM
FROM THE COUNTER.
9
INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, APARTMENT - NIGHT
9
Joker brings the food to his mother, PENNY (70's), lying in
her bed. The TV is on, playing the local news.
Joker sets the food down in front of his mother. He covers
the pain from his beating the best he can-- His mother
doesn't seem to notice anyway.
MOM
He must not be getting my letters.
12.
Joker sits down on a chair next to the bed.
JOKER
He's a busy man.
MOM
Too busy for me? I worked for that
family for 12 years. He always had
a smile for me. Least he could do
is write back.
JOKER
Ma, eat. You need to eat.
MOM
You need to eat. Look how skinny
you are.
Before Joker can say anything, his mother points to the news
on the TV--
MOM
All day long it's more bad news.
That's all there is.
JOKER
Maybe you shouldn't watch so much
television.
MOM
(ignoring)
He’s the only hope for Gotham.
He'll make a great mayor. Everybody
says so.
JOKER
(playful)
Everybody who? Who do you talk to?
MOM
Well everybody on the news.
JOKER
Stop it. He's not even gonna run.
Why would Thomas Wayne want to be
mayor? He can do more good as a
businessman.
MOM
Because he cares about this city.
And everyone in it-- that's why I
can't believe he hasn't written me
back.
13.
JOKER
He will. Now eat some dinner.
He feeds her a bite of the food.
JOKER
How you feeling today?
MOM
I don't know. It always hits me
worse at night, you notice that?
He shakes his head.
JOKER
(teasing)
Maybe it's the moon. Maybe you're a
werewolf?
HE HOWLS SOFTLY like a wolf. She laughs.
MOM
It's not funny.
Joker watches her as he cuts up some more of her food.
MOM
Anyway, I wrote a new letter today.
A better one. I want you to hand
deliver it to him.
JOKER
What? Why?
MOM
Cause maybe the mailman is throwing
them away. We should have tipped
him at Christmas time.
JOKER
Who tips their mailman?
MOM
Some people do. Rich people do.
Joker sighs, resigned.
JOKER
Okay. I can try his office.
Tomorrow.
14.
MOM
Thank you.
(she pats the bed)
Come sit. It’s almost on.
Joker gets into bed with her.
CLOSE ON TELEVISION, intro to "LIVE WITH MURRAY FRANKLIN!", and we HEAR THE ANNOUNCER over clips of comedy bits, stars
and Murray Franklin himself--
ANNOUNCER (ON TV)
It's Live with Murray Franklin!
Tonight Murray welcomes, Sandra
Winger, comedian Skip Byron and the
piano stylings of Yeldon & Chantel!
As always, Don Ellis and his Jazz
Orchestra. And now, without any
further ado-- Murray Franklin!
Joker and his mom watch from bed, this is a ritual of theirs.
10
INT. LIVING ROOM, MOM'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
10
Late night. Joker's mom is dead asleep. Joker is alone in the
living room, which doubles as his bedroom. He can't ever
sleep. He opens his worn notebook. Flips to a page titled
"Jokes" and starts writing--
CLOSE ON WORDS, as he slowly writes: "The worst part about having a mental illness is..."
ANGLE ON JOKER, pausing, thinking it over for a moment. Then
he laughs to himself when he comes up with something.
CLOSE ON WORDS, coming faster now, "...that people still
expect you to behave as if you don't."
CUT TO:
11
EXT. WAYNE TOWER, STREET - MIDTOWN - MORNING
11
Joker's looking up at the intimidating steel and glass tower,
he looks so small, holding his mom's letter in his hand.
Bustle of professionals coming in and out of the company's
corporate headquarters, Joker looks out of place.
He heads inside through the giant glass doors.
15.
12
INT. RECEPTION, WAYNE ENTERPRISES - 25TH FLOOR - MORNING
12
Joker steps off an elevator and walks up to the white marble
reception desk as if he belongs there--
JOKER
Hello. I have a personal letter for
Mr. Thomas Wayne.
RECEPTIONIST
Okay. You can leave it with me.
JOKER
It's kind of important. I need to
make sure he gets it himself.
RECEPTIONIST
Oh, in that case, I'll buzz you
right in.
Joker goes to enter--
RECEPTIONIST
I'm kidding. Leave it here.
He laughs along with her, even though she's not laughing.
JOKER
Oh. Right-- well, my mom used to
work for the Wayne family-- for 12
years. She was their housekeeper.
A couple other business people are now waiting behind Joker,
there for meetings.
RECEPTIONIST
That's great. But you can leave it
with me or you can leave with the
<
br /> letter. Those are your options. Now
please step aside.
JOKER
Mr. Wayne knows her. Can you maybe
at least call back to him? Tell him
that I'm here.
RECEPTIONIST
Thomas Wayne is away on business.
Joker is getting frustrated.
JOKER
Okay. Well, can I have your name?
So I know who I left it with.
16.
Now Joker sees a GROUP OF MEN walking behind the glass that
separates the reception area from the back offices. Amongst
the group, he catches a glimpse of THOMAS WAYNE (60's), deep
tan, hair dyed so black it's almost blue.
JOKER
Wait. He's right there.
(goes up to the glass,
shouts)
Mr. Wayne! Mr. Wayne.
He starts banging on the glass... but the group keeps moving.
Not noticing him.
RECEPTIONIST
Sir. Please stop. Sir!!
Joker keeps banging on the glass.
13
EXT. WAYNE TOWER, FRONT ENTRANCE - MORNING
13
The glass doors swing open and Joker is forcibly thrown onto
the street. TWO LARGE SECURITY GUARDS stand over him.
He is still holding the letter.
He makes as if he's going to leave peacefully, then at the
last minute, TAKES ANOTHER RUN AT THE DOOR--
The two guards stiff arm him.
CUT TO:
14
INT. HA-HA'S TALENT BOOKING, LOCKER ROOM - DAY
14
The cramped locker room of a small talent booking agency.
This is where Joker works. They "rent out" talent for parties and events. Clowns, magicians, male strippers.
Joker takes off his shirt, grimaces in pain as he moves. His
body's bruised from the beating he took chasing after his
sign.
RANDALL (OS)
You okay?
He turns. RANDALL (mid 50's), a big bear of a know-it-all,
standing there. He's a party clown as well. He's half-dressed
in his clown suit.
17.
RANDALL
I heard about the beat down you
took. Fucking savages.
JOKER
It was just a bunch of kids. I
should have left it alone.
Randall opens his locker--
RANDALL
It's crazy out there. And it's only
getting worse.
JOKER
(nods)
My mother says that the people
nowadays lack empathy.
RANDALL
What's empathy?
JOKER
It means like "feeling for other
people."
RANDALL
Like sympathy?
JOKER
Kind of. But different.
Randall comes over, hands Joker a brown paper bag-- Joker
looks inside. It's a GUN, a .38 snub-nose revolver.
*
Joker looks up at him, confused--
RANDALL
Take it. I got a few. You gotta
protect yourself out there, buddy.
Too many wackos.
As Joker stares at it--
RANDALL
(lowers his voice)
It's a .38 snub-nose. Gets the job
done if you ever need to use it.
Usually pulling it out is enough.
JOKER
*
I, I don't have the money for this,
*
Randall.
18.
RANDALL
Don't sweat it. You can pay me some
other time. You're my boy.
That lands with Joker, he smiles to himself.
RANDALL
(as he walks away)
But you didn't get it from me,
okay?
Joker nods. Puts the brown paper bag in his locker. Slowly
*
starts to get dressed-- his eyes darting toward the bag as he *
does.
Another clown, GARY (30's), a dwarf, pops his head into the
locker room.
GARY
Arthur,-- Hoyt wants to see you in
his office.
JOKER
What for?
GARY
No clue.
15
INT. FRONT OFFICE, HA-HA'S TALENT BOOKING - DAY
15
Joker still half-dressed, walks into the cramped office.
His boss, HOYT VAUGHN (60's) sits behind a metal desk. The
office is a complete mess, newspapers and files litter the
desk. A giant ashtray filled with cigarette butts. A calendar
of booking hangs on the wall. A scribbled, jumbled mess.
JOKER
Hey Hoyt. Gary said you wanted to
see me?
HOYT
(without even looking up)
How's the comedy career? Are you a
famous stand-up yet?
JOKER
Not quite. Haven't even performed
yet. Just been working my material.
This business is all about fine-
tuning.
Now Hoyt looks up. Takes a drag from his cigarette.
19.
HOYT
Right.
Joker goes to sit down--
HOYT
Don't sit. This will be quick.
Joker stops in his tracks.
HOYT
Look, I like you, Arthur. A lot of
the guys here, they think you're a
freak. But I like you. I don't even
know why I like you. I mean, you
don't say much.
(beat)
It's probably that stupid laugh. It
gets me every time. Kills me.
Unsure how to respond, Joker just nods.
HOYT
But I got another complaint. And
it's starting to piss me off.
Joker takes a deep breath, maybe picks at his eyebrow.
HOYT
Kenny's Music. Sunday. The guy said
you disappeared. Never even
returned his sign.
JOKER
No. I got jumped. I told you about
that.
HOYT
For a sign? Bullshit. It makes no
sense, just give him his sign back.
He's going out of business for
god's--
BANG! Out of nowhere, Joker slams his head into the wall.
Head-butting it hard.
HOYT
(taken aback)
Hey!
BANG! BANG! He does it two more times. Breaking the plaster
on the wall--
20.
HOYT
What the fuck, Arthur?!
JOKER
(voice tightens)
I don't have his sign.
*
And Joker just stares at Hoyt, some blood forming on his
forehead--
*
CUT TO:
*
16
EXT. BACK ALLEY, OUTSIDE HA-HA'S - AMUSEMENT MILE - DAY
16
*
WE'RE AT THE FAR END OF AN ALLEY, about halfway down, catch a *
glimpse of Joker still half-dressed on the other side of a
*
dumpster. From this vantage, all we can see is him furiously
*
KICKING and STOMPING on something... or somebody.
*
We don't hear anything. And we can't make out what it is that *
he's so violently beating down.
*
It could be a cat... a cardboard box... a homeless person...
*<
br />
We don't know.
*
Joker just continues unleashing his rage--
*
17
INT. CITY BUS (MOVING) - DUSK
17
Joker at the end of his work day, sitting in his spot toward
the back of the bus.
Across the aisle from him, he's innocently watching a young
couple, playfully teasing each other.
18
EXT. GOTHAM, LOWER EAST SIDE - EVENING
18
Joker heading back home down the litter-covered streets like
he does every night. Garbage still piled along the sidewalks,
air still thick with smog.
He's carrying the paper bag that Randall gave him.
19
INT. LOBBY, APARTMENT BUILDING - EVENING
19
Joker checks his mailbox. Empty.
21.
20
INT. ELEVATOR, APARTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS
20
Joker is on the elevator, as the door closes, he sticks his
foot out to stop it.
The door limps back open. Ding.
He looks to see if anybody, if Sophie, is coming. He waits.
Hoping.
The door starts to close on him again-- Right before it does, *
he stops it with his foot again. Ding.
21
INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, BATHROOM - NIGHT
21
JOKER'S GIVING HIS MOM A BATH, being careful with her as he
shampoos her hair.
MOM
--so what did he say when you gave
him the letter?
JOKER
They wouldn't let me see him.
(lying)
But they promised me it would get
to him.
MOM
It's good they promised. He only
works with the best. We should hear
something soon.
He fills an empty plastic container with some bath water.
JOKER
Look up.
She tilts her head back and he rinses her hair with the water
from the container...
JOKER
Why are these letters so important
to you, Ma? What do you think he's
gonna do?
MOM
He's gonna help us.
JOKER
Help us how?
22.
MOM
Get us out of here, take me away
from this place and these-- these
awful people.
JOKER
You worked for him over 30 years
ago. What makes you think he would
help you?
She looks at him with conviction.
MOM
Because Thomas Wayne is a good man.
If he knew how I was living, if he
saw this place, it would make him
sick. I can't explain it to you any
better than that.
Joker nods. Annoyed, but not worth the argument. He stands up
to get her a towel.
JOKER
I don't want you worrying about
money. Everyone's been telling me
they think my stand-up is ready for
the big clubs. It's just a matter
of time before I get a break.
She steps into the towel. He's helping dry her off.
The Joker (2019) Script Page 2