MOM
Happy, what makes you think you
could do that?
JOKER
What do you mean?
MOM
I mean, don't you have to be funny
to be a comedian?
Beat.
22
INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, APARTMENT - LATE NIGHT
22
Joker's mom is out cold in her bedroom, a half-eaten plate of
food is next to her on the bed.
23.
23
INT. LIVING ROOM, MOM'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
23
Joker sits on the couch. The TV is on, but the sound is off.
He holds the .38 SNUB-NOSE REVOLVER Randall gave him in his
hand. He's never held a gun before, looks uncomfortable with
it, the weight of it in his hand...
He points it at the TV, hand trembling a bit... Points it at
*
the cat... Points it at his head.
Looks closely at the grip. The barrel. The cylinder. Now he
casually pulls the trigger--
BLAMMMMMMM!
He jumps up off the couch. What the fuck!? He looks around in
a panic. His hands shaking.
He shot a hole in the wall.
MOM (OS)
(awoken by the shot)
HAPPY!? What was that?
JOKER
What?!
He quickly turns up the TV volume. REALLY LOUD. Shoves the
still smoking gun under the couch cushions.
MOM (OS)
THAT NOISE! DID YOU HEAR THAT
NOISE?
He's inspecting the hole in the wall. Shouts back over the TV
noise--
JOKER
I'M WATCHING AN OLD WAR MOVIE.
MOM (OS)
TURN IT DOWN!
He heads for his mother's bedroom.
24
INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS
24
Joker looks in on his mom in her dark bedroom, can make out
the outline of her body sitting up.
MOM
It's so loud.
24.
JOKER
I know. The Americans are really
giving it to the Japs.
He walks over to her in the darkness. Kisses her on the
forehead.
JOKER
(softly)
I'm sorry. I'll turn it down.
25
INT. KITCHEN, MOM'S APARTMENT - LATE NIGHT
25
Joker is writing in his journal. He speaks softly to himself
as he writes...
JOKER
Why didn't Randall tell me the gun
was loaded? He's my friend. With my
luck, I could have killed someone.
(beat)
I could have killed myself.
CLOSE ON THE LAST LINE, he crosses out "could"...
Writes... "should".
JOKER
(still to himself)
I should have killed myself.
CLOSE ON JOKER as he crosses out something again...
JOKER
(louder to himself)
I should kill myself.
Beat.
26
EXT. STREET, LOWER EAST SIDE - MORNING
26
HANDHELD POV, see the run-down building where Joker lives
from across the street.
REVEAL, Joker is watching his own building on the far side of
a parked truck. Red hood pulled up, covering his head. He
waits. Watches.
Now we see Sophie exiting the building with her daughter
GiGi. Sophie's dressed more conservatively than when we
previously met her.
25.
Joker starts following them.
27
EXT. PUBLIC SCHOOL - MORNING
27
Sophie drops GiGi off at school. Joker's still watching.
Following.
28
EXT. ELEVATED SUBWAY PLATFORM - MORNING
28
Sophie waits on the platform. Lights a cigarette.
We see Joker, hidden behind a steel support beam-- watching
her from a distance.
29
INT. SUBWAY (MOVING) - MORNING
29
Joker stands at the window between two subway cars. Just
watching Sophie as she reads a book in the next car.
The train comes to a stop and she exits. Joker exits as well.
30
EXT. STREET, UPPER EAST SIDE - MORNING
30
Nicer part of Gotham. Joker follows Sophie from a distance,
watches as she walks into Gotham First National Bank.
Sees her say hello to the guard. This is where she works.
Joker just watches and waits.
31
INT. GOTHAM FIRST NATIONAL - LATER
31
A large, mid-level bank. Sophie is one of THREE BANK TELLERS
working behind the plexiglass windows.
Joker pulls the hood back off his head, takes a deep breath
before he walks up to her window. She is looking down,
counting her drawer.
Takes another deep breath. Then--
JOKER
Hello. I'd like to open an account.
She looks up.
SOPHIE
(surprised)
Hey, what are you doing up here?
26.
JOKER
Oh, hi. That's weird.
(pausing to see if he's
gonna laugh; he's good)
I didn't know you worked at a bank.
SOPHIE
Pretty glamorous, right?
Not getting the sarcasm, Joker nods. Looks around.
JOKER
Very glamorous. Look at this place.
She laughs.
He stands there awkwardly for a moment looking around to see
what she's laughing about.
Realizes she thought he was making a joke.
Beat.
JOKER
I'm a comedian. I do stand-up
comedy.
SOPHIE
Really? I had no idea.
JOKER
Yeah. You know, I'm always making
funny observations. Always on the
look out for my next bit-- so it
makes sense.
SOPHIE
Right. Anyway, is there something I
could help you with?
Beat.
JOKER
I said hi to my mom.
SOPHIE
Excuse me?
JOKER
Last week. You said to say hi to my
mom. I did. Made her day.
They are interrupted by the BRANCH MANAGER (50's), white,
heavy-set, who has come up behind Sophie--
27.
BRANCH MANAGER
Everything okay here?
He puts his heavy hand on Sophie's shoulder. She practically
shudders from his touch.
SOPHIE
Everything is fine Mr. Slotnick.
Now he leans down and whispers something in her ear-- Joker
just watches through the glass.
SOPHIE
(shakes her head; to her
manager)
No. He's not. He's interested in
opening an account.
BRANCH MANAGER
(to Joker)
Great. You just need to fill out a
form. They are back there-- against
the wall.
As the manager talks, Sophie makes wide eyes at Joker, like
"I almost got in trouble."
JOKER
(covering; trying to act
cool)
Okay. Thank you, sir. And thank you
&nb
sp; as well, Miss.
Joker walks back to the wall by the forms.
He fumbles around for a minute, clearly not there to open an
account. He begins filling out a form. Then--
JOKER
(shouts out, to no one in
particular)
YOU KNOW WHAT?! I FORGOT MY ID!
I'LL BE BACK. THANK YOU.
He walks out of the bank. Head in the clouds.
32
INT. GOTHAM COMEDY CLUB, CHINATOWN - NIGHT
32
*
Joker sitting in the middle of a dark, crowded comedy club.
*
People on dates. Groups of friends. All here to watch the
stand-up. He sits at a small table by himself, watching the
act on stage.
28.
The comic on stage is killing it. The whole room is laughing
and applauding. Everyone except Joker.
He's watching. Studying. Diligently jotting down notes in his
notebook.
33
EXT. GOTHAM COMEDY CLUB, STREET - CHINATOWN - NIGHT
33
*
People are piling out of the club, onto the narrow street,
*
jumble of lit-up signs, most glowing yellow or red. Joker
*
walks out alone, carrying his notebook. He sees a FLYER taped *
to the entrance of the club.
*
CLOSE ON THE FLYER, "Open mic night. Thursdays. 10pm."
He rips the flyer off the wall.
34
INT. HA-HA'S TALENT BOOKING, LOCKER ROOM - DAY
34
Joker is working on his "Mr. Jingles" clown look, using the small mirror in his locker. Behind him a couple of other
clowns are eating their lunch at a small table, not paying
Joker any attention.
Joker pauses half-finished, and stares at himself for a beat.
He starts to examine the two small scars on the corners of
his mouth, we really notice how they form a smile. Joker
hooks the corners of his mouth down with his index fingers,
turning his smile into a frown--
He lets go and his smile returns.
Does it again, up and down, up and down, his face a living
comedy/tragedy mask.
And then he pulls his fingers wider, stretching his smile
into a grotesque parody, pulling his mouth so wide tears come
to his eyes--
AND WE HEAR JOKER SINGING "If You're Happy and You Know It"
at his next gig.
JOKER (PRE-LAP)
(singing)
--if you're happy and you know it
and you really want to show it, if
you're happy and you know it clap
your hands.
29.
35
INT. GOTHAM GENERAL - CHILDREN'S WARD - EVENING
35
Joker is performing for a ward full of sick children, wearing
an oversized white lab coat over his "Mr. Jingles" clown costume. A few nurses and doctors watch as well.
His white clown face, mouth outlined in black and filled in
with red, his green wig frizzy and worn out. Joker plays a
UKULELE along with the song.
JOKER
If you're happy and you know it,
stomp your feet.
Joker and the kids stomp and sing along.
JOKER
If you're happy and you know it,
stomp your feet.
(stomp, stomp)
If you're happy and you know it and
you really want to show it, if
you're happy and you know it stomp
your feet.
As the song winds down, the KIDS and NURSES clap.
Joker takes an exaggerated and ridiculous bow--
And as he does, his .38 SNUB-NOSE REVOLVER slips out of his
pants and slides across the floor.
Everyone stops. Looks at the gun on the floor.
36
INT. LOBBY, GOTHAM GENERAL - LATER
36
Joker is on a payphone in the lobby of the hospital. He's in
his street clothes, wig in his hand, clown-face still painted
on.
JOKER
(into phone)
Hoyt, let me explain.
HOYT (OVER PHONE)
Oh, this'll be good. Please tell me
why you brought a gun into a sick
kid's ward?
JOKER
(into phone)
It was, it was a prop gun. It's
part of my act now.
30.
HOYT (OVER PHONE)
Bullshit. Jingles would never carry
a fucking gun. Besides, Randall
told me you tried to buy a .38 off
him last week.
Joker's taken aback that Randall would do that to him.
JOKER
(into phone)
Randall told you that?
HOYT (OVER PHONE)
He was with me when the call came
in. You're a fuck up, Arthur. And a
liar. You're fired.
JOKER
(into phone)
Hoyt--
HOYT (OVER PHONE)
Say it, Arthur.
(beat)
Let me hear you say it.
JOKER
(into phone)
Say what?
HOYT (OVER PHONE)
I'm a fuck up and I'm fired.
Joker picks at his eyebrow.
JOKER
(into phone; low)
--I'm a fuck up and I'm fired.
HOYT (OVER PHONE)
Louder.
JOKER
(into phone; louder)
I'm a fuck up and I'm fired.
HOYT (OVER PHONE)
Yes. You are.
Click. He hears Hoyt hang up.
Beat.
31.
37
INT. SUBWAY (MOVING) - NIGHT
37
JOKER SITS ON THE SUBWAY CONTEMPLATING WHAT JUST WENT DOWN,
face still painted, his bag on the seat next to him, along
with his wig.
There's only one other person on the subway car, a YOUNG
WOMAN (30's) sitting at the far end-- reading a book.
The train comes to a stop and THREE WALL STREET GUYS enter.
They are being loud and obnoxious, clearly drunk. One of them
is eating some french fries out of a greasy McDonald's bag.
He flops down on the bench across from the girl and checks
her out. The other two guys start getting into it with each
other--
WALL STREET #1
--I'm telling you, she wanted my
number. We should have just stayed.
The train starts moving again...
WALL STREET #2
You're dreaming, man. She wasn't
interested-- at all.
WALL STREET #1
Are you nuts? Did you see how close
we were dancing!? She was in love,
bro.
He starts dancing a bit with himself, mimicking what he
remembers. Wall Street #2 takes a swig from the brown bag he
is carrying.
WALL STREET #2
She couldn't wait to get away from
you.
Joker is watching them closely, impressed by their confidence
and easy-going camaraderie.
WALL STREET #1
(to the third guy)
Ryan, am I crazy? Tell him what you
saw.
But the third Wall Street guy isn't paying his friends any
attention. He has his eyes set on the young woman sitting
across from him, reading her book.
WALL ST
REET #3
(to the girl)
Hey. You want some french fries?
32.
He holds out his McDonald's bag and shakes it to get her
attention. The other two share a look. Joker watches from his
seat.
WALL STREET #3
Hello? I'm talking to you. You want
some fries?
She looks up and shakes her head, polite smile.
YOUNG WOMAN
No thank you.
The other two guys crack up at this apparent blow-off. The
third Wall Street guy shakes his head, embarrassed, and
starts softly flinging fries at the young woman.
WALL STREET #3
You sure? They're really good.
She just buries her face deeper in her book--
WALL STREET #2
Don't ignore him. He's being nice
to you.
One of the french fries lands in her hair. She looks down
toward Joker, looking to see if he's going to do something or
say something--
Joker just sits there nervous. Not sure what to do, or even
if he wants to do anything at all.
AND HE JUST BURSTS OUT LAUGHING. He covers his mouth with his
hand as they continue to harass the woman.
They all look over-- What the fuck is this clown laughing at?
WALL STREET #1
Something funny, asshole?
With their attention diverted, the young woman rushes out
through the door between subway cars, glancing back at Joker
before she goes--
WALL STREET #3
(shouts after her)
BITCH!
Joker laughs even harder through his hand. The Wall Street
guys turn to him sitting by himself at the end of the car--
33.
Joker sees them staring. Looks down at the ground, hand still
covering his mouth, face turning red. Subway swaying, lights
flickering on and off.
Beat.
One of the guys heads down the car toward Joker, starts
singing "Send in the Clowns" as he approaches--
WALL STREET #1
(singing)
Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here, at last on the ground
*
You in mid-air
Send in the clowns.
*
The others crack up and follow after him. The guy plops down
next to Joker, puts his arm around his shoulder as he sings--
JOKER
(shakes his head, stifling
the laughter)
Please. Don't.
WALL STREET #1
(continues singing to him)
Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around,
One who can't move.
Joker starts to get up-- The lead guy pulls him back down.
WALL STREET #1
Where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns.
As he finishes the song, Joker's laughing fit is coming to an
end. One of the other guys sits down on the other side of
*
him. He's now sandwiched in between them--
*
WALL STREET #2
The Joker (2019) Script Page 3