So tell us, buddy. What's so
fucking funny?
JOKER
Nothing. I have a condition--
Joker reaches into his bag to get one of his "Forgive my
laughter" cards, the third guy sees him reaching and tries to grab the bag from him---
Joker pulls on it--
34.
JOKER
No. It's just my stuff. I don't
have anything.
The guy rips the bag from his hand--
WALL STREET #3
I'll tell you what you have,
asshole.
Joker gets up from between them to go grab his bag back. The
two guys are cracking up.
WALL STREET #3
You want it back? Here--
Joker reaches out to grab the bag--
And the guy tosses it over his head to one of his friends.
Keeping it away from Joker.
Three guys in suits tossing a bag around, playing 'monkey in
*
the middle' with a clown. THE LIGHTS ON THE TRAIN SEEM TO
*
GLOW BRIGHTER AND WE HEAR the drum roll opening to BOBBY
*
SHORT singing "Send in the Clowns" Live at the Café Carlyle.
*
Joker keeps trying to catch his bag until suddenly--
WHAP! Out of nowhere one of the guys punches him hard in the face.
Joker goes down as if in slow motion. Blood coming from his
nose. He tries to get up, but his feet slip from under him
and he falls back down--
WALL STREET #1
Stay down you freak.
And the third Wall Street guy starts kicking him--
The others join in. Surrounding Joker on the ground, kicking
*
him deliberately, sadistically, and the music swells--
*
BLAM!
SUDDENLY THE LIGHTS GO BACK DIM, and one of the guys stops
kicking and falls back dead. Blood splattering on the subway
wall behind him--
And we HEAR Bobby Short sing out, picking up from where the
*
Wall Street Guy left off--
*
35.
BOBBY SHORT (SINGING)
*
Just when I'd stopped opening doors
*
Finally knowin' the one that I
*
wanted was yours
*
BLAM! BLAM! Wall Street #2 goes down--
Revealing Joker on the ground, opening his eyes to see what
he did, smoking gun in his hand--
BOBBY SHORT (SINGING)
*
Making my entrance again with my
*
usual flair
*
Sure of my lines
*
No one is there
*
The third guy takes off running for the doors that separate
*
the cars.
*
Joker starts after him, but then stops... turns back to grab
his bag and his wig, his hands shaking from the adrenaline.
The train is coming to a stop.
BOBBY SHORT (SINGING)
*
Don't you love farce?
*
My fault I fear...
*
Joker picks up his bag between the two dead bodies, blood
*
everywhere...
The subway doors wheeze open and Joker steps halfway off the
train, waiting to see if the third Wall Street guy gets off
in the car ahead of him. Joker sees him run off--
38
EXT. SUBWAY PLATFORM - CONTINUOUS
38
The platform is empty, the Wall Street guy is running toward
the stairs--
Joker follows--
Behind them, the train pulls away--
BOBBY SHORT (SINGING)
*
I thought that you'd want what I
*
want.
*
Sorry, my dear.
*
The guy makes his way to the stairs, unaware that Joker is
behind him--
BLAM!
36.
The third guy falls, tumbling down the stairs. Joker walks
over to the body and empties the chamber-- BLAM! BLAM!
*
BOBBY SHORT (SINGING)
*
But where are the clowns?
*
Quick, send in the clowns
*
Don't bother they're here.
*
And as "Send in the Clowns" ends, Joker fires the last shot-- *
BLAM! He's got nothing left.
*
39
EXT. STREET, ROBINSON SQUARE PARK - NIGHT
39
*
Joker hauls ass out of the subway and makes a mad dash across *
a busy street, horns honking--
*
Running as fast as he can past piles of garbage, he takes a
*
sharp turn high-tailing into a small, run-down needle park,
*
disappearing into the darkness.
*
40
INT. PUBLIC BATHROOM, ROBINSON SQUARE PARK - NIGHT
40
*
Joker runs into the bathroom, locks the door behind him and
*
SUDDENLY EVERYTHING HITS HIM ALL AT ONCE--
*
He throws up into the dirty toilet, puking his guts out--
*
He finishes, wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. And
*
pulls the gun out of his waist, looking around for someplace
*
to throw it out. Under the sink he sees a rusted, metal grate *
hanging off the wall covering some pipes.
*
Before he bends down, Joker catches his reflection in the
*
smudged mirror. Sees himself holding the gun in his hand--
*
Beat.
*
He raises the gun to his head and pulls the trigger--
*
Click.
*
It's empty.
*
He gets down on his knees, sweat dripping off his face, pulls *
the grate away from the wall. And tosses the gun away inside. *
Moves the grate back in place.
*
Joker stands back up and turns on the faucets. Rinses out his *
mouth.
*
Looks at his smudged reflection as he starts washing the
*
clown make-up off his sweaty face--
*
37.
JOKER
Hi. Do you like to laugh?
Water dripping, white grease paint running off his face--
*
JOKER
Remember how I told you that I'm a
stand-up comedian?
(again)
Hi. How are you?
Beat.
41
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING, LOBBY - LATER
41
Joker enters his building with great urgency. No time for the *
elevator, he takes the stairs. Two at a time.
He races up the stairwell.
42
INT. HALLWAY, APARTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS
42
When he gets to his floor, instead of making a left toward
his apartment-- He makes a right, toward Sophie's. He stops
at her door. Out of breath.
Knocks.
He hears footsteps. Quickly pulls the folded-up flyer out of
his pocket.
The peephole in the door
goes dark and then light again. He
hears locks unlocking. Sophie opens the door halfway--
*
Joker looks down at his feet--
*
JOKER
Hi. Do you like to laugh?
*
SOPHIE
*
What?
*
JOKER
*
(continuing without taking
*
a breath)
*
Remember the other day when I told
*
you about my stand-up comedy. Well,
I'm doing a set next Thursday and
I'm inviting a bunch of my friends
and I was wondering if maybe you
wanted to come and check it out.
38.
He reaches out to give Sophie the flyer, she opens the door
*
wider-- He notices her face, sees her eyes are red.
*
JOKER
Were you crying? Why are you
crying?
Beat.
SOPHIE
I had a bad day.
JOKER
I'm sorry. I, I didn't--
SOPHIE
It's okay. How would you know.
JOKER
What happened?
SOPHIE
I got fired. From the bank.
Joker takes a deep breath and smiles without realizing it,
hoping he doesn't start to laugh.
JOKER
What for?
SOPHIE
Because,-- I don't know. It doesn't
fucking matter. I don't know what
I'm gonna do.
And she starts crying again. Joker doesn't move. Just stands
in the doorway awkward.
JOKER
(finally)
Okay. Well, all the info is right
there on the flyer.
He starts to walk away, then turns back to her--
JOKER
You know they say laughter is the
best medicine.
Sophie wipes her eyes and manages a smile.
SOPHIE
Is that what they say?
39.
Joker just nods yes and walks back toward his mother's
apartment.
43
INT. DEPT. OF HEALTH, OFFICE - MORNING
43
JOKER SITS ACROSS from the same Social Worker from the
opening scene. Same depressing office.
She stares at him for a beat, clearly annoyed.
SOCIAL WORKER
We spoke about this last time,
Arthur. You're supposed to bring
your journal with you.
JOKER
Well I didn't think you were going
to read it.
SOCIAL WORKER
You said it didn't bother you.
JOKER
I lied. Everything bothers me.
SOCIAL WORKER
What about it bothered you?
JOKER
It's personal. It's my private
thoughts. Plus it contains original
comedy material that I don't feel
comfortable handing over to you.
She looks at him and shakes her head. Not in the mood to deal
with this.
SOCIAL WORKER
Arthur, I have some bad news for
you.
He looks up, intrigued.
SOCIAL WORKER
They've cut our funding. We're
closing down our offices next week.
He looks around, just noticing some MOVING BOXES stacked
against the wall.
JOKER
So where will we be meeting?
40.
SOCIAL WORKER
We won't be. The city's cut funding
across the board. Social services
is part of that.
Joker nods, not hating the idea.
JOKER
Okay.
SOCIAL WORKER
They don't give a shit about people
like you, Arthur. You don't have a
voice and they don't really care
what happens to you or to us for
that matter.
He sits there for a moment. And then it dawns on him--
JOKER
How am I gonna get my medication?
Beat.
44
INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, KITCHEN - MORNING
44
CLOSE ON A COUPLE OF PILLS, as they get crushed up.
CLOSE ON THE RESIDUE, as it's sprinkled on top of a bowl of
oatmeal.
MOM (OS)
Happy! Come in here. Thomas Wayne
is on TV.
Joker takes a couple of pills for himself. Looks inside. Not
many left. He looks over at the orange cat sitting on the
counter, purring loudly, watching him.
MOM (OS)
Quick! Come.
45
INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
45
Joker walks in carrying her breakfast. She waves him over to
her bed.
MOM
They're interviewing him about
those horrible murders on the
subway last week.
41.
JOKER
Why are they talking to him?
His mother shushes him. Joker sits on the end of the bed next
to her. It's one of those "Good Morning, Gotham" shows.
THOMAS WAYNE (ON TV)
--as you know, Jerry, all three of
them worked at Wayne Investments,
and they were the best of the best.
Solid young men.
A small smirk registers on Joker's face when photos of the
THREE WALL STREET GUYS come up on the screen.
THOMAS WAYNE (ON TV)
And while I didn't know them
personally, like all Wayne
employees, past and present, they
were family.
Joker's mom perks up at that--
MOM
You hear that! I told you. We're
family.
ANGLE ON TELEVISION, footage of GRAFFITI around the city.
"KILL THE RICH" spray painted on a storefront. "F*CK WALL
STREET" written on a subway wall. "RESIST" scrawled across a billboard.
"GOOD MORNING" HOST (ON TV)
There now seems to be a groundswell
of anti-rich sentiment in the city.
It's almost as if our less
fortunate residents have taken the
side of the killer.
THOMAS WAYNE (ON TV)
Yes and it's a shame. It's one of
the reasons I'm considering a run
for mayor. Gotham has lost its way.
"GOOD MORNING" HOST (ON TV)
Are you announcing your candidacy?
THOMAS WAYNE (ON TV)
(smiles)
No comment.
We hear his mother gasp, excited.
42.
"GOOD MORNING" HOST (ON TV)
What about the eyewitness report of
the suspect being a man in clown
make-up or a clown mask-- Care to
comment on that?
Joker leans in, intrigued. The camera zooms in closer to
Thomas Wayne on the screen...
THOMAS WAYNE (ON TV)
It makes total sense to me. What
kind of coward would do something
that cold-blooded? Someone who
hides behind a mask. Someone who's
envious of those more fortunate
than themselves, yet too scared to
show their own face.
(to camera)
And until that jealousy ends, those
of us who've made a good life for
who haven't as nothing but clowns.
CUT TO:
46
INT. COMEDY CLUB, BACKSTAGE HALLWAY - NIGHT
46
JOKER'S POV, slowly walking down the hall -- as if in slow
motion -- toward a curtain at the end, spotlight bleeding
through, other wannabe comics looking at him as he passes--
CLOSE ON JOKER, eyeing the others, sweat beading on his
forehead--
He gets to the curtain, the light, pulls his worn joke-
notebook out of his back pocket. Glancing into the room he
sees it's a pretty good crowd. Sees Sophie taking a seat in
the back.
Wheeling back into the dark hallway, he catches his breath in
the shadows--
And starts BANGING HIS HEAD BACK against the wall--
He hears the EMCEE from the stage.
EMCEE (OS)
This next comic describes himself
as a lifelong Gotham resident who
from a young age was always told
that "his purpose in life was to
bring joy and laughter into this
cold, dark world." Ummm. Okay.
43.
He hears the crowd laugh.
EMCEE (OS)
Please help me welcome Arthur
Fleck!
There is a smattering of applause.
CUT TO:
JOKER STEPPING ON STAGE, out under the spotlight, lifts the
microphone in front of his mouth, the light so bright he
can't see faces in the dark audience, his hand trembling
holding onto his worn notebook--
He takes a deep breath, looks out at the dark crowd, and
opens his mouth.
And starts to laugh. His eyes go wide. God no, not now. A
terrified look comes to his face under the laughter. He just
keeps laughing. The crowd is just staring back at him.
Finally he composes himself--
JOKER
(trying to stop himself
from laughing)
-- good evening, hello.
(deep breath; trying to
stop laughing)
Good to be here.
(keeps cracking up)
I, I hated school as a kid. But my
mother would always say,--
(bad imitation of his mom,
still laughing)
"You should enjoy it. One day
you'll have to work for a living."
(laughs)
"No I won't, Ma. I'm gonna be a
comedian!"
Dead silence. Except for Joker, who's still cracking up.
CUT TO:
47
EXT. COMEDY CLUB, CHINATOWN STREET - NIGHT
47
*
Joker and Sophie walking out of the club after the show, the
audience trickles out around them. Nobody looking in Joker's
direction, nobody says anything to him, maybe one or two even
cracking up at him behind his back. Garbage bags crowding the *
narrow street, lit up by the bright signs.
*
44.
Joker and Sophie walk a ways without saying a word. Awkward
silence.
Then--
JOKER
So, did you laugh? Really couldn't
see much from up there.
The Joker (2019) Script Page 4