*
CLOSE ON THE CAT LOOKING BACK AT JOKER FOR A LONG MOMENT,
before scampering off out into the world, leaving him behind
for good.
As he closes the window we almost catch Joker's reflection in the glass--
95
INT. HALLWAY, APARTMENT BUILDING - LATE AFTERNOON
95
*
FOLLOWING BEHIND JOKER, walking down the hallway as if in
slow motion, heading for Sophie's apartment. His dyed green
hair now slicked back.
He's wearing the ill-fitting rust colored suit he wore to his
mother's funeral.
STILL FROM BEHIND, he lays the envelope in front of Sophie's
*
door, then pulls something else out of his pocket -- his body *
obscuring what it is -- puts it down by her door and leaves.
*
As he walks away down the hallway, we see what else Joker
*
left behind--
*
HIS WAND OF FLOWERS, at Sophie's door.
*
Hold.
*
95.
96
INT. ELEVATOR, HALLWAY - LATE AFTERNOON
96
*
FROM BEHIND JOKER STEPPING ONTO THE ELEVATOR, TURNING TO FACE *
US AS THE DOOR STARTS TO CLOSE, FINALLY REVEALING HIS LOOK--
*
Green hair slicked back like one of the Wall Street assholes
*
he killed... White grease paint smeared over his face... red
*
nose painted on... dark blue peaks over and under his eyes... *
his mother's red lipstick crudely outlining his broken
*
smile... Under the harsh flickering fluorescent lights, he
*
looks like an insane version of his mask.
*
The door closes on his new face. Ding.
*
97
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - LATE AFTERNOON
97
Joker steps out of his building into the setting sun, just as *
Garrity and Burke are getting out of their unmarked Ford LTD
*
Crown Vic--
*
DET. GARRITY
*
Hey Arthur, where you going?
*
DET. BURKE
*
Yeah, thought you were coming down
*
to the station this morning.
*
And Joker takes off running--
Garrity gives chase on foot as Burke hurries back into the
car--
*
98
EXT. 174TH STREET, TWO LANES - CONTINUOUS
98
Joker darts out from his block into the avenue, sprints
across the busy, two-lane street without looking--
Running right in front of an oncoming YELLOW CAB on the far
side of the street--
BAM!
The cab hits him and Joker goes crashing into the windshield.
Bounces up and over the car. Landing hard on the pavement--
The car directly behind the cab skids to a stop just before
running over Joker's face. Swerving into the other lane and
CRASHING INTO an oncoming truck.
Cars on both sides of the street skidding trying to stop--
Crashing. It's chaos.
96.
Joker pops back up from getting hit. He's in pain. But not
dead.
Garrity has drawn his service revolver as he makes his way
through the pile up. And Burke, now blocked because of the
crash has jumped out of his car--
Joker takes off running, limping down the street toward an
entrance for the elevated train--
99
EXT. ELEVATED TRAIN STATION, STEPS - CONTINUOUS
99
Joker hustling up the stairs, dripping sweat, his white
grease-paint running down his face. He gets to the top of the
stairs, looks back and catches a glimpse of Garrity and Burke
at the bottom--
100
EXT. PLATFORM, ELEVATED TRAIN STATION - CONTINUOUS
100
Joker makes his way down the crowded platform, the passengers
starting to file on a waiting Lexington Ave/Pelham Express
Train heading downtown. The train's packed with protesters
heading to the rally at City Hall. Many carrying signs...
most of them in "Joker" masks... a few painted up to look like the "Joker" mask. Joker fits in with all of them.
*
He looks through the crowd of clowns and sees the two cops
getting to the top of the stairs, looking up and down the
platform for him. Pulling out their badges on chains from
around their necks. Identifying themselves as cops.
Joker's willing the doors to close. But they don't.
The two detectives run onto the train just as the doors are
finally closing--
101
INT. LEXINGTON AVE/PELHAM EXPRESS (MOVING) - CONTINUOUS
101
Joker moves through the loud train pushing through the rowdy
protesters-- Into the next car, all of them packed.
*
AS THE TRAIN GOES UNDERGROUND, the lights flicker on and off-- *
car GOING BLACK FOR A FEW SECONDS as the train turns and dips *
and speeds down the tracks.
*
Joker glances back at Burke and Garrity pulling out their
*
badges on chains around their necks. Smith & Wesson service
*
revolvers by their sides. Shouting at the crowd, identifying
*
themselves as cops.
*
97.
Joker hears some on the train shouting back in anger at the
*
police, keeps moving... past clown-faced protestors carrying
*
signs, "RESIST"... "AM I A CLOWN?"... "SAVE A CITY, KILL A
*
YUPPIE"...
*
The two cops push through the car, scanning all the "clown"
*
faces... So many look like Joker. They just shove protesters
*
out of the way, shouting at them all the while. A few more
*
voices rising up in protest--
*
Joker feels Burke and Garrity behind him getting closer. In
*
the flickering light sees a DRUNK GUY (20's) wearing a
*
'Joker' mask and pulls it right off his face--
*
The drunk guy turns ready to fight.
*
He throws a punch at Joker, and Joker steps out of the way--
*
The guy pummels someone else--
*
A FIGHT BREAKS OUT, spilling down the car.
*
Joker slips the clown mask over his clown face--
*
AND JUST STANDS THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CHAOS, at home
*
with the chaos all around him--
*
Garrity and Burke spot Joker's rust colored suit in the
*
middle of the unruly mob--
*
Burke pulls his gun--
*
BURKE
*
(shouting)
*
EVERYBODY DOWN, GOTHAM PD!
*
The crowd doesn't drop to the ground. They just keep fighting *
with each other--
*
Burke sees Joker just standing
there. Keeps yelling for the
*
crowd to get down, get down, but they don't listen to him--
*
He starts shoving protestors down, out of the way-- and
*
AND THEN THE MOB TURNS ON HIM AND GARRITY, starts closing in
*
around them--
*
Garrity and Burke are pointing their guns at the crowd,
*
yelling panicked for them to back off, back off, and one
*
idiot reaches for Garrity's gun--
*
Bang.
*
98.
Burke fires into the crowd, as the train pulls into the
*
station--
*
A protestor falls dead. The other clowns on the train go
*
crazy, starting to riot. Glimpse Joker walking away calmly
*
out of the chaos. Taking off the mask and dropping it at his
*
side as he steps off the train, disappearing onto the crowded *
platform.
*
CUT TO:
*
102
EXT. WGCTV STUDIOS, FRANKLIN THEATER - MIDTOWN - EVENING 102
*
An excited line of ticket holders waiting to get in to "Live with Murray Franklin!" The poster marquee box near the door reads: "TONIGHT'S GUESTS. Lance Reynolds. Dr. Sally Friedman.
And Special Guest."
They swing open the doors and start to let the audience
inside...
103
EXT. BACKSTAGE DOOR, FRANKLIN THEATER - SIDE STREET - EVENING
103 *
Random fans and autograph hounds hanging out by the backstage
door, waiting for the night's guests to arrive...
104
INT. STUDIO 4B, STAGE - FRANKLIN THEATER - EVENING
104
*
Studio audience filing into the studio, being seated in the
wide bleachers along one wall. Three TV monitors hang from
the ceiling, facing the audience. Three studio cameras on the
floor, black cables strewn everywhere.
The set for "LIVE WITH MURRAY FRANKLIN!" is dark... but we can still make out his desk... guest chairs... Don Ellis and
his Jazz Orchestra's band stand... big blue curtain.
105
INT. HALLWAY, FRANKLIN THEATER - EVENING
105
The host of the show, MURRAY FRANKLIN (60's), usually quick
with a bemused grin but right now in a sour mood, walks fast
down the hall toward the drab dressing rooms with his old-
school producer, GENE UFLAND (60's), who's holding the show's
rundown rolled up in his hand.
GENE UFLAND
--You gotta see this nut for
yourself, Murray. I don't think we
can put him on. With the rioting
*
out there.
*
99.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(annoyed)
Jesus, Gene, I don't have time for
this. Cindy's been breaking my
balls all day.
GENE UFLAND
She's still mad at you about that
thing?
MURRAY FRANKLIN
Three marriages, you'd think I'da
fuckin' learned something.
(then)
What do I gotta see? I already know
he's a nut. That's why we're
putting him on, it's a goof.
A young BLONDE INTERN walks by in the opposite direction. She
nervously smiles to them and keeps walking. Both men turn and
check out her ass. Murray winks at Gene.
GENE UFLAND
(just shakes his head, and
smiles)
I'm telling you, you gotta see him,
Murray. I think it's too risky, the
show's too big. It's worth too much
to blow it on this,-- this freak.
106
INT. DRESSING ROOM, FRANKLIN THEATER - CONTINUOUS
106
Joker's sitting on a small couch in the cramped dressing
room, watching the local news on a TV that's mounted up on
the wall, live shots from the subway station where Burke shot *
the protestor, footage of the City Hall rally, clashes with
*
police.
*
He's cleaned himself up as best he could... white grease-
paint smeared more evenly over his face, green dyed hair
slicked back in place. Red lips redone.
Murray and his producer Gene open the dressing room door
without knocking--
Joker gets up off the couch and goes to shake Murray's hand.
Murray pauses when he sees Joker's face.
JOKER
(shakes Murray's hand;
effusive)
Murray, I can't believe this is
real, that I'm really here.
100.
GENE UFLAND
It's Mr. Franklin kid, show some
respect.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
Oh shut up, Gene.
(to Joker)
Murray is fine. I prefer it in
fact. Thanks for coming on the
show.
JOKER
Are you kidding? Thank you for the
opportunity. I've been watching you
forever. My mother never missed a
show.
Murray nods not listening, he's heard this before.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
So what's with the face? Are you
part of the protests?
JOKER
No, I don't believe in any of that.
I don't believe in anything. I just
thought it would be good for my
act.
GENE UFLAND
*
(upset)
*
Your act? Didn't you hear that a
*
kid got killed on the subway and
*
two cops who were almost beat to
*
death? You didn't hear about the
*
dozens of protestors and police
*
injured in the riots?
*
Joker looks like he's about to bust out laughing. All of that *
news is playing out on the TV above their heads. He takes a
*
deep breath. Swallows the laugh.
*
Beat.
JOKER
No. I hadn't heard.
Gene and Murray share a look.
GENE UFLAND
--the audience is gonna go crazy if
you put him on. It was okay maybe
for a bit, but not a whole segment.
101.
Murray thinks about it for a beat.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
I like it. It's timely. It's edgy.
It's, it's dangerous. The best
comedy is all those things put
together.
(done)
We're gonna go with it.
Gene rubs his temples, he doesn't like this, but Murray is
the boss.
JOKER
Thank you Murray.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(flashes his bemused
smile; condescending)
Couple rules though,-- No cussing,
no off-color material, we do a
clean show, okay? You'll be on
after Dr. Sally. Someone will come
and get you. Good?
Joker nods good. Smiles back at Murray.
Murray and Gene turn to go, exchanging smirks with each other
as they walk o
ut, making light of Joker who we see behind
them still standing there.
JOKER
Hey Murray,-- one small thing? When
you bring me out, can you introduce
me as “The Joker”?
Murray and Gene look back at him
GENE UFLAND
What? You don’t want to use your
real name?
JOKER
Honestly, I don't even know what my
real name is.
Joker smiles, the guys can't tell if he's kidding or not.
JOKER
Besides, that's what you called me
on the show, Murray. A joker.
Remember?
102.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(to Gene; trying not to
crack up)
Did I?
GENE UFLAND
I have no idea.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(turns back to Joker)
Well, if you say so, kid. Joker it
is.
Murray starts to laugh at Joker as he closes the dressing
room door, shutting it right in his face.
CUT TO:
107
INT. BACKSTAGE, BEHIND CURTAIN - STUDIO 4B - NIGHT
107
JOKER'S BACKSTAGE AT THE EDGE OF THE BLUE CURTAIN, trying to
watch the show through a slim gap. Behind him there's a
monitor on a cart playing the live feed.
He moves the curtain aside to get a better look-- Glimpses
Murray laughing, finishing up talking to noted sex therapist
DR. SALLY FRIEDMAN (60's).
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(to Dr. Sally)
You gotta see our next guest for
yourself. Will you stick around?
Maybe you can help, I'm pretty sure
he could use a doctor.
The audience laughs.
DR. SALLY FRIEDMAN
Oh. Does he have sexual problems?
MURRAY FRANKLIN
He looks like he's got a lot of
problems.
Another big laugh.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(turns, looks into camera)
It's been a crazy few days here in
Gotham, and, I think maybe things
are about to get crazy around here
too. Don't go anywhere folks. We'll
be right back.
103.
APPLAUSE SIGN LIGHTS UP. Everyone claps. Joker keeps watching *
Murray through the slim gap at the end of the curtain. Hears
the floor director shout, "And we're out. Back in three."
*
Joker adjusts the waist of his pants under his jacket. Takes
*
a deep breath.
*
108
INT. DIRECTOR'S BOOTH, STUDIO 4B - NIGHT
108
Perched one story above the studio. There's a long console
where the DIRECTOR sits in front of a gooseneck microphone,
looking over a double-bank of monitors.
Sitting next to him are the ASSOCIATE PRODUCER who times the
show, and the TECHNICAL DIRECTOR who operates the board. The
monitor showing the live feed is playing a commercial.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Back in 30 seconds.
DIRECTOR
The Joker (2019) Script Page 10