Joker: Folie à Deux Page #7

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We moved out of the city.

Well, then why did you finally decide to comply?

Because I should have called the police that night.

Then maybe all those people wouldn’t have been…

Maybe they wouldn’t be dead now if I did.

Thank you. No more questions.

[judge] Your witness, Ms. Stewart.

[Ms. Stewart] Ms. Dumond.

What happened after you asked Arthur

to leave your apartment that night?

He told me he was having a bad day. And then he left.

So, he never hurt or even threatened

you or your daughter?

[Sophie] No.

And did you watch him on TV on Murray Franklin the following week?

[Sophie] I did.

[Ms. Stewart] And did that seem like the same man

who was sitting in your apartment that night?

Did he sound the same or even look the same?

No, I mean, he was… he was wearing clown make-up.

[laughter]

[Ms. Stewart] And while Arthur’s mother

was being so sweet to your daughter,

what was she telling you about her own son?

Um…

She told me that there was something wrong with Arthur,

and that he lived in a fantasy world

and that he had this laugh.

[Ms. Stewart] She told you it was a “dumb laugh.”

That’s what she called it.

“His dumb laugh.”

[Sophie] Yes.

[Ms. Stewart] What else did she tell you?

That she made up a story, when he was a kid.

So that he would feel better about it.

So that he would stop crying,

so that he wouldn’t kill himself.

What was the story?

[Sophie] That he was put on this earth to bring joy.

Something like that. It’s why she called him “Happy.”

[Ms. Stewart] And?

[Sophie] And she…

couldn’t believe that he based his whole life

around this made-up story.

He was a street clown, and he wanted to be a comedian.

[laughter]

[Ms. Stewart] She made fun of him for doing that?

[Sophie] She just thought it was ridiculous

that he thought he could make people laugh.

I mean, she said Arthur wasn’t funny at all.

[laughter]

[voices fading]

[Ms. Stewart] Did she tell you that he had been

in and out of institutions his whole life?

[Sophie] Yes.

[Ms. Stewart] Did she say anything else about him?

♪ There’s always a joker ♪

♪ In the pack ♪

♪ There’s always A lonely clown ♪

♪ The poor laughing fool Falls on his back ♪

♪ And everyone laughs When he’s down ♪

♪ There’s always a funny man ♪

♪ In the game ♪

♪ But he’s only funny By mistake ♪

♪ And everyone looks at him ♪

♪ Just the same ♪

♪ They don’t see His lonely heart break ♪

[grunts explosively]

[crowd exclaiming]

[stool clatters]

[microphone thuds]

[feedback squeals]

♪ They don’t care As long as there is a jester ♪

♪ Just a fool ♪

♪ As foolish as he can be ♪

♪ There’s always a joker ♪

♪ That’s the rule ♪

♪ But fate deals the hand And I see ♪

♪ The joker is me ♪

[crowd applauding]

[smart, jazzy interlude playing]

♪ They don’t care as long as ♪

♪ There is a jester ♪

[jury exclaiming]

♪ Just a fool ♪

♪ As foolish as he can be ♪

[gun booms] ♪ There’s always a joker ♪

♪ That’s the rule! ♪

♪ But fate deals a hand And I see ♪

♪ The joker is me ♪

♪ The joker is me ♪

[people exclaiming]

[gavel thudding]

[crowd murmuring, chuckling]

[panting]

[gavel clattering]

♪ The joker ♪

♪ Is me ♪

[gunshot echoes]

[song ends]

[Sophie] Yeah.

That he had never had a girlfriend

and she thought he was probably a virgin.

I can’t do this.

Oh! I can’t do this anymore!

[gavel banging]

Your Honor, may I approach the bench, please?

[judge] No, you may not.

I want to fire my lawyer.

[man in audience] It’s about time!

Excuse me?

I’d like to represent myself.

[applause]

You’re fired.

Arthur, don’t do this. This is real.

You’d better believe it’s real.

[gavel banging]

[judge] I want order in my court. Order!

[crowd cheering]

Bailiff! Take Mr. Fleck to his holding cell!

[judge] Order!

I want to see all counsel in my chambers immediately!

[people cheering]

[gavel rapping loudly]

This way? Thank you.

Hey, no touching.

I’m so f***ing proud of you.

You should see it out there. They’re all going crazy for you.

You did it.

I know, but maybe I should read a law book or something.

You know I never went to high school?

[both laughing]

[cell guard] I said, no touching.

You can do anything you want.

You’re Joker.

[cigarette crackling]

[radio news fanfare playing]

[man on radio] Good evening, it’s 48 degrees at 6:00

on this Wednesday, November 8th.

I’m Stan L. Brooks and here’s what’s happening.

Shocking developments at the trial

of Arthur Fleck downtown today.

Fleck, the accused killer, also known as Joker,

interrupted testimony

and fired his lawyer Maryanne Stewart in open court.

Then he kissed her goodbye.

Afterwards, Fleck was extensively questioned

by Judge Herman Rothwax.

[judge] The right of self-representation

is not a license to abuse the dignity of the courtroom.

Can you control your emotions, Mr. Fleck?

[Arthur] Yes, sir.

[Brooks] Judge Rothwax reluctantly

approved Fleck’s request to represent himself,

as long as he agreed to stand-by counsel.

A decision that both Fleck’s now former attorney,

Maryanne Stewart and Assistant DA, Harvey Dent

disagree with.

[Ms. Stewart] It’s really tragic.

Arthur believes he has all of these supporters,

but they don’t care about him.

They care about Joker.

[continues on television] He’s not dealing with reality.

He’s mentally ill.

If we could have just convinced him of that

then we would have won this case.

[Dent] Fleck knows what he’s doing.

He knows he’s losing.

We cannot forget that he’s evil.

This is all just part of his plan.

[Brooks] The Arthur Fleck trial will resume on Monday morning.

In other news, Mayor Thorndike…

[cups banging on tables]

[Bullock] There he is.

[inmates cheering]

[younger guard] All right, calm down, everybody.

[bearded guard] Hey, shut the f*** up!

Sit down. Sit down.

Fleck, get off. Arthur!

[Bullock] Yeah, Arthur!

[younger guard] Hey, come on. Get off the table.

[older guard] Get down, Arthur.

♪ Oh, when the saints ♪

Sit the f*** down, Ricky.

♪ Go marching in ♪

Ricky!

♪ Oh, when the saints Go marching in ♪

Ricky! Get the f*** down.

♪ Oh Lord I want to be in that number ♪

[Jackie] Give me the hat! ♪ When the saints… ♪

Get the f*** down when I tell ya.

[inmates clamoring]

[bearded guard] Finish your f***ing dinner.

Sit down!

Calm it down.

All right, show’s over.

Calm down.

[all shouting, clamoring]

Sit the f*** down!

♪ When the saints Go marching in ♪

Bullock! ♪ Oh, when the saints! ♪

♪ Go marching in! ♪

[all] ♪ Oh, when the saints Go marching in ♪

♪ Oh, Lord I want to be in that number ♪

[alarm clanging]

♪ When the saints Go marching in ♪

[singing, noises fade]

[cackling]

[bearded guard] I’ll crack your skull open.

[singing, shouting]

[laughter echoing]

[fading] ♪ When the saints Go marching in ♪

After reviewing all the case law that offers precedent,

Jensen v. Superior Court being the most relevant,

I have reluctantly decided

that Mr. Fleck does have the right

as an attorney, to dress himself how he likes…

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