Joker Page #11

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

ourselves will always look at those

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.

Sophie pauses, doesn't know what to say. She lights up a

cigarette.

SOPHIE:

(trying to be nice)

Of course. Yeah. You couldn't hear

anything?

JOKER:

All I heard was my heart pounding.

SOPHIE:

It was good. I really needed to get

out of my apartment so, thanks.

(beat)

What happened to the rest of your

friends?

JOKER:

What friends?

SOPHIE:

Didn't you say some of your friends

were coming?

JOKER:

(he forgot; recovers)

Yeah, I decided not to invite them.

As a performer sometimes you want

to see how a "real" crowd reacts.

People who don't already love me,

or, or have a notion of who I am,

you know?

SOPHIE:

(nodding)

Yeah. I get that.

Joker smiles at the connection. They walk past a newsstand--

a wall of Chinese language newspapers mixed with local papers

and tabloids, screaming headlines about the three Wall Street

Guys gunned down on the train.

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