Joker Page #13

Joker can't believe his eyes, still laughing-- He turns to

Sophie who didn't see them. Just sits there awkwardly waiting

for it to stop.

Finally, it subsides--

JOKER:

(catching his breath)

I'm sorry. I have this thing--

SOPHIE:

I know.

Awkward beat.

SOPHIE:

How did you get it?

JOKER:

I don't know. I read you can get it

from a brain injury or, or a lesion

in there. My mom said I was born

this way. Born laughing.

49.

SOPHIE:

Is that why she calls you Happy?

JOKER:

Kind of. That actually started when

I was a kid. The other kids made

fun of me, called me Happy-- but

not in a good way. I got so sick of

it, one day when I was about ten,

I, I,--

He smiles.

SOPHIE:

What?

JOKER:

I took a razor and cut this smile

onto my face.

(she's taken aback as he

points to the scars)

Sort of like "You want happy? Here,

how's this for happy?"

He looks down, still smiling. She just watches him for a

beat.

SOPHIE:

You okay?

JOKER:

I've been thinking about this night

my whole life.

They just sit there for a beat. Quiet.

49 INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 49

Joker opening the door to his mother's apartment, holding a

doggie bag in his hand, sees the flickering blue light of the

TV on in the living room, hears the end of "LIVE WITH MURRAY

FRANKLIN!" He locks the locks, drawing the security chain

high on the door.

TURNS TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF HIS MOTHER PASSED OUT in the

living room, the cat jumping up next to her on the chair.

Joker watches for a beat as Murray does his signature sign

off, the one he's been doing for years--

50.

MURRAY FRANKLIN (ON TV)

(looking into camera)

Good night! And always remember,--

That's life.

JOKER:

(quietly)

"That's life."

He hears Don Ellis and his Jazz Orchestra playing the show's

closing song-- the instrumental version of Frank Sinatra's

"That's Life".

As the music continues, Joker puts his face up against his

mom's nose, to see if she's breathing or if she's dead.

He feels her breath against his cheek.

Now he picks his mother up in his arms and carries her into

her bedroom to the music, almost as if he's dancing with her

as he leaves the room...

We stay behind.

"That's Life" still playing from TV.

He comes back into the living room and turns off the TV.

Takes off his jacket and throws it on the couch. Notices

something sticking out of his jacket pocket. He pulls it out.

It's the envelope he was supposed to deliver to Thomas Wayne.

He stares at it for a beat. And then--

Quietly rips it open, starts to read the letter:

CLOSE ON WORDS, "Dearest Thomas, I don't know where else to

turn..."

"Need your help..."

"You have a son. We have a son. His name is Arthur."

Stops reading, stays on--

"You have a son."

JOKER STARING DOWN AT THE LETTER, reading those words over

and over again -- "You have a son."

CUT TO:

51.

50 INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, APARTMENT - EARLY MORNING 50

JOKER'S SITTING IN A CHAIR in his mother's room watching her

sleep. He has clearly been up all night. Still wearing the

same clothes.

He's holding her letter in his hand as the sun is just

starting to rise outside the windows, light just beginning to

crack the gloom.

THE ORANGE CAT SITS AT HIS FEET staring up at him, won't take

her eyes off of him.

Joker impatiently sits there for another moment waiting for

his mother to wake up, then suddenly--

SHRIEKS OUT AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS like a teapot, kicking

his back on the chair like an excited toddler--

His mother wakes with a start, looking around half asleep and

confused--

Joker turns and sees the cat run out of the room--

MOM:

--what, what time is it?

He doesn't answer.

MOM:

What happened? Did you hurt

yourself again?

Joker holds her letter up in his hand.

JOKER:

What is this? How come you never

told me?

MOM:

Is, is that my letter? Is that my

letter, Happy?

JOKER:

How could you not tell me, Ma?

MOM:

You told me you dropped it off.

You have no right opening my mail.

Who do you think you are?

JOKER:

(raising his voice;

excited)

(MORE)

52.

JOKER (CONT'D)

Apparently I'm Thomas Wayne's son!

How could you keep that from me?

His mother slowly getting up out of bed.

MOM:

Stop yelling at me, you're gonna

kill me, give me a heart attack!

She goes into the bathroom.

JOKER:

(shouts after her)

I'm not yelling! I'm just, excited.

How can any of this be real!? How

can Thomas Wayne be my father?

MOM (OS)

(shouts back from behind

the door)

I'm not talking to you until you

calm down.

Joker sits for a minute then gets up and goes to her bathroom

door. Talks to his mother from the behind the closed door.

JOKER:

(lowers his voice; trying

to sound calm)

Okay. How's this, Mom? Better? Will

you please talk to me?

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