Joker Page #24

CLOSE ON JOKER'S FACE BURIED IN HIS HANDS, see he's laughing--

impossible to tell if he's laughing because of his condition

or laughing for real.

88 EXT. ROADWAY, POTTER'S FIELD CEMETERY - DUSK 88

Joker walking away from his mother's grave, goes to the two

detectives -- GARRITY and BURKE -- waiting for him by their

unmarked car. His face is still red, tears in his eyes from

laughing.

JOKER:

(wiping his eyes;

restrained anger)

You shouldn't be here. It's not

right.

DET. GARRITY

We just came to pay our respects.

Sorry about your mother.

DET. BURKE

Yeah, it's too bad.

Joker just stares at the two detectives.

Awkward beat.

DET. BURKE

Where is everybody?

JOKER:

It's always been just me and her.

Joker pauses for a moment, then starts to walk away.

DET. BURKE

(calls out)

We saw you on Murray Franklin.

Joker turns back to them.

JOKER:

You saw that?

DET. GARRITY

Yeah. Heard you were on, so we got

a videotape.

DET. BURKE

I just couldn't tell if you were

actually trying to be funny or not.

89.

JOKER:

Yeah, well I guess you didn't get

the joke.

DET. GARRITY

Listen, we need to clear a few

things up, we spoke to the hospital

administrator--

JOKER:

(interrupting)

Which hospital?

DET. BURKE

The Children's Hospital.

(reminding)

The night you were fired. He said

it didn't look like a prop gun, it

was heavy, like a real one. We have

some more questions for you.

JOKER:

I just buried my mother.

The detectives share a look. Garrity pulls out a card. Hands

it to Joker.

DET. GARRITY

We can do it tomorrow. But you need

to come down to the precinct--

first thing in the morning.

JOKER:

(looks down, reading the

card)

Right. Thanks for coming.

DET. BURKE

Of course.

Joker looks back up.

JOKER:

That was a joke.

We hear applause followed by the familiar opening riff to

ELTON JOHN'S "Bennie & the Jets".

89 INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, BATHROOM - NEXT AFTERNOON 89

JOKER'S LEANING OVER THE BATHROOM SINK, water running. He's

wearing rust colored pants and a white "beater" T-shirt.

90.

A "Joker" clown mask hangs off the dirty mirror by its

elastic band. "Bennie & the Jets" blaring from a transistor

radio turned all the way up.

Joker lifts his head up. He's dyed his hair green like his

old "Mr. Jingles" clown wig-- but he's missed spots. Some of

his hair is still its original color, sticking out all helter-

skelter.

JUMP CUT:

Now he's smearing white grease-paint all over his face.

He's dancing along to the music, gyrating and thrusting his

hips to the beat, as he glances at the mask hanging from the

mirror, trying to copy how it looks... A copy of a copy of

himself.

He barely hears someone banging on the front door over the

loud music--

Doesn't answer. Joker just keeps putting on his make-up,

dancing provocatively to the music.

More banging on the front door.

Joker casually opens the medicine cabinet. Finds some old

rusty scissors and turns the radio off--

90 INT. FRONT DOOR, MOM'S APARTMENT - AFTERNOON 90

Joker unlocks the locks, keeping the security chain latched,

and cracks open the door,-- Sees Randall. Looks down, and

sees Gary next to him. Undoes the chain and opens the door

for them--

Randall and Gary get a look at Joker's face, his dyed green

hair still wet, streaking white grease-paint smeared over

part of his face--

GARY:

(re:
his look)

Hey Arthur, how's it going? You get

a new gig?

Joker shakes his head no, steps aside so they can come in,

palming the scissors in his hand--

RANDALL:

You must be goin' down to that

rally at City Hall. Right? I hear

it's gonna be nuts.

91.

JOKER:

Is that today?

Randall looks at him and laughs--

RANDALL:

Yeah. What's with the clown-face

then?

Joker shuts the door behind them. Locks the chain-lock.

JOKER:

My mom died.

RANDALL:

(nodding)

Yeah we heard. That's why we're

here. Figured you might wanna go

out, get a drink or something?

Joker doesn't answer.

Awkward beat.

GARY:

We don't wanna bother you. Randall

just thought we should come and pay

our respects.

RANDALL:

Yeah, we're family. We gotta stick

together.

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