The first draft:
INT. STAIRWAY TO BELLTOWER - THAT MOMENT - NIGHT
BATMAN. Broken, beaten, his right leg useless, he hauls
himself up the steps one at a time. He should be dead.
Dried blood cakes his face, his chest.
Dizzy, exhausted, his body strained to the limit, he slumps
against a wall to steady himself, then reaches into his
utility belt for a painkiller -- and forces the capsule
back onto his dry, swollen tongue.
Quaking all over, he tries to draw himself erect... and
TOPPLES OVER, landing with his full weight on the rotten
wood of the belltower stairs.
THE STAIRWAY COLLAPSES, turning to splinters beneath him.
And suddenly BATMAN finds himself DANGLING PRECARIOUSLY IN
MIDAIR, hanging by one hand to an upper step.
It would be so much easier to let go. He looks down at the
fragments of the shattered stairway, STILL FALLING,
vanishing into the dark depths of the stairwell.
Then he looks up. At the trapdoor. A mere six feet away.
His TEETH CLENCH in a monstrous grimace. AND WITH AN
INHUMAN EFFORT, HE HOISTS HIMSELF UP ONTO THE UPPER STEPS.
For a full five seconds he's blind with pain. A RAGGED
WOODEN SHAFT is buried in his right shoulder. Twitching,
trembling, he reaches up and YANKS IT OUT with his last
ounce of strength.
The trapdoor is a foot above his head. It could be a mile.
BATMAN finally realizes he's not going to make it.
He reaches down and rips open a Velcro seal on his utility
belt, revealing the strange TIMER DEVICE we saw him making
earlier. Before he can activate it his hand falls limply at
his side.
THE BATMAN is out like a light.
INT. BELLTOWER - THAT MOMENT - NIGHT
The JOKER glances casually down at the trapdoor, wondering
what all the noise is about. He draws his gun, moves
cautiously to the trapdoor, and lifts it a few inches...
just enough to see the unconscious form on the stairs.
JOKER
... Batman?
No reply. The JOKER stands there and lets out a little
snicker. He looks out through the archway, sees no sign of
his rescue copter. Then -- a look of curious amusement on
his face -- he steps down THROUGH THE TRAPDOOR and LUGS
BATMAN up into the belltower.
He props BATMAN up against a wall. Still no sign of life.
The JOKER crouches beside him and -- almost tenderly --
pats his face.
JOKER (cont.)
Batman? Batman?
THE BATMAN's lips part. But he's too weak to speak.
JOKER (cont.)
I thought you'd be more comfortable
here in the belfry.
(chuckling to himself)
Before I kill you I'd like to see
who you are. Would that be okay?
BATMAN emits a tiny low moan. The JOKER takes it as a yes
and reaches over to undo his cowl.
BRUCE WAYNE stares up with dulled, sightless eyes. The
JOKER reaches into his pocket for a purple handkerchief,
moistens it, dabs at the caked blood on BRUCE's face.
JOKER (cont.)
Oh my, aren't we pretty.
(brightening suddenly)
I know you! You're the rich boy!!
The JOKER is enormously tickled by this discovery. He claps
his hands together in sheer glee.
JOKER (cont.)
My goodness, what in the world made
you do it? It must've been
something pretty terrible!
He's practically dancing now. He's made a friend.
JOKER (cont.)
You know, we should've sat down and
had us a little heart-to-heart. I
bet we would have got on famously.
BATMAN
Mad... man...
JOKER
Well now, you're not exactly the
picture of mental health, are you.
BATMAN
... Murderer...
JOKER
Bruce, we're both murderers. Think
how many people you've killed by
letting me live.
A SPOTLIGHT cuts through the night sky. The JOKER hears his
helicopter approaching in the distance.
BRUCE reaches down furtively. Finds the timer on his
utility belt. FLICKS A SWITCH... and the countdown begins.
The JOKER pulls a straight razor from his pocket and opens
it gingerly.
JOKER (cont.)
I have to do it now, Bruce, but it
won't even hurt. Now relax. The
bat's in his belfry, all's right
with the world...
He has the razor almost up to BRUCE's throat when BRUCE
reaches out and GRABS HIS LAPELS in a death grip. The JOKER
is momentarily amused by this seeming display of affection.
JOKER (cont.)
Why, Bruce...
Then he hears ticking.
Looks down at the flashing digital display on BRUCE's belt.
0:26 seconds. 0:25 seconds.
He SHRIEKS HORRIFICALLY and DROPS THE RAZOR.
BRUCE won't let go of him. Finally he manages to lurch
convulsively away, sprawling on the floor of the belfry.
BRUCE is wearing a great big Joker smile.
JOKER (cont.)
IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!
BRUCE
No... sense... of humor?
More coming.
I can understand your point about the cathederal scene but the scene in Vale's house seems strange to me because the impression after Joker's appearance is that very few people knew who Joker is? I.e the spinning newspaper with the headline "Mysterious Joker" or something like that. And the mayor saying to Dent in his office "You find what what this madman is poisioning us with and fast". So why Bruce then say "I know who you are" right in Joker's face and IMO trying to give him an unnecessary hint to who he is?
