FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Screenplay by
TAIKA WAITITI
Based on the Book “CAGING SKIES” by Christine Leunens

E
- E SATIR
NTI HAT
AN A
 BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Screenplay by
TAIKA WAITITI
Based on the Book “CAGING SKIES” by Christine Leunens
 FOREWORD

After receiving an email from Taika Waititi in 2010 about the possibility of a film option on my
novel Caging Skies, the first thing I did was watch his short films, “Tama Tū” and “Two Cars, One
Night.” Afterwards, I went to the cinemas to watch Boy. His fine balancing act between drama
and humour convinced me that we were coming from the same place artistically. I can still
see him putting his arms behind his head and his feet up on the desk as he observed the sea
view from the office we were meeting in for the first time. Funny, down-to-earth, refreshingly
spontaneous, it was just Taika being Taika.

That day, he explained to me how he saw the film and what parts of the book he would focus on.
My main concern was that I’d seen film adaptations so faithful to the book that they somehow
ended up unfaithful in essence, despite the well-meaning intentions. The challenge is that a book
doesn’t go directly from the book to the screen; it goes page to page. Taika’s script had much to
take from the book, yet it also had to escape it in order to come fully to life in its own medium. A
reader spends a comparatively long time in there on his or her own, days or even weeks, in the
dense chrysalis of prose, experiencing the emotions of the story while oblivious to the world.

The script had to break out of all this and be able to fly with its own wings. It had to be lighter than
the book. Yet, it still had to handle the condensed weight of the plot, the historical premises, the
hopes, dreams and pains of the main characters, while being able to navigate all the tonal shifts.
This metaphor of the butterfly finds literal examples in Taika’s script/film: the butterflies that
flutter in Johannes’ stomach as he thinks of Elsa, and another butterfly that will lead to one of
the most poignant moments in the film.

Reading the script, I felt that Taika had stayed true to the story, both by what he took and what
he so generously gave of himself to it: his heart, humour, inimitable spirit. That’s all that I could
have hoped for as the author of the book. Where Caging Skies exists as a classical painting,
Taika’s film is more like Picasso’s Guernica – the essential scenes are all there, but he adds his
own personal touches. Taika made the bold move to make Hitler an imaginary “friend,” and
though comical, in Taika’s films, the laughs are never free. Based on the countless images of
Hitler courting children’s admiration as part of the process of indoctrination, it was a risk that
I’m glad he took.

What Taika didn’t know back then (when we met in 2010), nor could I have ever had imagined
while researching and writing the novel for five years at the Memorial Museum for Peace in
Normandy in the early 2000s, is how the world would change. I think people are feeling angst
about the future. People just aren’t feeling as secure or as optimistic as they were after the fall of
the Berlin Wall. Sadly, Caging Skies has become “relevant,” and alas, so has Jojo Rabbit.

Christine Leunens
 JOJO RABBIT
JOJO RABBIT
Screenplay by

Taika Waititi
Screenplay by

Taika
Based Upon the Book "CAGING Waititi
SKIES" by Christine Leunens

Based Upon the Book "CAGING SKIES" by Christine Leunens

February 8, 2019

FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES February 8, 2019

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 1.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - MORNING

We open with QUICK DETAIL SHOTS of a young boy dressing:
- A brown shirt buttoned.
- Badges pinned.
- Belt tightened.
- Neck kerchief tied.
- Socks pulled up.
- Hair combed.
- Shoes clicked together at the heels, one foot stomps down
hard on the floor.
He is dressed. We PULL to a CLOSE-UP, coming face to face
with our HERO...
JOHANNES BETZLER, (JOJO), a cute 10 year-old boy.
The room is covered with NAZI POSTERS and other
PARAPHERNALIA, including pictures of ADOLF HITLER. You
guessed it, he’s a little Nazi.

Jojo stares into a full-length mirror and takes a deep

breath.
JOJO
Jojo Betzler. Ten years old. And today
you join the ranks of the Jungvolk in a
very special training weekend. It’s going
to be intense. But today you become a
man.
(deep breath, nervous)
I swear to devot e all my energies and my
strength to the savior of our country,
Adolf Hitler. I am willing and ready to
give up my life for him, so help me God.
A STRANGE FIGURE passes behind him, an ADULT, dressed in a
NAZI UNIFORM. It feels ghostly and fantastical. We’ll find
out who this guy is very soon.

VOICE (O.S.)
Yeah man, that’s right.
(beat)
Now, Jojo Betzler, what is your mind?
JOJO
A snake mind.
VOICE (O.S.)
And Jojo Betzler, what is your body?

(CONTINUED)
 2.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
A wolf body.
VOICE (O.S.)
And Jojo Betzler, what is your courage?
JOJO
Panther courage.
VOICE (O.S.)
And Jojo Betzler, what is your soul?

JOJO
A German soul.
VOICE (O.S.)
Yeah man, you’re ready.
JOJO
Adolf, I don’t think I can do this.

The stranger leans into shot, revealing it’s none other than
Jojo’s IMAGINARY FRIEND, ADOLF HITLER. However, it’s not the
Hitler we’re all used to, he’s imaginary and therefore can
only know what Jojo knows. He’s more of a charming buffoon
who floats through life with carefree, whimsical abandon.
ADOLF
What?! Of course you can. Sure you’re a
bit scrawny, unpopular, and still can’t
tie your shoelaces without adult
supervision, but you’re also the bestest,
most loyal little Nazi I’ve ever met. Not
to mention you’re incredibly handsome.
Jojo smiles. Feeling better.
ADOLF (CONT’D)
Now you’re gonna go out there and have a
great time, ok?
JOJO
Ok.
ADOLF
Ok, that’s the spirit! Now, Heil me man.
JOJO
Heil Hitler.

ADOLF
Come on, you can do better than that.
Heil Hitler!

(CONTINUED)
 3.
CONTINUED: (2)

JOJO
Heil Hitler!
ADOLF
Just throw it away. Don’t even think
about it.
JOJO
Heil Hitler!
ADOLF
No, you’re over thinking it. Heil Hitler.
JOJO
Heil Hitler!
ADOLF
Heil HITLER.
They start jogging on the spot.

JOJO
Heil HITLER!
ADOLF
Ooh, that’s it.
JOJO
HEIL HITLER!!!
ADOLF
Yay, now you’ve got it!
JOJO
Heil Hitler! Heil Hitler! Heil Hitler!
Heil Hitler! Heil Hitler! Heil Hitler!
ADOLF
Ooh, have a great day! You’re g oing to be
the best. You can do it!

Jojo and Adolf scream like war pigs and Jojo sprints out the
door.
JOJO / ADOLF
HEIL HITLER! HEIL HITLER! HEIL HITLER!
HEIL HITLER! HEIL HITLERRRRRRR!!!
MUSIC CUE: ‘KOMM GIB MIR DEINE HAND’ BY THE BEATLES
 4.

OPENING TITLES: INTERCUT SHOTS OF JOJO RUNNING THROUGH HIS

HOMETOWN WITH FOOTAGE OF HITLER’S RISE TO GOD STATUS -
SCREAMING FANS, FANATICAL SUPPORTERS, PEOPLE CRYING, WOMEN
FAINTING - BASICALLY ESTABLISHING THAT HE WAS THE BEATLES OF
1930’S GERMANY.

EXT. TOWN - STREET - DAY

Jojo skips happily down the street, Heil Hitlering various
locals he passes by. He meets his best friend, YORKI, 10,
chubby, g awky, clumsy, who waits for him in a doorway.
JOJO
Heil Hitler, Yorki!
YORKI
Heil Hitler, Jojo!
JOJO
Are you ready for the best weekend ever?

YORKI
Yes I am!
JOJO
Let’s go!
They run off together, continuing to Heil Hitler everyone
they meet.

EXT. WOODS - HITLERJUGEND CAMP - DAY

Jojo and Yorki sit with a large group of other young kids,
all dressed in Hitler Youth uniforms, in a sprawling field.
CAPTAIN KLENZ ENDORF, weathered, disillusioned, addresses the
crowd of kids. He has a DEAD-EYE and is accompanied by the
awkwardly enthusiastic SUB-OFFICER FINKEL, and a brutish
female instructor, FRAULEIN RAHM.

KLENZENDORF
Heil Hitler, guys.
FINKEL / FRAULEIN RAHM
Heil Hitler!
KIDS
Heil Hitler!

(CONTINUED)
 5.
CONTINUED:

KLENZENDORF
Jungvolk, welcome to the Hitlerjugend
training weekend in which we will make
men and women of you all. My name is
Captain Klenzendorf - you may call me
Captain K.
FINKEL
Captain K! Woo!
KLENZENDORF
...and this is Sub-Officer Finkel. And
Fraulein Rahm.
(beat)
So, a little about me. Who am I and why
am I here talking to a bunch of little
titty-grabbers instead of leading my men
into battle tow ards glorious death? Great
question. I’ve asked it myself every day
since Operation Screw-Up, where I lost a
perfectly good eye in a totally
preventable enemy attack. And according
to my superiors, you need two eyes to be
a meaningful part of the war effort.
Beat. He picks up a rifle and quickly fires a shot, hitting a
target 100 yards away. The kids applaud.
KLENZENDORF (CONT’D)
Over the next two d ays you little
critters will get to experience some of
the things that the mighty German Army
goes through every day. And even though
it would appear our country’s on the back
foot and that there really isn’t much
hope us of winning this war, apparently
we’re doing just fine.
(takes a breath, composes
himself, he’s sad)
Anyway. You boys have all been issued
with your Deutsches Jungvolk Daggers.

Jojo and Yorki inspect and admire their nice new DEUTSCHES
JUNGVOLK (DJ) KNIVES.
KLENZENDORF (CONT’D)
These are very special and expensive
weapons, you should never be without
them. And don’t try to stab each other.
FINKEL
No stabbing!

(CONTINUED)
 6.
CONTINUED: (2)

KLENZENDORF
This is your first step towards being
men. Today you boys will be involved in
such activities as marching, bayonet
drills, grenade throwing, trench digging,
map reading, gas defense, camouflage,
trap setting, ambush techniques, war
games, firing guns and blowing stuff up.
Huge cheers from the group of boys. Jojo and Yorki smile at
each other, this is going to be awesome.

KLENZENDORF (CO NT’D)

The girls will practice important womanly
duties such as dressing wounds, making
beds, and learning how to get pregnant.
Groans of disappointment from the girls. Klenzendorf holds
the bridge of his nose as if preparing for the impending
headache he’s about to endure over the weekend. He sighs.

KLENZENDORF (CONT’D)
Alright, let’s get to it.
The crowd of kids salute and start screaming in exciteme nt.
The older boys start yelling at smaller kids, rounding them
up and y’know, being Nazis. Finkel and Rahm lead them off.
FINKEL
On your feet you little Nazis! Let’s go!
FRAULEIN RAHM
Move, move, move!
More screaming from the kids.
KLENZENDORF
God help me.

MONTAGE - HITLER YOUTH TRAINING CAMP...

MUSIC CUE: ‘I DON’T WANT TO GROW UP’ BY TOM WAITS

Various scenes of Jojo and Yorki training with the
Hitlerjuge nd.
- A bunch of kids try and climb over obstacles and under
nets. It’s mayhem.
- KNIFE THROWING. Jojo and Yorki stand around in a group of
boys throwing their DJ knives from 10 FEET into a tree.

(CONTINUED)
 7.
CONTINUED:

None of the knives stick, instead they fly off at dangerous

angles, one ricochets, lodging itself in another kid’s thigh.
- GUN RANGE. Jojo and some other kids aim their KARABINER 98K
RIFLES at a target in the distance. Jojo fires and, jumping
from the loudness of the shot, drops the rifle.
- WAR GAME. The boys are separated into 2 groups, one side
wearing RED SASHES and the other GREEN. They chase each other
round a clearing, pushing each other over and taking
prisoners etc. Jojo and Yorki are taken prisoner instantly.
An older lad, CHRISTOPH, looks at them with disappointment.

INT. HITLER YOUTH CAMP - TENT - AFTERNOON

Jojo sits in a group of boys and girls. One by one, sometimes
overlapping, the children call out.
CHILDREN
Horns / Serpent tongue / Fangs /
Green blood / Claws.
Their teacher, FR AULEIN RAHM, proudly writes the children’s
words, along with others, on a blackboard. Above them is the
heading: THE JEW. Finkel stands nearby, observing and taking
notes.
FRAULEIN RAHM
Fantastisch! Excellent work children. You
also forgot that the Jew is the offspring
of Satan and sucks the blood of Christian
children for their mitzvah.
Gasps from the children. Finkel nods - I’m afraid so.
FRAULEIN RAHM (CONT’D)
It has been scientifically proven that we
Aryans are 1000 times more advanced and
civilised than any other race.
Gasps and applause from the children. Fraulein Rahm smiles.

FRAULEIN RAHM (CONT’D)

Now, get your things together kids, it’s
time to burn some books!
CHILDREN
Yayyyy!!!
 8.

EXT. HITLER YOUTH CAMP - DUSK

A LARGE BONFIRE burns. The children hold stacks of books.
Jojo opens his bag and pulls out a small pile.
YORKI
Is that it? Only 4 books?
JOJO
It’s all I could find on the list.
(reading the authors)
Kafka... Brecht... Hesse... Burn you
losers.
He throws them into the fire, Yorki follows suit. The books
land among other burning authors, FREUD, MANN, PROUST,
HEMINGWAY, REMARQ UE.
The children skip and dance round the bonfire, throwing books
into the inferno while Fraulein Rahm cackles maniacally.

EXT. CAMP - NIGHT

An encampment. Tents glow under the night sky.

INT. TENT - NIGHT

Jojo and Yorki lie awake in sleeping bags, inspecting their
new DJ KNIVES.
JOJO
Imagine being in a battle, you’ve just
run out of ammo, all you have is your DJ
Knife. I would take down 20 of them
bef ore they got me. And I’d be laughing
when they did.
YORKI
I don’t like that situation. I don’t want
to die at all.
JOJO
Live Faithfully, Fight Bravely, and Die
Laughing, Yorki, that’s the motto.
YORKI
I know but I wouldn’t be laughing. I’d
probably be screaming.

(CONTINUED)
 9.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
Then I’m afraid you might not be cut out
for Hitler’s personal guard. It’s really
hard to get chosen y’know. You need to
have perfect vision, perfect teeth and
you’re only allowed a little bit of fat.
YORKI
(prodding his chubbiness)
Jews sound scary, huh?

JOJO
Not to me. If I met one I’d kill it like
that.
(tries to snap his fingers)
Like... that.
YORKI
But how would you know if you saw one?
They can look just like us.

JOJO
Oh I’d know. I’d feel it’s head for
horns. And they smell like Brussels
Sprouts.
YORKI
Oh yeah, I forgot about the Brussels
Sprouts bit.
JOJO
Imagine catching one and giving it to
Hitler. That’d be a sure-fire way to get
into his personal guard.
YORKI
He’d be so impressed.
JOJO
Then we woul d become best friends.

YORKI
I thought I was your best friend.
JOJO
Yorki, you’re my second best friend.
First place is reserved for the Führer.
He, and only he can have that spot, so
unless you’re Hitler hiding in a fat
little boy’s body I’d be happy with 2nd
place.

(CONTINUED)
 10.
CONTINUED: (2)

YORKI
I’m just a kid in a fat kid’s body.
JOJO
Case closed.
Jojo rolls over and stares at the sky.
JOJO (CONT’D)
(whispering)
Night papa, I hope you come home soon.
Night Inga, I hope you’re happy up there.

EXT. WOODS - TRAINING GROUND - MORNING

Jojo sits with a bunch of other kids. Two team leaders,
CHRISTOPH and HANS, (21) smoke cigarettes and hold court.
Christoph kisses a girl before turning to the k ids.
CHRISTOPH
When you stand before the enemy and have
to end his life, which of you will have
the stomach for it?
Everyone raises their hands. Jojo too, although a little
slow.
CHRISTOPH (CONT’D)
There is no room in Hitler’s army for
those who lack strength. We want hardened
warriors who are prepared to kill at
will. Can you do that?
OTHER KIDS
Yes / Sure / Oh absolutely.
CHRISTOPH
Johannes? Can you kill ?
JOJO
Pff, of course. I love killing.

CHRISTOPH
Good...

Hans uncovers a small cage nearby - it is filled with little

rabbits. Hans takes a bunny from the cage and holds it out
towards Jojo.
CHRISTOPH (CONT’D)
Kill it.

(CONTINUED)
 11.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
Hmm?
CHRISTOPH
Wring its neck. Kill the rabbit.
JOJO
Oh, I’m ok. I might do it later.
CHRISTOPH
No later, NOW. Or are you scared?

JOJO
I’m not scared. I’m just allergic to fur
and I don’t want itchy hands all weekend.
Hans shoves the rabbit into Jojo’s hands.

HANS
Place both hands around its neck and then
one hard twist. He might scream but we’ll
just use the boot to finish it off.
Kill... kill...
Jojo, shaking now, holds the bunny and looks at it directly
in the eye. He gulps. The boys join the chant.
OTHER KIDS
Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill...
The boys are like baying wolves; they crouch in around Jojo
as he leans over the rabbit.
Jojo DROPS the bunny, trying to shoo it away. But it doesn’t
run and Hans steps forward, grabs the rabbit, and snaps its
neck. Shocked gasps and squeaks of horror from the kids. One
of them faints. Probably Yorki.

CHRISTOPH
Coward. Just like your father.
JOJO
He’s not a coward, he’s i n Italy.
CHRISTOPH
No one has heard from him in two years.
He’s a deserting coward just like you.
HANS
Yeah, he’s a deserter.

JOJO
No, he doesn’t do that, he fights.

(CONTINUED)
 12.
CONTINUED: (2)

HANS
He’s scared and so are you. You’re as
scared as a rabbit.
He kicks Jojo to the ground. Hans places a boot on his neck.
CHRISTOPH
Scared little rabbit. Maybe we should
snap your neck too.
The rest of the kids taunt Jojo. He stands and runs into the
woods, trying to escape the laughter. Hans encourages them to
chant “Jojo Rabbit” as he runs.

EXT. WOODS - DAY

Jojo sits alone on a log, sobbing to himse lf. He looks up to
see a little BUTTERFLY flitting around by his feet... and
then a voice comes from behind.

VOICE (O.S.)
Poor Jojo, what’s wrong, little man?
Jojo turns around, it’s Adolf.
JOJO
Hi Adolf.
Adolf takes a seat.
ADOLF
Why so down in the dumps? A strong boy
like yourself shouldn’t be sad, you
should be happy like a cloud! Clouds
don’t care about anything!
JOJO
They called me a coward. And m y papa,
they say he makes desserts instead of
fighting. But I know he’s still fighting,
for you, for me, and for Germany.
ADOLF
Oh, of course he is! And he is also
making nice desserts, nothing wrong with
that. My God, his custard tarts are the
only thing keeping up morale at the
front.
(beat)
Want to tell me about the rabbit
incident? What was that all about?

(CONTINUED)
 13.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
They wanted me to kill it. I’m sorry.
ADOLF
Meh, don’t worry about it. I couldn’t
care less. Just like a cloud.
JOJO
But now they call me a scared rabbit.
ADOLF
Well you want to know something?
(off Jojo’s nod)
Just because they’re small and
delightfully cute doesn’t mean rabbits
are cowards. The rabbit faces a dangerous
world everyday, hunting carrots for his
family... for his country. Forget those
boys. They have their place and so do
you. My empire will be made up of all
animals, eagles, lions, elephants and
even the mighty rabbit.
Hitler offers Jojo a cigarette.
JOJO
No thanks, I don’t sm--
ADOLF
Can I give you some really good advice?
Be the rabbit. The humble bunny can
outwit all his enemies and that is why he
is a hero. Be. The. Rabbit.
He winks at Jojo who tries to wink back but still can only
manage a weird double wink-blink. Adolf wanders off.
Just then, Yorki arrives.
YORKI
Jojo! Are you alright Jojo? Who were you
talking to?
JOJO
Nobody, I was just out here doing some
push-ups for my muscles.
YORKI
Oh, I thought you were crying.
JOJO
Are you a teardrop specialist?

(CONTINUED)
 14.
CONTINUED: (2)

YORKI
No.
JOJO
Case closed. Now, Yorki Dorky, it’s time
for Jojo to show these pip-squeaks who is
the real cowardly rabbit.
He takes a deep breath and scurries off into the bushes.
YORKI
I’m sorry what are you talking about?
JOJO
Never mind.
YORKI
Jojo, where are you going?
JOJO
To be the rabbit!

EXT. WOODS - TRAINING GROUND - DAY

Captain Klenzendorf sits in a deck chair. He pulls the pin on
a HAND-GRENADE a nd hurls it into an open space. It EXPLODES.
REVEAL he is holding a lesson on hand-grenades. Hans,
Christoph, and the rest of the boys watch from the safety of
a TRENCH.
KLENZENDORF
Now lads, each of you will be given the
opportunity to ignite and throw a
grenade. I will personally be supervising
each of you to make sure you don’t blow
your eyes out or something. Now, who’s
first? Klaus. Come on la d.
A boy steps up and holds out his hand to take a grenade. As
Klenzendorf goes to hand it to him there’s a sudden flurry as
Jojo bursts out of the bushes and onto the scene.
JOJO
Jojo rabbit! Jojo rabbit! Hunting
carrots, Jojo rabbit!
He jumps across the trench and, snatching the grenade from
Klenzendorf’s hand, continues into the clearing beyond.
Suddenly Adolf appears, running next to Jojo.

(CONTINUED)
 15.
CONTINUED:

ADOLF
This is amazing! We’re like two human
antelopes!
Jojo pulls the PIN on the grenade and screams an ungodly war-
cry as he hurls it into the air. It bounces off a tree then
ricochets backwards, landing at his feet.
JOJO
Scheisse.

ADOLF
Shiiiiiit.
BOOM. Jojo is blown up.
KLENZENDORF
Don’t do that.
CUT TO:

EXT. WOODS - JOJO’S POV

JOJO’S POV - Jojo is being carried on a stretcher through the
woods. Klenzendo rf’s face leans in to shot.
KLENZENDORF
(lying BADLY)
Don’t worry kid, you’re doing fine. You
look great.
Yorki leans in, his eyes go wide, he faints.
Adolf leans in. Gives Jojo the THUMBS UP. But he looks
worried and disgusted. He also faints.

INT. AMBULANCE
Now we’re in an ambulance.

Fraulein Rahm leans in, her face contorts in disgust.

FRAULEIN RAHM
Oh God, he looks like a Picasso painting.
(beat)
Cubis t period.

INT. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR - DAY

Jojo’s stretcher is being wheeled down a corridor.
 16.

INT. HOSPITAL - OPERATING ROOM - DAY

Bright lights. The doctor hovers over us, we see INSTRUMENTS.
Klenzendorf steps into shot, addresses the DOCTOR.
KLENZENDORF
His mother’s going to kill me.
Adolf leans in, smiles and gives us the thumbs up. Jojo’s
BLOODIED THUMB comes into view.

FADE OUT.

INT. HOSPITAL - WARD - DAY

- A woman’s face comes in to focus. This is Jojo’s mother,
ROSIE BETZLER. As she re aches the bed, she stops, puts her
hand over her mouth. Her eyes well with tears.

ROSIE
Jojo... my darling cub.
- Jojo’s hand raises into shot, reaching out to her. The shot
floods with tears, de-focuses, and fades.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - MORNING

A NEW JOJO stands before us in front of the mirror. He has
scars on one side of his face, his RIGHT ARM appears stiff,
and he now has a limp.
ROSIE (O .S.)
Hey kid.
In the mirror Jojo sees his mother standing at the door,
smiling. She hugs him tightly, making growling noises.

ROSIE (CONT’D)
My darling little cub.
JOJO
Why so happy? Your son is ugly like a
monster.
ROSIE
You’re no monster. You’re still my
beautiful Jojo.
(MORE)

(CONTINUED)
 17.
CONTINUED:
ROSIE (CONT'D)
Besides the doctors are confident those
scars will heal and you’ll get most of
the movement back in your leg. But I’m
just happy to have you back home.
JOJO
I’ll never be in Hitler’s SS Guard now.
ROSIE
You’re fine as you are.

JOJO
I need to be better.

ROSIE
You need to be you. Mama Lion worries
about her cub, that’s all. Especially
when papa Lion isn’t here.
JOJO
Or Inga.

ROSIE
Or Inga.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - LOUNGE ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Jojo tries to tie his bootlaces but has trouble with only one
good hand. Rosie kneels down and helps him.
ROSIE
A few more months and you’ll get it. You
grab the rabbit by the tail, wrap it
around his ear, tie it all up and then
stuff him back (on) down the hole.
(then)
Now, we better get on our way. Getting
out of the house will do wonders for your
recuperation.
Rosie helps Jojo into his jacket. He catches another glimpse
of himself in a mirror.

JOJO
I don’t want to go out there.
ROSIE
Don’t be silly, of course you do.
JOJO
I look stupid. People will stare.

(CONTINUED)
 18.
CONTINUED:

ROSIE
Let them! Enjoy the attention, kid. Not
everyone is lucky enough to look stupid.
What I wouldn’t give.
She looks in the mirror.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
Instead I am cursed to look incredibly...
attractive...

Entranced, she moves in, almost kissing her reflection.

ROSIE (CONT’D)
Now, you’re going to pluck up your
courage, walk out that door and have a
fantastic adventure. Okay?
JOJO
(nodding, unsure)
Okay.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - FRONT DOOR - MOMENTS LATER

Rosie parts the blinds on the front door and peeks outside.
ROSIE
Field Marshall Jojo, looks like the coast
is clear. Now...
Looking over her shoulder, she produces a large, plain
biscuit. It’s all covert and over the top, but fun for Jojo.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
...many good men died to bring you this.
It’s a special potato-flour biscuit for
emergencies. Emergencies dammit! Not only
is it a biscuit, but it also doubles as
an eye-patch in case you are invited to a
pirate party. It could pass for a shield,
an earring, a spare wheel, and even a
believable discus should you find
yourself participating in a biscuit
Olympiad. And in a pinch it also acts as
a type of food to sustain you until
dinner.
(then, peeking out the door
once more)
Field Marshall Jojo, you’re our top man.
Prepare to leave the house...
Jojo smiles and prepares himself, playing along.

(CONTINUED)
 19.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
Is it dangerous?
Rosie smiles and winks.
ROSIE
Extremely.

EXT. HITLER YOUTH OFFICE - DAY

Jojo and Rosie enter the HITLER YOUTH OFFICE.

INT. HITLER YOUTH OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER

A giant room. Nazi Propaganda adorns the office and large
SWASTIKA BANNERS hang on the walls. The woman from the HJ
Camp, FRAULEIN RAHM, sits at a desk, staring intensely at a
large framed photo of HITLER on the wall.
A couple of TEENAGE YOUTH OFFICERS loiter about practicing
stabbin g things with their DJ Knives while some BDM GIRLS
operate a PRINTING PRESS which spits out pages of PROPAGANDA.
FINKEL is off to the side listening to music through
HEADPHONES and dancing like Ian Curtis from Joy Division.

ROSIE
HEIL HITLER!!
Fraulein Rahm jumps.
FRAULEIN RAHM
Jesus.
Captain Klenzendorf emerges from his office.
KLENZENDORF
Jojo Betzler! Looking good, friend!
(beat, to Rosie)
Frau Betzler .
Rosie walks up to Klenzendorf and kicks him in the balls. He
drops to the ground.
KLENZENDORF (CONT’D)
Owwww.
ROSIE
Ok, that’s that. Because of you, my kid
has lost the feeling in his arm and can’t
walk properly and has a messed up face.

(CONTINUED)
 20.
CONTINUED:

KLENZENDORF
But he stole the hand-grenade!
ROSIE
Yeah yeah. Now you’re going to take care
of him while I go to work. You’ll give
him a job and make sure he feels
included. Got it?
KLENZENDORF
Got it. I really got it.

ROSIE
Good.
KLENZENDORF
(standing)
Wow. Ok let’s start this again. Everyone,
this is Johannes Betzler. Remember he
stole a hand-grenade and blew himself up
and as a result I got kicked in the n uts
by his mother.
ROSIE
You sure did.
KLENZENDORF
I also got demoted if that makes you feel
better.
ROSIE
It does.
KLENZENDORF
So, Jojo. Great to see you. Alive. I’m
sure we can figure out something for you
to do.
(beat)
Ideas guys? Come on!
FRAULEIN RAHM
Well, we need someone to walk the clones.
They haven’t been outside in weeks and
some of them are malfunctioning.
REVEAL: In the corner of the room we see about a DOZEN 8 YEAR
OLD CLONES, doing various chores, typing, sweeping, painting,
playing chess. Some are just standing there dribbling.
FRAULEIN RAHM (CONT’D)
Also, you could hand out some of this
propaganda and deliver these
conscriptions.

(CONTINUED)
 21.
CONTINUED: (2)

JOJO
I don’t suppose I could be conscripted
could I?
ROSIE
(shaking her head
throughout)
Great idea! I give you full permission to
send this ten year old child off to war.
Someone give this guy a gun!

JOJO
Actually mother I’m feeling quite fit and
would be more than happy to fight at the
front.
KLENZENDORF
Get in line kid. Besides, you’re still on
the mend. For now you can start small.
Conscripts and pro paganda.

JOJO
As you wish. I will execute my orders
with precision and strength, like a
precise... boulder.
Beat.
FRAULEIN RAHM
Just deliver the stuff , kid.
JOJO
Jawohl!
He turns on his heels and is OUT.

EXT. TOWN SQUARE - DAY

Jojo pins up some posters of HITLER in a stoic pose, looking
off into the distance. Below him is the propaganda slogan:

ONE PEOPLE, ONE EMPIRE, ONE LEADER

Jojo turns and joins his moth er who is staring at a make-
shift GALLOWS. FIVE BODIES, men and women hang from the cross-
beam.
JOJO
Yuck.
He tries to turn away but Rosie takes his head and turns it
back to the view.

(CONTINUED)
 22.
CONTINUED:

ROSIE
Look.
JOJO
What did they do?
ROSIE
(shrugs)
What they could.
(beat)
Come on.

They leave.

EXT. STREET - DAY

Jojo pastes more propaganda and public announcements around
town. A truck drives past and we see one of the forest
bullies, HANS, on the back with a bunch of other young
soldiers.

HANS
Hey, Jojo Rabbit! Oh my God, look at your
face! Ewwww!
(beat)
Look at me, I am a soldier now and you
are just a p athetic postman! I am a
soldier! I'm going to war!
(then, chanting)
Jojo Rabbit! Jojo Rabbit!
The chant continues as Hans and his buddies laugh at Jojo.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM

Jojo arrives home.
JOJO
Mama! I’m home.

He drops his satchel and heads for the kitchen.

JOJO (CONT’D)
Mama, Field Marshall Jojo is home.
Suddenly, a noise from upstairs. A small THUD. Jojo looks up.
JOJO (CONT’D)
Mama Lion?
 23.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S BEDROOM - LATER

Jojo slowly makes his way down the upstairs hall, looking in
rooms. He moves towards his sister’s room. He takes a moment
before stepping into the room and wandering around. He looks
at a photo of INGA, smiles and puts it back. Then...
Jojo notices something on the other side of the room. On the
ground sits a picture in a frame. He picks it up and then he
s ees: A THIN CUT IN THE WALLPAPER in the shape of a door.

Jojo takes his trusty DJ KNIFE and pries the door OPEN. As
Jojo’s eyes adjust he begins making out objects. At first
it’s only BOOKS.
JOJO
The bad books. It’s not allowed.
Then he sees a candle, bedding, a plate, a fork, AND...
...a SKINNY, PALE CREATURE hunched in the corner, its face
partially hidden beneath her hair, dark eyes staring back.
Screaming with fright, Jojo drops his knife and stumbles back
out into the room.
Frozen in fear, Jojo stares into the darkness beyond the
secret door. Slowly, a pale hand wraps around the corner, and
then a skinny GIRL emerges. This is ELSA KORR (17)
ELSA
Hi
Jojo bolts as fast as he can, out the door and downstairs
where he trips and lands on the bottom landing.
ELSA (O.S.) (CONT’D)
Little boy...
STOMP . STOMP. STOMP. Footsteps on the stairs get louder.
Eventually Elsa rounds the corner halfway up the stairs.

JOJO
What do you want? Are you a ghost?
ELSA
(smiling spookily)
Sure. A ghost.
JOJO
Get out of my house!

(CONTINUED)
 24.
CONTINUED:

ELSA
Johannes, that’s no way to treat a ghost.
JOJO
Why do you live in the wall?!
ELSA
Where else should a ghost live?
Beat. Jojo leaps up and tries to make a run for it, but
before he can reach the door she grabs him by the scruff of
the neck and slams him into a wall.
ELSA (CONT’D)
Don’t make me run kid, I’m far too hungry
and you know how much we love the taste
of blood.
Jojo checks his sheath for his DJ KNIFE but it’s empty. Elsa
reveals the knife in her hand.

ELSA (CONT’D)
Lose something?
(beat)
I’m not a ghost Johannes, I’m something
worse. But I think you already know that,
don’t you? You know what I am.
JOJO
No.
She presses the knife to his throat.
ELSA
Yes. Say it.
JOJO
(he gulps, futile)
Jew.
ELSA
Gesundheit.
JOJO
You can’t be here.
ELSA
Well your mother invited me so I suppose
that makes me her guest.
JOJO
No. It’s not allowed.

(CONTINUED)
 25.
CONTINUED: (2)

ELSA
What will you do sweet Hitlerchen?
Jojo’s eyes dart towards the door, and then the telephone.
ELSA (CONT’D)
Of course. Go on then, tell them. But you
know what happens if you do? I’ll say you
helped me. And your mother too. Then
we’ll all be kaput. And if you tell her
you know about me... just one word...
(raising the knife to his
neck)
I’ll do the world a great big favour and
cut your Nazi head of f. Got it?
She releases him and backs away, still holding the knife.
ELSA (CONT’D)
I think I’ll hold onto this. It’s pretty.

She wanders back up the stairs leaving Jojo in shock.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - JOJO’S BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Jojo sits on his bed, petrified.
ADOLF (O.S.)
Sheesh, that was intense.

Adolf is sitting next to him.

JOJO
What am I gonna do??

ADOLF
Honestly, NO idea. There could be more of
them. In the walls. Hundreds of them...
They look around at the walls. They huddle closer together.
ADOLF (CONT’D)
How the hell did she get control like
that?
JOJO
She used her powers I guess. Mind
control.

(CONTINUED)
 26.
CONTINUED:

ADOLF
Oh, typical. Did you see how fast she
moved? And now she’s got your fancy
knife.
JOJO
I know! My knife!
Adolf offers Jojo a cigarette. He waves it away.
ADOLF
You’re definitely in a pickle.
(he snaps his fingers)
Got it!
(then)
Ah damn, actually I don’t have it.
But then.
JOJO ADOLF (CONT'D)
Got it. Got it!
(beat) (beat)
I have to negotiate. You have to burn the house
down and blame Winston
Churchill.
Beat.
ADOLF (CONT’D)
Ok. Try your idea first.

I NT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Jojo enters Inga/Elsa’s room. He’s wearing household objects
as ARMOUR; A POT sits on his head, he holds a KITCHEN KNIFE,
and he has a TRASH-CAN LID for a shield. He goes to the
CLOSED secret door and knocks twice.
KNOCK-KNOCK.
JOJO
Excuse me? Hello? Little girl? Um, Jew
girl in the wall?
(beat)
Yoohoo, Jew?
Just over his shoulder Adolf encourages Jojo t o continue.

(CONTINUED)
 27.
CONTINUED:

JOJO (CONT’D)
Ok well, I’ll just say what I have to say
and that’s this: I’m not scared of you
and I think you should find somewhere
else to live.
Adolf taps his watch. Jojo nods.
JOJO (CONT’D)
Ok?

From behind, in his ear, where Adolf was just standing...

ELSA
Not okay.
Jojo spins, she’s right behind him, holding his knife
smiling. She kicks him hard against his trash-can lid shield.
He flies back, hitti ng the wall and collapsing in a heap.
Elsa picks up the KITCHEN KNIFE, flips it in her hand.

ELSA (CONT’D)
Get the hell out of my room.
JOJO
Argh!!!
ADOLF (O.S.)
She’s pretty rude, y’know. That’s just my
2 pfennige...

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - JOJO’S BEDROOM - DAY

Back in the safety of Jojo’s bedroom, Jojo and Adolf pace.
ADOLF
...and now she’s got TWO knives!
JOJO
I know!

ADOLF
How are you going to chop up stuff?
J OJO
I don’t know!
ADOLF
And she’s still up there! That thing.
That...

(CONTINUED)
 28.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
Jew.
ADOLF
Jew yeah. What do we do about it?
JOJO
You think of something!
ADOLF
Oh, now I’m the expert?

Hitler lights another cigarette, offers it to Jojo.

JOJO
I don’t smoke! Stop offering me damn
cigarettes! I’m TEN!
ADOLF
Sorry, this is stressful!

They start pacing, thinking, pacing, thinking...

ADOLF (CONT’D)
Okay, let’s talk like turkeys. I guess
you can’t tell your mother or the Jew
will cut off your Nazi head. No real way
around that right now. But y’know,
there’s no reason this thing in the attic
needs to ruin your life. You could
actually use it to your advantage.
JOJO
How?
ADOLF
Well, when someone tries to use mind-
powers on me, you know what I do? Use
mind powers back on them. Remember last
year when that one-armed pirate, Von
Stauffenberg, tried to blow me up with a
table bomb?
JOJO
Yeah, you survived.
ADOLF
Correct-a-mundo. But the only reason I
survived, apart from having bomb-proof
legs, is because I outwitted old Von
Stauffy. I let him think I was dead when
in actual fact I was fine.
(MORE)

(CONTINUED)
 29.
CONTINUED: (2)
ADOLF (CONT'D)
By pretending I was dead I drew out the
traitors. So, what are you going to do?
JOJO
Pretend I’m dead?
ADOLF
Exactly. Wait. No. I think what I mean is
this: Make her feel safe and she will
drop her guard and then you will be the
one in control.
JOJO
Reverse Psychology.
ADOLF
Don’t complicate things. Just use my
backwards mind power trick on her and
you’ll be fine.
(checks his watch)
I gotta go. We’re having unicorn for
dinner at my place tonight.
Jojo’s eyes go wide.
ADOLF (CONT’D)
Concentrate, Jojo!
(beat)
Ok good luck, and remember that ancient
saying: a Jew living in your wall is
better than two Jews flying around with
their bat wings, climbing down chimneys
and eating innocent Nazis. And don’t give
her any more KNIVES!
He jumps out the window.

Out on Jojo’s worried face.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - LOUNGE - EVENING

Jojo sits in living room, staring into space.
We hear a car pull up, then footsteps. Rosie enters the house
and into the lounge.
ROSIE
Darling cub, why are you still up? Did
you eat?
(beat)
I was just taking a long walk and having
a think. Sorry, I lost track of time.

(CONTINUED)
 30.
CONTINUED:

Rosie notices one of his laces are untied again.

ROSIE (CONT’D)
(crouching to tie them)
Oh, your laces, you really must learn--
JOJO
I heard her.
ROSIE
What? Who?

JOJO
(pointing upstairs)
Inga. Her ghost.
Rosie walks out and into the kitchen.
ROSIE
(laughing)
For Heaven’s sake what are you talking
about?
He follows her. Rosie takes some bread from the cupboard and
starts opening draws.
JOJO
I heard noises upst airs.
ROSIE
Oh come on, ghosts?? We have rats in the
attic and yes I’ve heard them too.
Actually I’ve been meaning to say, you
probably shouldn’t go up there till I’ve
caught them all, they have germs and I
don’t need you getting sick. Okay?
JOJO
Okay mama. I’ll watch out for those dirty
rats.

Rosie slams the drawer shut.

ROSIE
Where are all our god damn knives?!

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - BATHROOM - NIGHT

Jojo s tands at the door to the bathroom as his mother lays in
the tub.

(CONTINUED)
 31.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
Mama, do you miss papa?
ROSIE
Like the sun misses the moon.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - ROSIE’S ROOM - NIGHT

Jojo watches as his mother fixes her hair in the mirror.

They’re wearing matching pyjamas.

JOJO
And do you miss Inga?
ROSIE
Like the moon misses the sun.
JOJO
And do you love anyone else?

ROSIE
Apart from you and Papa and Inga? MYSELF
obviously. Pff.
(beat)
Now, I left my favourite scarf in a
dream, could you be a darling and go get
it for me?
JOJO
Huh?
ROSIE
Bedtime!

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - JOJO’S ROOM - NIGHT

Rosie tucks Jojo into bed.

JOJO
Are you going to bed too?
ROSIE
Soon. I need to tidy some things first.
JOJO
What things?
ROSIE
Mama things. Boy, you really have to
trust me, I’m the boss here. Ok?

(CONTINUED)
 32.
CONTINUED:

Beat. She smiles and strokes his face.

JOJO
I guess.
ROSIE
Good boy.
She WINKS. Jojo tries a return wink but can’t.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
Like this.
She demonstrates and winks again, Jojo attempts a return wink
but isn’t getting it.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
Yeah, but with just one eye. You can do
it.
They continue this hopeless exchange a few more times. She
eventually keeps one of his eyes open with her finger and
“winks” his other eye for him.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
There you go! You got it!
She kisses him good-night and turns out the light.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S BEDROOM - NIGHT

A match is struck and a candle lit. As our eyes adjust to the
flickering light we can make out Elsa sitting in the
darkness. We then follow the match to find Rosie. She
produces bread, some pickle and a slice of cheese. Elsa
begins gobbling it down.

ROSIE
You have to be more quiet. He heard
noises up here. He can’t know. If he does
it’s the end of you. If I have to choose
between you and my son...
(beat)
I won’t know where to send you. You hear
me? He must not know because if he knows,
then they k now.
ELSA
You could reason with him.

(CONTINUED)
 33.
CONTINUED:

ROSIE
You don’t know him. He’s a fanatic. It
took him three weeks to get over the fact
his grandfather wasn’t blonde.
ELSA
Yet you let him go to the Hitler Youth,
you encourage it.
ROSIE
To get him out of the house and give you
space.
(beat)
You think I don’t hate it? It’s a hard
thing to be a mother. But even harder is
to be the mother of one of them. How do
you love a son like this, a kid who
believe s the things he does?
(beat)
In the end, you have no choice. I know
he’s still in there somewhere, the little
boy who loves to play and runs to you
because he’s scared of thunder. And
that’s all you have left, belief - hope
that your only remaining child is not
just another ghost.
ELSA
Perhaps we’re all ghosts now but we just
don’t know it.
ROSIE
Perhaps. You’ve lived more lifetimes than
most.
ELSA
I ha ven’t lived at all. And if this is
living, this hole in the wall and all
this darkness, then what will death be
like?

ROSIE
The final escape. But that’s the easy way
out. You’re being challenged; they say
you can’t live, that you won’t live. If
that comes true then they win.
ELSA
They’ve been winning so far.

(CONTINUED)
 34.
CONTINUED: (2)

ROSIE
They’ll never win. That is the power you
have - as long as there is someone alive
somewhere then they lose. They didn’t get
you yesterday, or today. Make tomorrow
the same.
She strokes Elsa’s shoulder.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
Tomorrow must be the same.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - JOJO’S ROOM - NIGHT

Jojo sits upright in bed, wide awake. He hears a door close
upstairs.
JOJO
Bad Mama.

Jojo punches his pillow and an grily dives back onto his bed.
CUT TO:

INT. REHABILITATION CENTRE - POOL - DAY

UNDERWATER: Jojo swimming down through the water. He passes
Adolf who waves as he goes by.
Jojo emerges at the surface where we see other WOUNDED MEN -
amputees, burn victims, etc.
Adolf emerges from the pool and paddles around the wounded
soldiers, doing a very bad job of hiding his disgust.
Jojo looks over to see his mothe r talking to Klenzendorf by
the side of the pool.

INT. REHABILITATION CENTRE - POOL - DAY

JOJO
Owwww!
Lying on a mattress, Jojo yells in pain as FRAULEIN RAHM
stretches his LEG.
FRAULEIN RAHM
Good, stretch, you must stretch. That’s
it. Pain is your friend.
(MORE)

(CONTINUED)
 35.
CONTINUED:
FRAULEIN RAHM (CONT'D)
Soon your leg will be only a little bit
deformed and pointless. I’m going to
recommend another month off school
because your face might scare the other
kids.
She walks away, Jojo remains lying down on his back.
ROSIE
Jojo baby, I have to go.

His mother’s OXFORDS enter frame, next to his head. They

click-clack on the tiles in front of him and he watches as
her shoes spin next to his head.
ROSIE (CONT ’D)
I’ll see you at home. I’ll see you at
home.
He nods. Rosie kisses his head, and leaves.

INT. REHABILITATION CENTRE - POOL - DAY

Jojo limps over to Klenzendorf and Finkel.
JOJO
Hi Captain K.
KLENZENDORF
Well, if it isn’t Herr Handgrenade
himself. How’s the leg?
JOJO
Pretty much healed. It only eighty
percent hurts. What are you guys doing
here?
KLENZENDORF
I’m also being made to teach the HJ boys
water warfare training. In case they ever
need to go to battle in a swimming pool.
JOJO
Can I ask you about Jews?
KLENZENDORF
Oh God, why?
JOJO
What should I do if I see one?

(CONTINUED)
 36.
CONTINUED:

KLENZENDORF
If you see a Jew then we tell the Gestapo
and they tell the SS and then they go and
kill the Jew. And anyone who helped the
Jew. And, because these are very paranoid
times, probably some other people just in
case. It’s a pretty drawn out process.
Jojo gulps.
JOJO
Even if the Jew hypnotised someone to
make them hide the Jew in the first
place?
KLENZENDORF
I’d be amazed if that could happen.
FRAULEIN RAHM
It can. It happened to my uncle. This Jew
hypnotised him into drunk fishing and he
drowned.
(to Jojo, suddenly probing)
Did you see one? A Jew?
JOJO
Nope. I’m not sure I’d be able to tell if
I did.
KLENZENDORF
Me neither. Without their funny hats it’s
damn near impossible. Someone should
write a book on the subject. It’d make
everything a lot easier.
This sparks an idea in Jojo’s head.
A WHIS TLE is heard and we cut to see a group of HITLER JUGEND
KIDS, fully dressed and wearing boots and BACKPACKS sit on
the side of the pool. They all JUMP IN and immediately start
sinking.

KLENZENDORF (CONT’D)
(to Finkel)
Finkel, they’re drowning. Come on.
(to Jojo)
See you later little man.
Klenzendorf and Finkel jump in the pool and begin rescuing
the drowning kids.
Out on Jojo, wheels spinning as he mak es a plan.
 37.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S BEDROOM - MORNING

Holding a SOUP LADLE as a weapon, Jojo approaches Elsa’s
door. He knocks twice again.
KNOCK-KNOCK.
The door opens and Elsa sits in the doorway. She still has
the two knives from earlier.
JOJO
Ok, here’s the situation. If I tell on
you, you’ll be in big trouble and I don’t
think you want that. But then you’ll tell
on me and my mother and we’ll be in
trouble which I don’t want. And if you
tell my mother I know, then she’ll kick
you out, which you don’t want. And if I
tell my mother I know, then you’ll cut
off my head, which I also don’t want.
(beat)
So it’s a Mexican stalemate.
ELSA
It’s just a normal stalemate.
JOJO
I have some conditions for allowing you
to stay here.
ELSA
Conditions?
JOJO
Yes. I will not cause any trouble for you
if you promise to tell me everything
about the Jewish race.
ELSA
Ok. We’re like you but human. Done.

JOJO
Please take this seriously. I want to
know all your secrets. Kindly refrain
from sitting on my sister’s bed.
ELSA
Why? She doesn’t need it.
JOJO
You know nothing of my sister.

(CONTINUED)
 38.
CONTINUED:

ELSA
Inga and I were friends. I remember you.
Such a funny boy.
JOJO
Enough with the small talk.
Elsa laughs.
ELSA
Ok. Obviously we are demons who love
money, right?
JOJO
(writing it down)
Obviously. Everyone knows that.
ELSA
But what people don’t know is that we are
also allergic to food.

JOJO
What?
ELSA
Cheese, bread, meat. Those things will
kill us instantly. So if you’re thinking
of ending my life, that’s the fastest
way. Also biscuits. Lethal.
Jojo writes this down, stops. He gets it.
JOJO
Very funny. Anyway, there’s not enough
food for you so I don’t know what you’re
going to do.
ELSA
Your mother managed to find some bread.
She’s kind. She treats me like a person.

JOJO
But you’re not. Not a proper person.
She looks him up and down.
ELSA
Are you?
JOJO
How dare you, Jew. You are weak like...
an eyelash. I am born of Aryan ancestry.
(MORE)

(CONTINUED)
 39.
CONTINUED: (2)
JOJO (CONT'D)
My blood is the colour of a pure red rose
and my eyes are blue like sapphires-
Suddenly, Elsa has Jojo in a headlock, twisting his weak arm
behind him. He winces in pain.
JOJO (CONT’D)
Ow ow ow ow ow ow...
She covers his mouth, suffocating him.

JOJO (CONT’D)
(muffled, quiet)
Mmmph!
ELSA
Break free.
JOJO
Mmrrmmph.

ELSA
Break free, great Aryan.
(leaning in close)
There are no weak Jews. I am descended
from those who wrestle angels and kill
giants. We were chosen by God. You were
chosen by a pathetic little man who can’t
even grow a full moustache.
His struggle is useless, he cannot break her grip. She
releases him and pushes him onto Inga’s bed.
ELSA (CONT’D)
The stronger race, huh?
She goes into her hideout and closes the door behind her.
Jojo sits there, not sure how else to proceed.
JOJO
Ok, that’s enough for today. We’ll
continue tomorrow. Okay?
(beat)
Okay?
(then )
Okay.

Jojo packs his book away and leaves.

 40.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - AFTERNOON

Adolf is dressed as a Native American. He offers Jojo a puff
on his peace-pipe.
ADOLF (O.S.)
Do you want to play Cowboys and Indians?
It might help take your mind off the
whole Jew in the attic thing.
JOJO
She doesn’t want to talk to me. This book
is going to be harder to write than I
thought.
ADOLF
You’re doing great, Jojo. I believe in
you 100 percent.
Suddenly we hear the front door open and Rosie bursting in,
flustered. She closes the door loudly:

ROSIE (O.S.)
Hallo, I’m home!
Adolf scurries around the room in a panic, looking for
somewhere to hide. Finding nothing, he hugs the wall.
JOJO
(whispering)
She can’t see you.
ADOLF
(whispering)
I know. Because I’m blending in with my
surroundings.
He’s not.
ADOLF (CONT’D)
(closing his eyes)
It also helps if I can’t see her.
Unseen by Jojo, Rosie moves to the fireplace and pulls some
small pieces of printed paper from her pocket. She LIGHTS
them and throws them into the hearth.
ADOLF (CONT’D)
Wait a minute. She’s burning something.
That’s suspicious. What’s she burning?
(yelling at Rosie)
What are you burning?

(CONTINUED)
 41.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
She can’t hear you.
ADOLF
Oh...
(then, screaming)
WHAT ARE YOU BURNING?!

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

As MUSIC plays on a record player, Jojo and Rosie sit at the

table, not speaking. Both of them eyeball each other
suspiciously. It’s definitely awkward and as we pull out to a
WIDE SHOT, we see Adolf has been sitting at the table this
whole time. He makes a gesture to Jojo that he should
probably leave them to it.
As he exits he winks at Jojo. Rosie winks at Jojo too.
JOJO
Why are you so happy?
ROSIE
Things are changing. The Allies have
taken Italy. France will be next and the
war will soon be over.
JOJO
God Dammit. Why does that make you happy?
You hate your country that much?
ROSIE
I love my country. It’s war I hate. It’s
pointless and stupid and the sooner we
have peace the better.
JOJO
The war will end but it will be the Reich
who stands tall and proud. We will crush
our enemies into dust, and when they are
destroyed we shall use their graves as
toile--
ROSIE
Hey! No more politics ok? Dinner is
neutral ground. This table is
Switzerland. Let’s eat.
Jojo watches Rosie. She barely touches her food.
JOJO
You aren’t eating?

(CONTINUED)
 42.
CONTINUED:

ROSIE
Not that hungry. I might have some later.
For now, I’m just going to chew on these
grapes.
JOJO
Well I’m especially hungry tonight. So
maybe I’ll just finish yours.
Silence. Glaring at her son, Rosie angrily eats her food.

ROSIE
How was your day, Johannes?
JOJO
Oh you know, just wandered around being a
deformed kid with nothing to live for.
ROSIE
You’re not deformed.

JOJO
My face looks like a street map, woman.
ROSIE
That’s not my fault, you did that to
yourself.
JOJO
I wouldn’t expect you to understand. If
my father were here, he’d get it.
ROSIE
Well. He’s. Not.
JOJO
I. Know. And instead I’m stuck with you.
Rosie takes a breath, then swigs deeply from a wine bottle.
ROSIE
You want your dad? Hmm?
JOJO
Yeah, I do.
ROSIE
Yeah?
JOJO
Yeah!

(CONTINUED)
 STILLS

Roman Griffin Davis

Roman Griffin Davis, Taika Waititi and Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson and Roman Griffin Davis

Thomasin McKenzie and Roman Griffin Davis

Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Roman Griffin Davis and Rebel Wilson

Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson and Roman Griffin Davis

Stephen Merchant

Taika Waititi and Roman Griffin Davis

 43.
CONTINUED: (2)

ROSIE
Ok fine!
She storms out of the room. A second later she returns
wearing her husband’s military jacket.
She walks to the fireplace and scoops up some ash and rubs it
across her face to make a “beard”. Putting on a deep voice
she slams her fist down and yells in Jojo’s face.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
(Dad voice)
Don’t ever talk to your goddamned mother
like that!!!
Jojo sits back, shocked at the outburst. Rosie walks away and
stands in the corner. After a few beats...
ROSIE (CONT’D)
Paul, what happened?

Her back still to us, Rosie begins a conversation between

herself and her husband.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
(Dad)
I yelled at the kid.
(Rosie)
You should apologize.
(Dad, to Jojo)
Sorry kid.
(Rosie)
You call that an apology? Do it properly.
He misses you. Talk to him.
Rosie-Dad approaches the table and crouches before Jojo.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
(Dad, to Jojo)
Jojo, I know you miss me but I’m out
there trying to make a difference in the
world. And while I’m gone I need you to
take care of my Rosie for me. Can you do
that?
Jojo nods.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
(Dad)
Can ya?
JOJO
Yes.

(CONTINUED)
 44.
CONTINUED: (3)

ROSIE
(Dad)
Thanks. She’s doing what she can.
JOJO
(smiling)
Yes dad.
ROSIE
(Dad)
We’ve got a good kid there, Rosie. I love
him to bits.
JOJO
I love you too, dad.
ROSIE
(Dad)
Almost as much as I love this stuff!
She grabs a bottle of wine from the table and takes a big
swig from it.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
(Dad)
Boy does that taste good. Reminds me of
dancing with my Rosie at The Red Salon.
Remember, honey?
(Rosie)
I do, ba be.
She stumbles across to the RECORD PLAYER, turns up the music,
and starts dancing like a loon in the lounge.
ROSIE (CONT’D)
(Dad voice)
Hey kid, don’t just sit there. Come dance
with your parents!
Jojo laughs and gives in. He goes and dances with his mother.
Rosie holds her son close, squeezing him tightly, kissing
him, not letting go.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S BEDROOM - MORNING

A PEN skids across the floor. Elsa stops it and picks it up.
JOJO
So, I’d like you to draw a picture of
where Jews live. A typical hive; where
you all sleep, eat, and where the Queen
Jew lays the eggs.

(CONTINUED)
 45.
CONTINUED:

ELSA
You really are an idiot.
JOJO
Come on. We have a lot of work to do.
Elsa takes his pen and paper and starts drawing.
ELSA
Where Jews live. Ok.

JOJO
And tell me about your family.
ELSA
I’ll tell you about Jews but you are not
privileged to know about my family.
JOJO
I need background.

ELSA
Let me ask you something. Why are you
hanging around with me? Don’t you have
any friends?
JOJO
Of course. Yorki.
ELSA
Yorki.
JOJO
Amongst others.
ELSA
Pff...
JOJO
You don’t have anyone.
ELSA
I have Nathan.
JOJO
Who the hell is that?
ELSA
My fiancée. I have him.
JOJO
Where is he?

(CONTINUED)
 46.
CONTINUED: (2)

ELSA
Fighting in the resistance.
She holds out a LOCKET with TWO PHOTOS inside. One is a
pretty picture of Elsa, the other of a handsome man, NATHAN.
ELSA (CONT’D)
He proposed to me on the banks of the
Fluss. He knelt down like a proper
gentleman, recited a poem by Rilke, and
when I said ‘yes’ we danced into the
night.
JOJO
Snore. Who’s Rilke?
ELSA
A great Poet. Nathan’s favourite.
JOJO
Oooh, Nathan’s favo urite, yayyy.

ELSA
He’s coming to rescue me and then we’ll
go live in Paris.
JOJO
You would turn your back on Germany
forever.
ELSA
It turned on me first.
JOJO
Yeah well we don’t need you. You and your
stupid boyfriend can shut up and go live
in dumb... Cheese - Snail - Baguette -
Land.
ELSA
Now, now, just because you don’t have a
girlfriend.
JOJO
Pah! I’m too busy for girlfriends.
ELSA
One day you’ll make t ime.
He rolls his eyes.

(CONTINUED)
 47.
CONTINUED: (3)

ELSA (CONT’D)
You’ll think of nothing else. You’ll meet
someone and spend your days dreaming of
the moment you can hold her in your arms
again. That’s love.
Jojo takes a moment, under her spell. He breaks out of it.
JOJO
Ridiculous.

ELSA
Finished.
Elsa places her finished drawing next to Jojo. It’s of him.
Underneath she has written the word DUMMKOPF.
JOJO
I said to draw where Jews live. This is
just a s tupid picture of my head.

She pushes her finger into his forehead.

ELSA
That’s where we live.
She slinks back into her hideout, closes the wall behind her.
Jojo stares at his drawing.

INT. TOWN - LIBRARY - DAY

Jojo walks down an aisle of the local library. He scans the
scant shelves and finds what he was looking for; RILKE: POEMS
AND ESSAYS. He pulls it out and secretly stuffs it into his
jacket. He tu rns around and sees Hitler stuffing his own
jacket with about 20 books. They spill out onto the floor.
HITLER
Great thinking, Rabbit. We’ll use these
books to make a fake floor that she can
fall through, straight into a nest of
piranhas or hot lava. Or BOTH!
(cackling sinisterly)
She won’t know what hit her!
JOJO
Shh.
ADOLF
Shh? You shush. Let’s get a book and go.
Libraries are dumb.
 48.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - JOJO’S ROOM - DAY

Jojo writes a letter at his desk, the Rilke poetry book lies
next to him. Hitler lays on the bed reading a book.
ADOLF
Yeah, this is a really good idea, what
we're doing right now. If she had a
heart, this would break it clean in two.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S BEDROOM - AFTERNOON

Elsa sits in an armchair. Jojo walks in.
JOJO
I have something to tell you. I came
acro ss an old letter from Nathan - your
fiancée - addressed to you. It’s quite
lucky I found it.

ELSA (O.S.)
What the hell are you talking about?
JOJO
A letter from Nathan. I’ll read it.
Pause. Jojo reads his letter.
JOJO (CONT’D)
Dear Elsa, this is hard for me to say but
I don’t want to marry you anymore. I
found another woman and we laugh a lot
and do the tongue kiss. It’s like my
favourite poet Rilke say s:
“We need, in love, to practice only this:
letting each other go.”
So goodbye and sorry about letting you
go. From Nathan, your ex-fiancée.
PS. I am not really in the resistance I
was lying. I am unemployed and quite fat
now.
Tears well in her eyes and she retreats into her hiding
space, upset. She closes the secret door, leaving Jojo alone.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - JOJO’S ROOM - AFTERNOON

Jojo is back at his desk, writing another letter.
 49.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S BEDROOM - AFTERNOON

Jojo’s back. He knocks lightly on Elsa’s wall.
KNOCK-KNOCK. The door remains closed.
JOJO
Hi. Um, don’t open the door but I
actually forgot there was a second
letter. I forgot I had it. I’ll just read
it.
(reading)
Dear Elsa. I just wanted to say that I
don’t want to break up with you now. I
changed my mind because I don’t want you
to kill yourself over me which a couple
of girls have done in the past and it’s
pretty stressful.
(beat)
I need you to stay alive. Thank God you
are being taken care of by that kid, who
I must say is a remarkable young man.
Beyo nd his years. And brave too.
(beat)
And let’s still get married sometime -
even though I truly am unemployed and
have nothing much going for me. I don’t
even know how to tie a knot or read a
map. Yours, Nathan.

Beat. The door opens, revealing Elsa looking back.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S BEDROOM - LATER

CLOSE UP on Jojo, mid-discussion with Elsa.
JOJO
Beethoven.
ELSA
Einstein.
JOJO
Bach.
ELSA
Gerschwin.

JOJ O
Brahms.
Mozart.
Wagner.

(CONTINUED)
 50.
CONTINUED:

ELSA
Musicians, is that all you have?!
JOJO
Rilke.
ELSA
Oh of course, your favourite, Rilke.
Jewish mother.
JOJO
Dietrich, then.
ELSA
(clicking her fingers)
Houdini.
JOJO
Nooooo...
ELSA
Believe it brother. Just ask Pissaro,
Modigliani, Man Ray, Gertrude Stein, Mr.
Moses and the king of them all, Jesus
Christi, Amen.
She does a MAGEN DAVID POWER MOVE with her hands.

JOJO
You’re just saying any old name now. I’ve
never heard of these people and now I’m
fed up.
He goes to leave.
ELSA
Hey.
(he st ops)
If you find any more of those letters,
will you let me know?
JOJO
Sure. Ok.
(beat)
Bye.
We stay with Elsa.

ELSA
Bye.
 51.

EXT. RIVER - DAY

Jojo and Rosie lie around on the banks of the river.
ROSIE
These banks used to be full of lovers.
There’d be singing, dancing, romance.
JOJO
There’s no time for romance, we’re at
war.

ROSIE
There’s always time for romance, babe.
One day you‘ll meet someone special.
JOJO
Why does everyone keep telling me that?
ROSIE
Who else tells you?

JOJO
Everyone. Anyway, it’s a stupid idea.
ROSIE
You’re st upid. Love is the strongest
thing in the world.
JOJO
I think you’ll find that metal is the
strongest thing in the world, followed
closely by dynamite and then muscles.
(beat)
Besides, I wouldn’t even know it if I saw
it.
ROSIE
Surprise, surprise, your shoelaces are
undone. Again.
(she ties his laces)
You’ll know it when it happens. You’ll
feel it. A pain.
JOJO
In my arse I bet.
ROSIE
Nope, in your tummy. And your heart. Like
butterflies. It’s like you’re full of
butterflies.

(CONTINUED)
 52.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
Yuck.
ROSIE
Yeah, yuck. Come on Shitler, let’s get a
move on.
She stands. Jojo gets to his feet but trips. His shoelaces
are tied together.
JOJO
Hey!
ROSIE
Haha! Oh kid, what’s wrong?
She helps him to his feet and pushes him along, he falls
again, laughing.
JOJO
Stop it!

ROSIE
Get it together, man. I’m worried about
you, are you drunk?
(to a passer-by)
Excuse me, can you help? My child is
drunk.
JOJO
(lau ghing)
Don’t believe her!
ROSIE
“I’m Jojo and I shouldn’t trust pretty
ladies to tie my shoelaces...”
He gets up and tries to chase her. They play like this, him
tripping over, trying to catch his mother, as locals watch.

EXT. RIVER - LATER

His shoelaces now properly tied, Jojo and his mother walk
along the banks of the river. She walks next to Jojo but on
an elevated retaining wall so her feet are next to his head.
ROSIE
You’re growing up too fast. A ten year
old shouldn’t be celebrating war or
talking politics. You should be having
fun, climbing trees, and then falling out
of those trees.

(CONTINUED)
 53.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
But the Führer says that when we win, it
is us young boys who will rule the world.
ROSIE
Pah! The Reich is dying. We’re going to
lose this war and then what will you do?
All I’m saying is that life is a gift and
therefore we must celebrate it, hold on
to it. We have to dance to show God we
are grateful to be alive.

She does a small twirl next to him, her shoes spinning near
his head.
JOJO
Well I won’t dance. Dancing’s for people
who don’t have a job.
ROSIE
Dancing’s for people who are free. It’s
escape from all of this.
JOJO
Well then you’re free to dance your way
home. I’ll ride!
He jumps on his bicycle and pedals away. She gives chase.
ROSIE
Oh no you don’t! No one can stop me!
She jumps on her bike and pedals after him.

EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

Jojo and Rosie ride through the countryside.
A truc k of wounded and battle weary soldiers pass by, their
young faces sunken and devoid of hope. Rosie waves.

ROSIE
Welcome back, boys! Now go home and kiss
your mothers!
This makes the boys smile and they wave back, cheering.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S ROOM - AFTERNOON

Jojo sits on Inga’s bed, Elsa is nearby.

(CONTINUED)
 54.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
No news from Nathan today I’m afraid.
He’s probably doing something amazing
like reading a book or growing a beard.
Jojo sighs.
ELSA
What’s wrong?
After a beat.

ELSA (CONT’D)
You want me to tell you about the Jews?
(off his look)
Get comfortable.
(beat)
Okay, in the beginning we used to live in
caves, deep, deep in the centre of the
Earth.

JOJO
Wait.
Jojo takes a pen and starts writing in his book.
ELSA
Sca ry places full of strange and
wonderful creatures all with one thing in
common...
JOJO
(nodding, knowingly)
Stealing the ends of penises.
ELSA
(laughing)
No you idiot. A love of art.
JOJO
No cutting penises off?

ELSA
You want the story or not?
JOJO
You may continue. But I know it’s true,
the penis thing. Rabbis use them for
earplugs.

(CONTINUED)
 55.
CONTINUED: (2)

ELSA
Aaaand moving on. So, after many years of
developing magic and spells, we slowly
moved out of the caves and into the
towns. Some of us stayed in the caves, in
our normal bodies.
JOJO
Which are... blobs or something?
ELSA
Well, I’ll draw them for you.
She takes Jojo’s book and starts drawing. Jojo watches her
elegant hands as they create the picture. She hands the book
back to Jojo; it is a beautifu l sketch of a WEIRD creature
that is more like an ELF or FAIRY. Definitely not Jewish or a
monster.
ELSA (CONT’D)
It would be better with colour.

JOJO
Where’s the horns?
ELSA
Um, they’re under the hair.
JOJO
Where are yours?
ELSA
I’m too young. They grow when you turn
21.
JOJO
Ahhh...
He writes that down too.
ELSA
Anyway, these days we live among normal
humans but often we will take over a
house and hang from th e ceiling when we
sleep, like bats. Oh, one interesting
thing is that we can read each other’s
minds.
JOJO
Everyone’s minds? What about German
minds?

(CONTINUED)
 56.
CONTINUED: (3)

ELSA
No, their heads are too thick for us to
penetrate. Like birds, our true language
sounds like singing. Crystals, glass and
gold.
JOJO
(writing)
Attracted to shiny things... but also
ugly things, Jews love ugliness. That’s
another thing we learned in school.
(beat)
Ugly things yes? You love them?
Elsa regards this 10 year-old kid writing as fast as he can,
a manic look on his face. A small smile cree ps across hers.
JOJO (CONT’D)
Hmm yes, ugly things.
He pauses, catches a glimpse of himself in a mirror on the
other side of the room. We see his scarred face. He registers
his “ugliness” and goes back to writing.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - JOJO’S BEDROOM - LATER

Jojo enters his room with a pep in his step. He sees Adolf
sitting in his bed.
ADOLF
You two seem to be getting on well.
JOJO
No, I just... I was makin g sure she was
still alive.
ADOLF
What do you care?
JOJO
I don’t. But I also don’t want a dead
person in my house. How would you like
it?
ADOLF
(wiggling his toes)
I wouldn’t care. I’m tough. All the time
you guys are spending together... I have
to admit, it makes me uncomfortable.

(CONTINUED)
 57.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
Well, you suggested it in the first
place. Besides, it’s for the book.
ADOLF
(sighs)
Okay, sorry. You’re right. Oh no, I’ve
made it weird between us, haven’t I? Is
it weird? Oh god, it’s weird now.
A beat as we process Adolf Hitler in Jojo’s bed. It’s weird.

JOJO
I’m just tired. I’m going to bed.
ADOLF
Sure, I was just keeping it warm for you.
Friends do that.
He gets out of bed, dressed in full rega lia, including those
PUFFY-HIPPED PANTS that Generals wear.

ADOLF (CONT’D)
Hey do you think this uniform is
slimming? I’m not sure about the hips on
the pants.
JOJO
You look great.
ADOLF
Thank you. Now Jojo let me give you some
really good advice. Once you see what's
in her mind and where she's trying to get
you to go - in your own head, you must go
the other way. Don’t let her put you in a
brain pris on! That, dear Jojo, is one
thing that cannot happen to a German! Do
not let her boss your German brain
around!

Jojo stares at him with admiration.

JOJO
I won’t let my brain be bossed around by
her, mein Führer.
ADOLF
Try not to. It looks like you’ve got a
lot of good information in your book, so
I think it’s time to share it with the
world, yes?

(CONTINUED)
 58.
CONTINUED: (2)

Jojo nods. Hitler goes to leave.

JOJO
Um Adolf, do you think I’m... ugly?
ADOLF
Is that a trick question?
(he ponders, then)
Is there another word for ugly but not as
offensive?

JOJO
I don’t think so.
ADOLF
Well if there was, that’d be you to a
tee. Anyway, ugly isn’t a bad thing.
Field Marshal Rommel was absolutely
hideous but he made up for it with great
joke telling abilities.
(then)
Sweet dreams, little Rabbit.
He winks and leaps out the window. Jojo looks in the mirror
once more. He scowls at himself and turns out the light.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S ROOM - NIGHT

Rosie drinks from a bottle of wine.
ROSIE
(nodding)
He’s different. He suspects something. He
thinks Inga’s ghost lives up here.
(beat)
You remind me of her. You really do. But
different of course, you’re your own
person. I would love to h ave seen her
grow into a woman, but I’ll have to watch
you instead.

She swigs some wine.

ELSA
I don’t know anything about being a
woman. Is that what it is, you drink
wine?
ROSIE
Sure.
(beat)
You’ll drink;
(MORE)

(CONTINUED)
 59.
CONTINUED:
ROSIE (CONT'D)
champagne if you’re happy, champagne if
you’re sad. You’ll drive a car and eat
cake. Gamble if you want, own diamonds
and learn how to fire a gun. You’ll go to
Morocco, take up lovers and make them
suffer, look a tiger in the eye and learn
to trust without fear. That’s what it is
to be a woman.
ELSA
Trust without fear. How do you do that,
how do you know you can trust someone?
Rosie smiles and leans in.
ROSIE
You trust them.
(she kisses Elsa’s head)
Good night.
ELSA
All those other things? Did you do that
stuff? You know, go to Morocco, and the
rest.
ROSIE
No.
(beat)
I’ve never looked a tiger in the eye.
She winks and blows out the candle.

EXT. HITLER YOUTH OFFICE - DAY

Jojo walks through town towards the Hitler Youth office.

INT. HITLER YOUTH OFFICE - DAY

Jojo walks in to see FIVE MEN dressed in GERMAN MOUNTAIN GARB
- Lederhosen etc. One or two are holding CROOKS. Klenzendorf
is at his desk, explaining something to Finkel.
KLENZENDORF
Finkel. I meant we’d need dogs for when
the city is attacked. Not actual...
German... Shepherds.
(beat)
Now get them out of here.
(then)
And Finkel? I’m sorry I yelled at you, it
was an easy mistake to make.
(MORE)

(CONTINUED)
 60.
CONTINUED:
KLENZENDORF (CONT'D)
I should have been more clear. You’re
doing a great job.
Finkel smiles back at Klenzendorf.
KLENZENDORF (CONT’D)
(to Jojo)
Hello. How can we help you today, Mr
Betzler? What’s up? Walk with me.
Jojo walks with Klenzendorf.

JOJO
If someone turned in a Jew would they get
a medal or something?
KLENZENDORF
You still going on about those people?
You know we’re preparing the city for
imminent invasion, right? I’m trying to
plan a defense strategy here. We’ve got
American’s to the West, Russians to the
East.
FRAULEIN RAHM
My friend once met some Russians and they
ate him.
JOJO
I’m really learning a lot about Jews. Did
you know they can read each others minds?
And when they sleep, they hang from the
ceiling like bats.
KLENZENDORF
And where did you come by this
information?
JOJO
Research. I’m writing a book.

KL ENZENDORF
What’s it called?
JOJO
“Yoohoo Jew”. It’s an exposé on Jews.
KLENZENDORF
(giggling)
“Yoohoo Jew”, oh my god, I love it! You
could also call it “Jew, Who?”

(CONTINUED)
 61.
CONTINUED: (2)

FRAULEIN RAHM
What about “Jews News”?
KLENZENDORF
Oh Jojo, you do have a wonderful
imagination!
JOJO
But it’s real, not imagi--
KLENZENDORF
Oh, of course it’s real! When I was your
age I had a “friend” called Conny who
used to wet my bed when I was asleep. He
got me in so much trouble. Hey, you might
like to check out what I’m working on.
He holds up a sketch of a man wearing a tasseled uniform,
cape, an d a helmet adorned with feathers. The drawings are in
coloured pencil, some of the pencils still lay about the desk
and as Klenzendorf talks, Jojo secretly pockets a couple.

KLENZENDORF (CONT’D)
As part of our preparations for the
invasion I’m re-designing my uniform.
Note, the feathers for aerodynamics, the
sparkly colour to dazzle the enemy, the
boots are purely decorative.
(then)
And this is a Ga tling gun mounted with a
radio which emits annoying music to
dishearten the enemy.
(suddenly covering the
picture with his hand)
This is all copyrighted by the way.
FINKEL
That means you can’t copy it.
KLENZENDORF
Don’t get any ideas kid. The kids tell me
that your father’s away fighting. So it
appears you are now the man of the house.
How’s the going?
JOJO
It’s ok.
Klenzendorf chuckles.
JOJO (CONT’D)
Wha t jobs do you have for me today?

(CONTINUED)
 62.
CONTINUED: (3)

KLENZENDORF
I’ve got one. I won’t lie, it’s a bit of
a step-down from what you’re used to but
we need all hands on deck right now.

EXT. TOWN - HOUSE - DAY

SFX: DOOR KNOCKING. A door opens, revealing an OLD WOMAN.
REVERSE ANGLE reveals a strange ROBOT CHARACTER made from
cardboard and silver paint, standing before her.
Written in paint along its front we see:
HELFT UNS DEUTSCHLAND! (Help us Germany!)
WI R BRAUCHEN METALL! (We need Metal!)
A little door opens on the robot and we see Jojo’s face
within.

JOJO
Good morning Frau. Our brave troops and
wonderful Führer need your help. I am
collecting much needed metal for the war
effort which will provide our troops with
bullets and airplanes. And guns, tanks,
ships, U-boats, bombs. And Iron Crosses.
OLD WOMAN
What?
JOJO
Do you have anything metal? Nuts, bo lts,
pans, toothpaste tubes...
She stares at him a while.
OLD WOMAN
What?

EXT. TOWN - STREET - DAY

Jojo wanders past torn propaganda posters of Hitler. In his
barrow are various items; a piece of RUSTED STEEL, a LEAD
PIPE, a few NUTS & BOLTS. Jojo chants as he moves through the
town.
JOJO
Metal for Hitler!
Nuts and bolts!
Pots and pans!

(CONTINUED)
 63.
CONTINUED:

He comes face to face with another METAL COLLECTING ROBOT.

They stare at each other a moment and go their separate ways.
Just then, Jojo sees a someone familiar. His mother, Rosie.
Hidden from sight within his Robot costume, he watches as she
secretly places flyers around the street - in doorways, on
tables, in letterboxes. She slips away around a corner.
Jojo walks to a little table and picks up o ne of the flyers
she placed there only seconds earlier. He reads aloud.

JOJO (CONT’D)
Free Germany. Fight the party.

EXT. TOWN - METAL DEPOSIT - DAY

Jojo unloads his barrow of metal into a large pile of other
donated things.
VOICE (O.S.)
Jojo?
He turns to see, Yorki.
JOJO
Yorki!
The two embrace. Jojo steps back to take in his old friend
who is now dressed in a soldier’s uniform. A cigarette hangs
from hi s mouth but it’s still the same old dorky Yorki.
JOJO (CONT’D)
You’re a soldier now?
YORKI
At your service! I even drink schnapps
and smoke cigarettes now. Except I don’t
light them because they taste like arse.
He theatrically “smokes” with his cigarette which isn’t lit.

JOJO
But you’re only eleven.
YORKI
I know! And look at this uniform, it’s
state of the art!
Jojo feels the uniform. It is made out of CAR DBOARD covered
in GREEN MATERIAL.

(CONTINUED)
 64.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
It’s pretty thin. Is that... paper?
YORKI
Hmm, that’s what I thought at first too.
But it’s “paper-like”. It’s the latest
material invented by our top scientists.
He holds up his arm, the sleeve is way too long.
JOJO
Well, I’m impressed. You finally made it.
Next stop, Hitler’s guard.
Jojo shuffles on the spot.
JOJO (CONT’D)
Hey Yorki... I caught a Jew. A real one.
YORKI
Wow, good for you! I saw some that they
caught hiding in the forest last month.
Personally I didn’t see what all the fuss
was about. They weren’t at all scary and
seemed kind of normal. But don’t tell
anyone I said that.
(then)
Hey what’s all that metal stuff? Are you
collecting metal stuff? This gun’s metal
stuff. Argh, I’m getting distracted, I
gotta go!
He runs off.

YORKI (CONT’D)
Oh my God it’s so hard to run in this
thing!

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S BEDROOM - DAY

Jojo lightly taps on Elsa’s wall, opens the door and holds
something ou t for her: the coloured pencils.
JOJO
You can have them. I don’t care. They’re
probably broken. Doesn’t mean anything.
That’s a good chair.
He walks to chair, looks at it.
ELSA
Thank you.

(CONTINUED)
 65.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
Yeah well, maybe you can draw some more
pictures for my book. Or not.
ELSA
I could draw you again?
JOJO
No one wants to see pictures of cripples.
ELSA
You’re hardly a cripple. Besides, true
artists don’t see that stuff.
JOJO
Blind artists you mean. Look, it’s fine,
I’ll just accept that I’ll be one of
those guys who will never get to kiss a
girl.
(beat)
And I’m not fishing for anything by the
way. I fee l quite strongly about this.
ELSA
You will be kissed, Jojo.
(beat)
Do you want me to kiss you?
JOJO
Ok, two things. Thing number one: it’s
illegal for Nazis and Jews to hang out
like we do, let alone kiss, so already
it’s out of the question. And thing
number two: it would just be a sympathy
kiss which doesn’t count.
ELSA
You’re not a Nazi.
JOJO
What are you talking about? Of course I
am.
ELSA
Not a real Na zi.
JOJO
I’m massively into Swastikas so I think
that’s a pretty good sign right there.

(CONTINUED)
 66.
CONTINUED: (2)

ELSA
You’re not a Nazi, Jojo. You’re a 10 year
old kid who ‘likes’ Swastikas and ‘likes’
dressing up in a funny uniform and wants
to be part of a club. But you’re not one
of them. Not you.
JOJO
(rolling his eyes)
Okayyy, let’s just agree to disagree,
alright?
(beat, to himself)
Not a Nazi, ha.
He picks at an imaginary thing on the wall. Elsa stares at
herself in the mirror.
ELSA
What a dirty Jew.
Jojo shu ffles nervously. He opens the bedroom door.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - BATHROOM - LATER

Elsa soaks in the tub while Jojo sits outside the door.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - ROSIE’S ROOM - LATER

Jojo sits on the bed as Elsa brushes her hair.
Yep, she’s beautiful.
As he watches her, Jojo shivers a little. He looks down and
sees butterflies in his stomach, then looks back at Elsa,
worried.
Yep, he’s in love.

INT. JOJO’S H OUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Downstairs, Elsa looks around, trying out chairs, looking at
photos, taking in the normality of the room.
ELSA
‘Living room’. Funny name.
JOJO
Stay away from the windows.
Suddenly there’s a KNOCK at the door. They freeze.

(CONTINUED)
 67.
CONTINUED:

JOJO (CONT’D)
(whispering)
She’s home. You better hide.
(calling out)
Lost your key, Mama?

INT/EXT. JOJO’S HOUSE - FRONT DOOR - CONTINUOUS

Jojo reaches the door and opens it, revealing FIVE MEN in
trench-coats - GESTAPO AGENTS - led by an intense fellow
named CAPTAIN DEERTZ.
DEERTZ
Heil Hitler. Allow me to introduce
myself. I am Captain Herman Deertz of the
Falkenheim Gestapo. This is Herr Mueller,
Herr Junker, Herr Klum, and Herr Frosch.
(then)
Heil Hitler.

JOJO
Heil Hitler.
(to Mueller)
Heil Hitler.
MUELLER
Heil Hitler.
JOJO
(to Junker)
Heil Hitler.
JUNKER
Heil Hitler.
JOJO
(to Frosch)
Heil Hitler.
FROSCH
Heil Hitler.
JOJO
(to Klum)
Heil Hitler.
KLUM
Heil Hitler.
DEERTZ
Now, we--

(CONTINUED)
 68.
CONTINUED:

KLENZENDORF (O.S.)
Sorry I’m late, my bicycle got a flat
tire. I carried it.
They are interrupted by Captain Klenzendorf entering,
carrying a bicycle, trailed by Finkel.
DEERTZ
Captain Klenzendorf? Heil Hitler.
KLENZENDORF
Heil Hitler. This is Freddy Finkel.
Finkel joins in and the two men Heil Hitler everyone in the
room all over again. Finally...
KLENZENDORF (CONT’D)
So, did I miss anything?
DEERTZ
No, we were just Heil Hitlering each
other and were about to conduct a routine
inspection.
He nods to the other agents who start snooping around the
house, inspecting drawers, cupboards, shelves.
DEERTZ (CONT’D)
And what brings you here, Captain?
KLENZENDORF
We were passing by and wanted to drop off
some pamphlets for the boy. He works for
us.
DEERTZ
I see.
KLENZENDORF
And yourself?

DEERTZ
Oh you know how it is. Routine
inspections. We’re following up on a few
leads that will probably lead to nothing,
but it’s all part of the job, isn’t it?
Deertz smiles and moves into Jojo’s bedroom.
DEERTZ (CONT’D)
So, young Johannes, you’re helping out at
the Hitlerjugend office.

(CONTINUED)
 69.
CONTINUED: (2)

JOJO
Yes.
DEERTZ
Good for you. I wish more of our citizens
had your commitment.
KLENZENDORF
Johannes is a fantastic volunteer. He’s
very imaginative.

There is a loud bang upstairs, something being overturned.

Jojo and the Officer look up.
DEERTZ
What on earth are those oafs up to? Why
don’t we go upstairs and see. Yes?
He puts an arm around Jojo and they head upstairs.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - UPSTAIRS HALL - C ONTINUOUS

They stop at Jojo’s mother’s room. The officers are looking
through her dresser and wardrobe, under the mattress.
DEERTZ
Do you know where your mother is?
JOJO
No. I think she’s in town.
DEERTZ
And tell me, what has she been up to of
late? Does she get to spend much time at
home?
JOJO
Well, she is quite busy.
Klenzendorf accidentally knocks over a chair. He exhales
heavily, clearly uncomfortable.
DEERTZ
Is she? Hm. Well it’s good to see you are
still wearing your Jugend uniform.
(beat)
But... where is your DJ knife?
Jojo looks down to his little sheath, it is still empty.
From behind them.

(CONTINUED)
 70.
CONTINUED:

ELSA (O.S.)
It’s here.
They turn to see Elsa standing at the door to Inga’s room.
She holds the knife in her hand and wears a dress and shirt
of Inga’s. She looks beautiful and... quite German. Jojo is
wide-eyed, panicked.
DEERTZ
And who might you be?

ELSA
Who might YOU be? And what are you doing
in my house?
DEERTZ
You live here too?
JOJO
This... is...
ELSA
(mocking Jojo)
Thisss... isssss...
(to Deertz)
Speak properly idiot. I’m Inga. His
sister.
There is an awkward pause. Klenzendorf COUGHS. Jojo tries to
stall.
JOJO
Heil Hitler.
ELSA
Heil. Hitler.
DEERTZ
Heil Hitler.

The others agents join in and we go through another long

round of Heil Hitler salutes, this time with Elsa.
DEE RTZ (CONT’D)
I didn’t know you had a sister, Johannes.
ELSA
Well sometimes he’d prefer I was dead.
Wouldn’t you, little Frankenstein?
Klenzendorf looks back and forth between everyone, confused.

(CONTINUED)
 71.
CONTINUED: (2)

DEERTZ
Now, now, no need to attack his
physicality. It’s a war wound. And why do
you have his knife?
ELSA
I’m guarding my room because he refuses
to stay out of it.
DEERTZ
What do you have hidden in there?

ELSA
(smiling)
Oh you know, girl’s stuff.
Deertz goes to enter Inga’s room.
DEERTZ
May I?

ELSA
Naturally.
He wanders in, inspecting the room. He walks past Elsa’s
secret door. Klenzendorf enters, walks past Jojo, eyeing him.
DEERTZ
You see we deal with an overwhelming
number of reports, denunciations, and
general investigations which means we are
severely understaffed and overworked.
Deertz opens the curtains and looks out the window.
DEERTZ (CONT’D)
Now, of course we are indeed interested
in problems of crime and anti-party
sentiment, but we still have one greater
concern; that of the Goldilocksies,
r unning amok, taking advantage of other
people in this city. Sneaking around,
eating people’s food, sleeping in their
beds... It’s quite rude.
(beat, to Elsa)
I don’t suppose I could see your papers
could I?
Elsa freezes.
DEERTZ (CONT’D)
Hmm?

(CONTINUED)
 72.
CONTINUED: (3)

KLENZENDORF
Papers, Ms Betzler. Quickly please, we
don’t have all day.
ELSA
Yes, of course.
Elsa goes to a drawer in Inga’s dresser and opens it. She
then tries another drawer and another. Eventually she pulls
out INGA’S PAPERS. Her hand is beginning to shake,
Klenzendorf takes the papers from her and looks at them, now
and then flicking a look to Elsa.
POV of the papers shows Inga when she was sick, GAUNT and
PALE; the two girls share a vague resemblance.
KLENZENDORF
How old are you in this photo?
ELSA
They’re 3 years old, I was 14.

KLENZENDORF
Date of birth?
A tense moment as Elsa pauses. Pin drop stuff.
ELSA
May 1, 1929.

Another long pause. Elsa wipes her sweaty hand on her dress.
KLENZENDORF
Correct.
(beat)
Thank you Inga. Get a new photo. You look
a bit like a ghost in this one.
Klenzendorf goes to hand the papers to Deertz who waves them
away.
DEERTZ
Wait. What is this... Yoohoo...Jew?
Jojo gulps. Deertz spies Jojo’s BOOK sitting on the dresser.
He opens the book and starts flicking through the pages. The
atmo sphere is palpable. Slowly Deertz begins to smile, and
then... he giggles.
DEERTZ (CONT’D)
(stifling laughter)
Oh my... Oh my! Tell me, who did this?
Was it you, Inga?

(CONTINUED)
 73.
CONTINUED: (4)

ELSA
Yes, it’s an exposé on Jews, how they
look, behave, think. It’ll be a gift to
the Fuhrer.
DEERTZ
This is amazing. Guys, look at this.
Klenzendorf and the others gather round Deertz as he shows
them Jojo’s fantastical drawings and writings. There are
pictures of crazy animals and fairies and magical worlds.

DEERTZ (CONT’D)
Where did you get all of these ideas?
JOJO
It’s an... exposé. For the Fuhrer.
ELSA
I just said that, Johannes.

DEERTZ
An exposé. Oh, I think he would
absolutely adore this. Oh my, this guy is
riding a dragon. “Mode of Transport”.
(turning a page)
Ooh, this is a drawing of their anatomy.
Look, this one here shows the inside of
their heads. How wonderful.
The officers are all giggling now.
KLENZENDORF
I too am quite an accomplished drawer. I
actually have slightly better perspectiv e
and cross-hatching.
Ignoring him, Deertz points at a drawing of David killing
Goliath.
DEERTZ
Oh look, this guy is killing a giant. Oh
boy.
(beat)
And what is this? “Die, Nathan, Die. Ways
of killing Nathan.” Oh this is hilarious.
Look at this guy Nathan, look at all the
ways he’s dying!
(beat)
Tell me, who is this Nathan?
Jojo looks at Elsa sheepishly. She stares at him for a
moment, then looks away.

(CONTINUED)
 74.
CONTINUED: (5)

ELSA
No one. Just a stupid boy.
Deertz chuckles. The other officers join in.
DEERTZ
Well, I must thank you for this. You have
really made my day. I do hope you
continue with it. And, of course, if you
see anything suspicious, give us a ring.
Good day.

More Heil Hitlers as they leave. Jojo just stands there,

watching.
KLENZENDORF
We’re scaling down our operations at the
Youth Office, Jojo, so your partici pation
is no longer required. Stay home, kid.
Look after your family. Look after this
knife.

Jojo nods. Klenzendorf leaves.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - ELSA’S HIDEOUT - MOMENTS LATER

Jojo finds Elsa huddled in the corner clutching Inga’s
papers.
JOJO
Elsa, you fooled them.
ELSA
May 7.
JOJO
What?
ELSA
She was born May 7, not the first.

Jojo takes the papers and reads. The DOB reads: May 7, 1928.
JOJO
He was helping u s.
ELSA
They’ll be back. They’ll find out she’s
dead. Then I’ll be dead.

(CONTINUED)
 75.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
Nobody really knows Inga died. You can be
her Elsa. It’s okay, I’ll tell mama
everything when she gets home. I’ll tell
her I know you, that we’re friends.
Elsa retreats away from Jojo.
ELSA
Jew and Nazi are not friends.

This hits Jojo. Elsa buries her head into her hands and
begins to cry. She goes into her hideout. Jojo leaves.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Jojo sits at the kitchen t able twiddling his thumbs while
Adolf, wearing oven gloves, stirs a pot on the stove.
ADOLF
So that was pretty much a bust. I can’t
believe they fell for her disguise. Mind
explaining that?
JOJO
She doesn’t seem like a bad person.
ADOLF
(immature)
Poor Jojo, he’s a widdle bit tired and
confused and the only thing he can cook
is invisible soup.
He is suddenly serious, elements of the real Hitler start
bu ilding as he gives an impassioned speech.
ADOLF (CONT’D)
I am beginning to question your loyalty
to myself and the party. You say you are
a patriot but where is the evidence? The
German soldier was born out of necessity,
Germany depends on the passion of these
young men, passion and a readiness to
fall for the fatherland.
Their resurrection will be seen in the
rise of the German folk, despite the
f utile efforts of Allied war profiteers
who send their ill-prepared armies
clumsily into the lair of the wolf.
(MORE)

(CONTINUED)
 76.
CONTINUED:
ADOLF (CONT’D)
And only those zealous men who stand
steadfast in the face of the enemy will
be remembered, their names etched into
German memory forever.
But it is up to you to decide if you want
to be remembered, or forgotten like a
grain of sand, disappearing without trace
into the desert of insignificance!
(beat)
To put it plainly - get your shit
together and sort out your priorities.
You’re ten, Jojo. Start act ing like it.
He walks out, dramatically knocking over a cup.

EXT. TOWN SQUARE - TOWN SQUARE - AFTERNOON

Jojo wheels his barrow down an alley which opens up into the
town square. He rests a moment and sees a BUTTERFLY moving
past him along a row of flowers.

Jojo smiles at this, takes interest and follows the

butterfly, crouching low to the ground, he follows the
butterfly deeper into the square. Low to the ground, he
admires the butterfly which has now come to a stop upon
another flower.
The butterfly flutters away. Jojo notices the light on the
ground is disturbed by shadows moving back and forth.
He stands.
Right in front of him are a pair of shoes, dangling. He is in
the middle of bodies hanging from the GALLOWS. He backs away
from the body and into another pair of feet. We recognize
thes e shoes. They are his mother’s.
He stumbles back, shaking, tears welling.
After a moment he moves back towards his mother. He tries to
reach her hand. It is too high. He looks back down towards
her shoes and notices her lace is untied. He tries to tie
them but can’t.

EXT. TOWN SQUARE - TOWN SQUARE - DUSK

As the sun sets Jojo remains in the park, sitting beneath the
bodies. Quiet. Still.
 77.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - ELSA’S HIDEOUT - NIGHT

Elsa sits in Inga’s room, reading by candlelight. Jojo enters
the room. Elsa looks down to see he’s holding his DJ knife,
tears streaming down his face.
He walks up to Elsa and stabs her just below the collarbone.
He’s too weak to drive it all the way in but she does little
to stop him.
Slowly she raises her hand, places it over his and pulls out
the bloody blade. Blood seeps down her chest. She nods at
him. Jojo struggles against her until he collapses to the
floor. He lies on his back. Elsa kneels next to him. They
look at each other.

EXT. JOJO’S HOUSE - ROOFTOP - NIGHT

Jojo and Elsa sit on the ROOF while distant bombing lights up
the horizon.

JOJO
Did you know?
ELSA
She didn’t tell me much, only that she
worked with friends and that your father
was so mehow involved from afar.
JOJO
No, he’s fighting in the war.
ELSA
She said he’ll return as soon as the war
is over. She didn’t want to tell you
anything for obvious reasons.
JOJO
(nodding, tearing up)
Because I’m a Nazi. Because she hated me.
I’m the enemy.
ELSA
She didn’t want you to know anything that
could get you in trouble. She wanted to
protect you - more than anything, more
than me. You were the m ost important
thing to her.
JOJO
But they found out what she was doing in
the end. They got her.

(CONTINUED)
 78.
CONTINUED:

ELSA
I’m sorry. She died trying to save lives.
That is the greatest honor any person can
achieve.
JOJO
But now I have nothing. No one.
Elsa puts an arm around his shoulder. More bombs.
ELSA
The last time I saw my parents was at the
station. They were put on a train. I ran.
Slowly found my way back to the city. A
friend of my father’s hid me. Then
another friend, then friends of
friends... till your moth er took me in.
(then)
So far I am still here. But my parents
went to a place you don’t come back from.

JOJO
What is the first thing you’ll do when
you’re free?
ELSA
Dance.
MUSIC CUE: ‘EVERYBODY’S GOTTA LIVE’ BY LOVE

MONTAGE - JOJO AND ELSA

- Jojo walks past a group of women and other locals as they
clear rubble and debris from their houses.
- Jojo barters with a local PEASANT for some OLD VEGETABLES.
- Elsa draws pictures of her surroundings; the view, the
objects in the room, Jojo.

- Jojo reads Elsa a “Nathan letter”.

- Various shots of the kids living together. Dinners.
Reading. Talking. Being.
- Jojo is out in the snow collecting sticks. He sees a
RABBIT.
- Jojo is eating a water soup while Adolf eats a roast
UNICORN HEAD.

(CONTINUED)
 79.
CONTINUED:

- Jojo’s bedroom; Jojo pins another one of Elsa’s drawings on

the wall. There are now as many of them as his pictures of
Hitler.

EXT. STREET - DAY

Jojo heads down a street and finds a group of civilian locals
being given weapons and instructions on how to use them.
There are a couple of women and young boys among them, all
looking very out of their element and bewildered.

We hear an explosion a fe w blocks away. Civilians run the

opposite way towards safety. Jojo moves towards the chaos.
He rounds a corner and sees Yorki, his uniform in tatters,
running on the other side of the street with another kid.
They’re carrying a ROCKET LAUNCHER.
JOJO
Yorki!

Yorki sees Jojo, waves, trips and falls. The Rocket Launcher
hits the ground and fires - sending a missile across the road
where it blows up a sh op. GLASS and DEBRIS shower the street.
YORKI
Scheisse! I’m so clumsy.
(beat)
Jojo! I’ve missed you. I’m sorry about
your mama. I cried for ages when I heard
what happened.
They hug.
JOJO
Yorki, what’s going on out there?
YORKI
The Russians Jojo, they’re coming. And
the Americans from the other way. And
England and China and Africa and India
and Australia. The whole world is coming!
JOJO
How are we doing?
Y ORKI
Terribly! Our only friends are the
Japanese and just between you and me,
they don’t look very Aryan. Germany’s
completely run out of money.
(MORE)

(CONTINUED)
 80.
CONTINUED:
YORKI (CONT'D)
I mean look at this uniform, it really IS
made of paper. They just glued cotton on
top of it.
He turns around and we see the back of his jacket has been
completely burned off.
YORKI (CONT’D)
I gotta get this ammo to the gunners. You
can help.

Yorki puts the ammo in Jojo’s barrow and they head off.

EXT. TOWN - STREET - DAY

The kids make their way down a street, the fire-fight in the
distance getting closer. It’s loud and chaotic. Other
soldie rs run around, old people and kids mainly.
JOJO
Hey, remember that Jew I told you about?
YORKI
Oh yeah. You caught one.
JOJO
I still have her. She’s basically my
girlfriend now.
YORKI
Good for you Jojo! A girlfriend!
JOJO
But she’s, y’know... Jewish.
YORKI
There are bigger things to worry about
than Jews, Jojo. There’s Russians
somewhere out there. They’re worse than
anyone. I heard they eat babies and have
sex with dogs. I mean, that’s bad, right?
JOJO
Sex with dogs?
YORKI
Yeah, the Englishmen do it too. We have
to stop them before they eat us and screw
all our dogs. It’s crazy. And now
Hitler’s gone we’re really on our own.

(CONTINUED)
 81.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
What?
YORKI
You didn’t hear? He’s dead. He gave up
and blew his brains out.
JOJO
No. That’s impossible!
YORKI
Blew them out. His brains. Turns out he
was hiding a lot of stuff from us. Doing
some really bad things behind everyone’s
backs. I’m not sure we chose the right
side.
Jojo and Yorki round a corner. As they approach another
MACHINE GUN POST we see an ENEMY TANK in the distance trained
on the fortification.

It fires and there’s a huge explosion. The boys drop

everything and RUN OFF.

EXT. BATTLE GROUND - CONTINUOUS

The fighting is more intense and we see more KIDS and OLD
PEOPLE, dressed in stupid paper uniforms, huddled in corners,
trying to figure out what to do. Some are crying.
The boys round a corner and find Fraulein Rahm preparing for
battle. She’s sticking a GRENADE into the back p ocket of a
CLONE.
FRAULEIN RAHM
Ok, little clone! Go find a Russian or an
American and give them a big hug!
She pulls the PIN on the grenade and sends the kid out into
the battle.

YORKI
Y’know, I’m not sure we chose the right
side. I’m beginning to wonder if we might
be the bad guys.
FRAULEIN RAHM
Yorki! Here, you’ve been promoted. Take a
gun and go kill anyone who looks
different to us! Go! Go! Go!
She shoves Yorki out into battle.

(CONTINUED)
 82.
CONTINUED:

FRAULEIN RAHM (CONT’D)

Jojo! Here, put on a jacket so you know
what side you’re on!
She hands Jojo a jacket.
FRAULEIN RAHM (CONT’D)
The Russians are over there! The
Americans are that way! We must kill
everything we see! For HITLER!

She grabs a massive MACHINE GUN and runs out into the fray.
FRAULEIN RAHM (CONT’D)
Die, DEVIL SCUM!!!
Suddenly there’s a huge explosion and the street is engulfed
in smoke and dust - Jojo and Yorki are separated.
YORKI (O.S.)
Jojo!

JOJO
Yorki! Where are you?
But Yorki has disappeared. More shots and yelling.
Dazed and disoriented, Jojo makes his way through the haze of
smoke and debris, passing the last defenders of the town -
women, children, the elderly - all desperately trying to fend
off a much stronger enemy, and failing.
KLENZENDORF runs past. We see that he is w earing his uniform
but it has been altered according to his earlier drawing. It
has SPARKLY SEQUINS on the collar, TASSELS down the sleeves.
FINKEL is with him, dressed in a similar outfit. There is an
electric energy between them. Klenzendorf sees Jojo, gives a
triumphant smile, and runs off.
Jojo follow suit and finds shelter behind a wall. He watches
as German soldiers retreat from the enemy. S ome are gunned
down, others hide behind vehicles and continue to engage.
There are fires burning throughout and the scene echoes the
crazed frenzy of the book burning bonfire from earlier. Only
this time everyone is confused, freaked out and crying.
Jojo ducks into a doorway and hides in a hole.
FADE OUT.
 83.

EXT. TOWN - STREET - DAY

Jojo walks through the ruins of his town. He sees a soldier
playing A PIANO in a bombed out house.
German POWs are being led away at gunpoint by AMERICAN
SOLDIERS.
Just then Jojo hears a whimper and looks down to see a dusty
hand reaching out from some rubble.

Jojo lifts an old door up and finds Fraulein Rahm. She’s

dying.
FRAULEIN RAHM
Oh, Heil Hitler, Jojo. Can you lift this
building up so I can get out?
She does indeed have a building on top of her.
FRAULEIN RAHM (CONT’D)
Tell Hitler I’ll be waiting for him in
Heaven where everyone is perfect.
She dies.

EXT. TOWN - STREET - DAY

Music blares, it’s an anthem of some sort. Jojo stares wide-
eyed as AMERICAN TROOPS officially enter the city in a
convoy. Some people are waving, happy. Others are crying.
Officer Deertz is also there, along with and a couple of his
Gestapo agents being taken away.
A WOMAN holding her child waves at the passing ALLIED CONVOY.
WOMAN
The war is over! America is here!
Everyone is free! We’re all going to get
Levi jeans! America! Americaaaaa!

Tanks pass by. Adolf sits perched on a local STATUE. He’s

disheveled and looks frightened.

EXT. BACK STREET - LATER

Jojo walks down a small street. We see mo re discarded photos
of Hitler and burned Nazi banners.
VOICE (O.S.)
German! Wehrmacht!

(CONTINUED)
 84.
CONTINUED:

Just then a Russian Soldier grabs Jojo by the scruff of the

neck and shoves him into a group of German POW’s being
marched at gun point down the street.
Among the group we see Christoph, one the arsehole kids from
the Hitler Youth Camp. He’s crying. We also find CAPTAIN
KLENZENDORF, his revamped uniform in tatters.
Jojo makes his way to Klenzendorf.
JOJO
Captain K! What’s happening?
KLENZENDORF
Hyste ria my friend. We’ve come to the
end.
JOJO
Fraulein Rahm is dead. A building fell on
her.

KLENZENDORF
(wiping away a tear)
And my dear Finkel is gone too. I was
very fond of him.
They’re led into a private COURTYARD.

EXT. COURTYARD - CONTINUOUS

They’re jostled about, pushed and shoved into groups.
RUSSIAN SOLDIER
Move! You, move there!
KLENZENDORF
Hey Jojo. I’m sorry about Rosie. She was
a good person. An a ctual good person.
And I’ve been meaning to tell you, I
think your book is really great. I’m
sorry for laughing at it. There’s some
very important stuff in there. I wish it
was around when all this started.
(beat)
You’re a good kid. Now go home and look
after that sister of yours.
He clocks a RUSSIAN SOLDIER approaching. Klenzendorf smiles
at him for a moment before ripping off Jojo’s jacket and
s hoving him to the ground.

(CONTINUED)
 85.
CONTINUED:

KLENZENDORF (CONT’D)
Get away Jew!
The soldier levels his gun at them.
RUSSIAN SOLDIER
What’s going on? You are a Jew?
KLENZENDORF
Yes. He’s scum.

RUSSIAN SOLDIER
Shut up, Nazi.
(to Jojo)
You know this Nazi?
JOJO
(pointing at Klenzendorf)
He helped us...
RUSSIAN SOLDIER
He is Nazi.
(to Klenzendorf)
You know the boy?
A brief moment as Klenzendorf stares at Jojo.
KLENZENDORF
I don’t know this dirty Jew.
JOJO
What?
KLENZ ENDORF
Ugly Jew brat!
The soldier smashes Klenzendorf square in the face with the
butt of his rifle.
RUSSIAN SOLDIER
Shut your mouth Nazi.
(to Jojo)
Jew, get out of here. Go home.
JOJO
No!
He and Klenzendorf exchange one more look before the soldier
grabs Jojo and pushes him out onto the street. The large
gates close behind him.
Jojo gets to his feet and dusts himself off.

(CONTINUED)
 86.
CONTINUED: (2)

MACHINE GUN FIRE rings out from inside the courtyard.

Jojo runs and, turning a corner...

EXT. TOWN - STREET - MOMENTS LATER

...bumps straight into Yorki. He’s covered in dirt and ash
and has lost his uniform. He now wears only underpants and an
undershirt.

YORKI
Jojo!
JOJO
Yorki! I thought you were dead.
YORKI
No, it seems I can never die.
JOJO
I don’t understand what’s happening.
YORKI
Me neither. Nothing makes sense. It’s
definitely not a good time to be a Nazi.
(beat)
I’m gonna go home and see my mother. I
need a cuddle. Hey. So now the war’s over
at least your girlfriend will be free.
She can leave now.
Jojo steps back realizing Elsa may leave.
JOJO
I have to go.
He wonders off pondering and confused.
EXT. JOJO’s HOUSE - DAY

Jojo slowly wanders up to his house, pauses a moment outside

the front door , and walks inside.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - INGA’S BEDROOM - EVENING

Jojo runs into Inga’s room. It’s empty.
He stands next to the door of her hideout.
INTERCUT between Inge’s room and Elsa’s hideout.

(CONTINUED)
 87.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
Hi. I’m home.
ELSA
What’s going on out there?
JOJO
Out where?
ELSA
Outside, dummy.
(beat)
Jojo, what’s going on? Is it safe to come
out?
Jojo thinks for a moment. Conflicted, he makes his decision.
JOJO
No. You can’t leave.
ELSA
Who won?
(silence)
Jojo. Who won the war?
She shuffles nervously.
JOJO
Germany.
(beat)
Germany won the war.
Elsa looks around at her prison.
ELSA
I thought I could leave.
Jojo stands in t he room. Alone.
He moves to the dresser and looks at a family photo, then at
the picture of his sister.

His book - Yoohoo Jew - lies on the dresser nearby. He opens

it and starts leafing through the pages, taking in everything
he and Elsa discussed and worked on together.
He stops at a picture of he and his mother riding their
bicycles.
He turns the page and sees another picture, this time it’s of
a RABBIT IN A CAGE. Outside the cage is a little boy.
Jojo takes a moment, then rips out a blank piece of paper.

(CONTINUED)
 88.
CONTINUED: (2)

He sits next to the door to Elsa’s hideout. He knocks.

JOJO
Hi. I have another letter.
(beat)
Dear Elsa, I know it’s hard for you at
the moment. I know you feel like giving
up. But you have to carry on. Your friend
Jojo and I have devised a plan to help
you escape. So please listen to him. He
will help you get out of there. Then you
can come to Paris and live with me and we
can eat snails and frogs a nd other
disgusting things that humans aren’t
supposed to eat.
(beat)
And don’t worry about Jojo, he’ll be ok
when you leave.
(beat)
See you in Paris.
(then)
Nathan.
Beat.
Elsa’s door opens.
ELSA
He’s dead.
JOJO
What?
ELSA
Nathan. He died last year. Tuberculosis.
Jojo holds up his fake letter.
JOJO
Oh, that’s weird. But then who wrote
this?

She smiles.
ELSA
Thank you, Jojo. You’ve been so good to
me.
JOJO
Elsa, me and fake Nathan have found a way
for you to escape Nazi Germany.

(CONTINUED)
 89.
CONTINUED: (3)

ELSA
How do I know I can trust you?
JOJO
Well, the thing is... I love you. I know
you think of me as a younger brother and
you’re too old anyway but--
(beat)
Man, it’s hot in here.
ELSA
I love you too, Jojo.
JOJO
As a younger brother.
ELSA
As a younger brother.
JOJO
Well then, maybe you could trust a
younger brother?
She smiles. Maybe.
JOJO (CONT’D)
Okay. Get your things together. We’re
leaving.
INT. JOJO HOUSE - JOJO’S ROOM - DAY
Jojo puts on his jacket and looks at himself in the mirror. A
different boy than we met at the beginning of the movie.
JOJO (CONT’D)
Jojo Betzler. 10 and a half years old.
Today... just do what you can.
He turns to walk out of his room, BUT...
ADOLF steps into the doorway, blocking his path. He has a
gaping wound on the side of his head where he shot himself.
ADOLF
Where in the shi t do you think you’re
going?
JOJO
Out.

(CONTINUED)
 90.
CONTINUED: (4)

ADOLF
Oh no you’re not. You’re staying right
here and you’re going to tell me what the
hell’s going on. Be honest.
JOJO
I can’t hang around with you anymore. I’m
sorry.
ADOLF
I said be honest.
(beat)
You betrayed me, traitor.
JOJO
You betrayed everyone! I believed in you!
ADOLF
But you stopped believing! And now you’re
best friends with that thing in the
attic.

JOJO
That thing is a girl.
ADOLF
You’re in love w ith her aren’t you?
JOJO
Yes.
ADOLF
Admit it.
JOJO
I just said yes!
ADOLF
I knew it! Well she’s too old for you and
you’re ugly.

Jojo stares at Adolf.

ADOLF (CONT’D)
Fine. I’m sad things didn’t work out with
us, however I’m still kind of proud of
you. Massively disappointed, but also
proud. I like to think of you as my
strange, wayward, disappointing, ugly
son.

(CONTINUED)
 91.
CONTINUED: (5)

JOJO
I already have a dad and now the war is
finished he’s coming home.
ADOLF
But you need me! I’m all you’ve got!
You’ll never make it out there. You’re a
scared little ugly rabbit. You’ll die
without me!
Adolf hands Jojo a SWASTIKA ARMBAND.

ADOLF (CONT’D)
Now you listen to me. I’m going to give
you one last chance to make things right.
You’re going to put this on and forget
about that disgusting Jew y cow up there,
and you’re going to come back to me where
you belong. Got it?
Jojo screws up the armband and throws it on the ground. Adolf
buckles in pain.
ADOLF (CONT’D)
Heyyy... hey, how about you Heil me,
yeah? Come on, for old times sake?
(beat)
Heil me, little man.
JOJO
No...
ADOLF
Come on, you know you want to. Just a
little Heil. Just a little bittle Heil
for your old friend?
JOJO
No. Fuck off Hit ler.
And with that, Jojo kicks Adolf as hard as he can in the
balls. Adolf screams as he goes FLYING THROUGH THE WINDOW and
out into OBLIVION.
Hitler is no more.

INT. JOJO’S HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY

Jojo leads Elsa by the hand down the hall. They reach the
front door and Jojo notices something.

(CONTINUED)
 92.
CONTINUED:

JOJO
Wait.
He bends down and ties Elsa’s shoelaces. She watches as he
does this, a small smile creeping across her face. Jojo
finishes and stands.
JOJO (CONT’D)
(smiling)
You ready?

ELSA
Yeah.
Jojo unlocks the door.
ELSA (CONT’D)
Jojo. Is it dangerous out there?
Jojo winks a PERFECT WINK.

JOJO
Extremely.

He opens the door. Light fills the entrance to the house.

They step outside.

EXT. JOJO’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Jojo and Elsa stand on the front steps of the house. Elsa
looks at Jojo and then back out to the street.
A car full of celebrating soldiers drives past - an American
flag sticking out the back.
They take in the view and Jojo does a small fist pump.
JOJO
Yes... we made it.
Elsa turns to Jojo and stares at him.
She slaps Jojo.
JOJO (CONT’D)
(nodding)
Yep. Probably deserved that.
(then)
So what do we do now?

Elsa shrugs and stands there. And then, ever so subtly, and
very slowly, she begins to sway... rhythmically.

(CONTINUED)
 93.
CONTINUED:

Jojo follows suit and moves his shoulders back and forth.
MUSIC CUE: ‘HELDEN’ BY DAVID BOWIE
Jojo and Elsa slowly begin to DANCE - not for anyone else,
just for themselves and each other.
BLACK

ON SCREEN:

Let everything happen to you

Beauty and terror
Just keep going
No feeling is final.
-Rainer Maria Rilke

END.
 FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

BEST PICTURE
Produced by
Carthew Neal, p.g.a. • Taika Waititi, p.g.a. • Chelsea Winstanley

BEST DIRECTOR
Taika Waititi

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Taika Waititi, Screenplay by
Christine Leunens, Based on the book “Caging Skies” by

BEST ACTOR
Roman Griffin Davis

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Taika Waititi • Sam Rockwell • Stephen Merchant • Alfie Allen

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Thomasin McKenzie • Scarlett Johansson • Rebel Wilson

BEST FILM EDITING

Tom Eagles

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Mihai Malaimare Jr., Director of Photography

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Ra Vincent, Production Designer • Nora Sopková, Set Decorator

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Music Composed by Michael Giacchino

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Mayes C. Rubeo, Costume Designer

BEST SOUND MIXING

Petr Forejt, Production Sound Mixer
Andy Nelson, Re-Recording Mixer • Ai-Ling Lee, Re-Recording Mixer

BEST SOUND EDITING

Ai-Ling Lee, Supervising Sound Editor • Tobias Poppe, Supervising Sound Editor

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Jason Chen, Visual Effects Supervisor

BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING

Dannelle Satherley, Makeup & Hair Designer

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