Modern Times
When Arthur Fleck sneaks into a theater to confront Thomas Wayne, he disguises himself as an usher and slips into a showing of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times. The film was deliberately chosen by director Todd Phillips as it was another of his influences on Joker.
In Modern Times, Chapin’s Tramp character struggles to keep up with the way the world is today and, by the end of the movie, elects to get himself locked up in prison. This is essentially Arthur Fleck’s arc in Joker. The last time we see him, he’s been incarcerated at Arkham due to admitting to his murders on TV and killing Franklin live on air.
“I think you’d have to watch Modern Times because we believe there is some Chaplin in Arthur [Fleck] that I think is really important,” Phillips explained to IGN.
Cameos
There are numerous cameos from famous faces that you might’ve missed in Joker as they only feature in minor roles. Let’s go through a few of them.
One of the most notable is the administrative clerk at Arkham State Hospital who gives Arthur the file on his mother. He’s played by Brian Tyree Henry, who’s previously voiced Jefferson Davies, Miles’ father, in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. He’ll soon play Phastos in Marvel’s The Eternals. So, this role means he’s now turned up in three different superhero universes.
Elsewhere, remember when Arthur watches a clip of fictional actor Ethan Crane on Murray Franklin’s show so he can copy the relaxed demeanour of the star? Well, Crane is actually played by Justin Theroux in a silent cameo.
GLOW star – and outspoken comic book movie hater – Marc Maron also drops by for a short role as Franklin’s manager, who warns against letting Arthur on the show in his clown make-up.
