Script Analysis: “JoJo Rabbit” — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

After a first pass, it’s time to crack open the script for a deeper analysis and you can do that by creating a scene-by-scene breakdown. It is precisely what it sounds like: A list of all the scenes in the script accompanied by a brief description of the events that transpire.

For purposes of this exercise, I have a slightly different take on scene. Here I am looking not just for individual scenes per se, but a scene or set of scenes that comprise one event or a continuous piece of action. Admittedly this is subjective and there is no right or wrong, the point is simply to break down the script into a series of parts which you then can use dig into the script’s structure and themes.

The value of this exercise:

• We pare down the story to its most constituent parts: Scenes.
• By doing this, we consciously explore the structure of the narrative.
• A scene-by-scene breakdown creates a foundation for even deeper analysis of the story.

Today: Jojo Rabbit (2019). You may download a PDF of the script here.

Screenplay by Taika Waititi, based upon the book ‘Caging Skies’ by Christine Leunens.

Plot Summary: A World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy named Jojo whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother is hiding a young Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler , Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.

Jojo Rabbit
Scene by Scene Breakdown
By Gareth Boucher
GoIntoTheStory.com

1: 1944. JOHANNES BETZLER (Jojo), 10, gets dressed at home in his Hitler Youth uniform, topping it off with a pencil-drawn Hitler mustache. He tries his best to wink at a poster of his Hitler, but can’t quite figure out how to do it.

2: Jojo and his goofy best friend YORKI give “Heil Hitler”s to passersby on the streets of Vienna and plan to make a good impression at the Hitler Youth training weekend. Jojo wants to get into Hitler’s special guard early, and dreams of being a model Nazi.

2–4: At the Hitler Youth camp, Jojo and Yorki sit with other PRE-HITLER YOUTH CHILDREN around their age as real HITLER YOUTH BOYS AND GIRLS supervise. CAPTAIN KLENZENDORF, weathered, flanked by his loyal assistant SUB-OFFICER FINKEL, addresses the crowd of children.

He welcomes them to the camp, which will give them a taste of what being real Hitler Youth will be like when they grow up. Klenzendorf introduces them to their daggers and gives a preview of what they’ll do — marching, grenade throwing, and other wartime activities. He lets the girls know they’ll learn things such as nursing wounds and how to get pregnant.

4–5: Jojo and Yorki participate in daily activities — knife throwing, which ends in an impaled leg for one BOY, shooting guns, which startles Jojo, and a war game where he and Yorki are instantly captured. The girls are shown how to dress wounds and (incorrectly) deliver a baby

5–6: In the woods, Jojo, Yorki, and other CHILDREN shout words like “horns” and “fangs” to FRAULEIN RAHM as she writes them on a board, under the heading “Jew”. Rahm tells them that Aryans are 100 times more advanced than any other race, which blows the students’ minds. After, the children burn books at a bonfire.

6–8: Jojo and Yorki lie awake in their sleeping bags, wondering how to spot a Jew. Jojo says he would kill one without question, and that he wants to catch and give a Jew to Hitler so they can become best friends — Yorki is his “second best” friend. The first spot is reserved for Hitler.

Before he sleeps, Jojo whispers goodnight to his father, wishing that he’ll come home soon, and to his late sister Inga, hoping she’s happy where she is.

8–10: At a training ground in the woods, HANS and CHRISTOPH, older boys, ask the trainees who has the guts to kill a human. Everyone raises their hand, and they pick Jojo to kill a rabbit to prove he has the strength to kill.

Jojo freezes as the crowd encourages him to kill it. He can’t do it, so Christoph snaps the rabbit’s neck and tells Jojo that he is a coward like his father, who hasn’t been heard from in 2 years. Jojo claims that his father is in Italy, fighting the Allies. Christoph, Hans, and the other children tease Jojo and call him “Jojo Rabbit” as he runs into the woods.

10–12: As Jojo cries alone in the woods, his imaginary friend enters: an easygoing, goofy version of ADOLF HITLER. Hitler comforts him, letting him know that his father is still fighting and is one of his most important soldiers. He assures Jojo that it’s okay to be a rabbit, that they are brave animals that outwit their enemies and face the dangers of the world every day.

13–14: At a training ground, Klenzendorf introduces the older boys to grenades as Finkel and the younger boys watch. As Klenzendorf prepares the older boys to throw grenades, Jojo snatches one out of his hand and bolts into the woods.

Jojo and Hitler run through the woods, grenade in hand, and Jojo tosses it with valor. It bounces off a few trees and lands at his feet. It explodes, hurling him through the air.

15–16: At a hospital, Jojo is barely awake as he is taken through the building and into an operating room. Klenzendorf and Finkel explain to a doctor that Jojo was hurt by a training grenade. Klenzendorf wonders if he’ll be in trouble, and Jojo’s mother, FRAU BETZLER (Rosie), enters and comforts Jojo.

At home, in Jojo’s bedroom, Rosie keeps him company amongst Hitler posters and stuffed animals.

In the middle of the night, Jojo hears a creak outside his door. Jojo hides under the blankets and speaks into the darkness, asking Inga not to scare him.

16 -19: Jojo stands in front of his mirror and takes in his scarred face and limp arm. He thinks he’s a monster, and that he’ll never get into Hitler’s guard. Rosie assures him that he doesn’t need to be an ideal Nazi like the other boys.

Jojo is unable to tie his shoe with his good hand, and Rosie helps him. She tells him that he’ll be helping out at the Hitler Youth office to get out of the house. Outside the front door, Jojo is embarrassed of his appearance, but Rosie pumps him full of confidence.

19–20: Jojo and Rosie visit a food ration store, and then part ways at the Hitler Youth office. Rosie comforts and teases Jojo, leaving him with a few red kiss marks on his face.

20–22: In the Hitler Youth office, Jojo reconnects with Klenzendorf and Finkel. Klenzendorf explains that he was demoted due to negligence and is now stuck working in the office. Jojo eagerly awaits his duties, and is instructed to distribute conscripts and propaganda.

23–24: Around town, Jojo distributes propaganda and gives “Heil Hitler” salutes to citizens who seem unenthusiastic. In the town square, he passes a gallows where five bodies hang.

In a grocery store, Jojo hands a conscription to HERR GRUSCH, an older man. The conscription is for his son, Klaus. Herr Grusch tells Jojo that Klaus is dead, but that his name is Klaus too — the country is recruiting the old veterans of World War I to fight for Germany because there are no young people left.

25–28: Jojo arrives at home and hears a noise upstairs. He heads upstairs and wanders into Inga’s bedroom, where he discovers a secret door built into the wall. Jojo pries it open and discovers ELSA, 15, disheveled and emaciated, huddled in the darkness.

She playfully, menacingly follows him as he darts out of the room in fear. She pins Jojo against the wall and holds his knife to his throat before he can escape through the front door. She tells him that she is his mother’s guest, and he realizes that she is a Jew. Elsa threatens to cut off his head if he speaks a word to anybody, including his mother. She keeps his knife and returns to her secret room.

28–29: In Jojo’s room, Jojo and Hitler discuss what they should do next. Hitler wants him to burn the house down, but Jojo decides to negotiate.

29–30: Jojo enter’s Inga’s room wearing kitchenware as armor and armed with a knife. He politely speaks to the wall, asking Elsa to leave. Elsa startles him from behind and he again flees the room, dropping his kitchen knife.

31–32: Jojo and Hitler again strategize in his room. Hitler tells him to use “mind powers” on her — to make her feel safe until she drops her guard.

32–36: Jojo waits in fear for hours until his mother returns. He suspiciously bombards her with questions about why she’s home so late. He tests her with more questions and comments, saying that he heard a ghost upstairs. She tells him that there are rats upstairs, and that he shouldn’t go up there until she’s caught them.

Rosie puts her son to bed, and quiets his questions about what she’s up to. She tries to teach Jojo to wink, a skill he still can’t master, and kisses him goodnight.

36: That night, Jojo spies on his mother as she prepares food and brings it to Elsa. He’s confused and horrified.

36–37: At a rehabilitation center, Jojo swims and stretches in a pool along with wounded veterans.

37–39: Jojo collects his daily conscriptions at the Hitler Youth office. In Klenzendorf’s office, he stumbles upon Klenzendorf drawing fantasy cartoon guns and Finkel making a pink triangle sash. Klenzendorf shows off his drawing of a gatling gun outfitted with a radio to play music at the enemy, and tells Jojo that he occasionally works with the Gestapo.

Jojo asks Klenzendorf what would happen if he saw a Jew. Klenzendorf says that Jojo would report it to him, who would report it to the Gestapo, who would kill the Jew and other people involved. He jokingly says that someone should write a book about Jews, which grabs Jojo’s attention.

39–43: At home, in Inga’s bedroom, Jojo and Elsa negotiate — he says she can stay if she tells him everything about Jews, to help him write his book. She reveals that years ago, she and Inga were friends before Inga died. She tells Jojo that his neighbors constantly watch the house as he starts his questioning. She teases him and blows him off as he asks about Jewish shape-shifting, horns on their heads, hive-building, and other absurd myths.

43–45: Jojo and Hitler plan their next move as Rosie gets home with food. Rosie, stressed and in a subtle panic, greets Jojo as she glances out the window. She leaves and Jojo peers out the window to see a car slowly pass the house.

45–48: Jojo and Rosie eat dinner and she happily lets him know that the war is almost over — the Allies have taken Italy. Jojo’s furious. He forces himself to eat everything on his plate, leaving no leftovers for Elsa.

48–53: Jojo questions Elsa and he makes her draw a picture of a Jewish hive. She doesn’t answer any questions about her family, but reveals that she has a Jewish fiancé, Nathan, who’s 18 and off fighting in the resistance. She daydreams about the future, about moving to Paris with Nathan after the war is over, which she says will be within a year.

She entices Jojo as she talks about true love, but the spell breaks when Jojo starts talking about the superiority of the Aryan race. She puts him in a headlock, telling him that he is weak, as Jews were chosen by God. She releases him and shows him the picture she drew of the Jewish hive — it’s a picture of Jojo, with the word “Idiot”. He’s furious, as he wanted a picture of where Jews live. She lets him know that her picture is where Jews live — inside his head.

53–55: Jojo heads to a Gestapo office and goes into the filing room, looking for information about Nathan.

He can’t find anything, so he heads to the town library with Hitler and grabs a book by Rilke, Nathan’s favorite poet.

On his way home, he sees a group of fellow Hitler Youth marching and singing, led by Fraulein Rahm.

55–57: Jojo writes a letter as he reads Rilke’s book. He heads to Inga’s room and tells Elsa that he has a letter from Nathan. Jojo reads the letter he wrote, in which Nathan tells Elsa that he is leaving her for another woman. Elsa breaks down in tears and tells Jojo to leave.

Later, Jojo reads a second letter from “Nathan”. He’s changed his mind and doesn’t want to break up with Elsa. Elsa’s a little amused by Jojo’s antics.

57–59: In Inga’s bedroom, Jojo and Elsa playfully fire off names of famous Germans/Jews. Elsa gains the upper hand when she lists a series names, ending with Jesus. Jojo storms out.

59–60: Jojo and Rosie wait in line for rations. Rosie confuses a shopkeeper into giving her extra food; other citizens watch with suspicion.

60–62: At a river, Rosie talks about love as she ties Jojo’s shoelaces. She tells him that it’s the most powerful thing in the world. As they get up to leave, Jojo realizes that his mother tied his shoelaces together. They laugh and chase each other as he trips.

62–64: On their way home, Rosie begs Jojo to be a normal kid again when the war is over. They arrive at home to see the numbers “0 5” painted on their front door. Rosie’s heart sinks as she yells at the neighbors; later, she and Jojo scrub the paint off as she avoids telling him what the numbers mean.

64–67: Jojo and Elsa sit in Inga’s bedroom. He’s worried about his mother, and Elsa distracts him by offering to tell him about Jews. She fills him with tales and myths about where they’re from, what they look like, and how they take places over. Jojo reminds her that Jews love ugly things, then glances at his scarred face in the mirror.

68–71: In Jojo’s room, Hitler accosts Jojo for spending so much time with Elsa. Jojo claims that it’s all for his book. Hitler, in an impassioned speech, commands Jojo to not let Elsa take control of his brain. Hitler confirms Jojo’s fears about being ugly, then takes off out the window.

71–74: At the Hitler Youth office, Jojo shows his book “Yoohoo Jew” to Klenzendorf and Finkel. They try to contain their amusement as Jojo shows off the drawings and writings. Klenzendorf shows his drawing of a flamboyant redesign of the Nazi uniform. He tells Jojo that he has no conscriptions for the day, but has another, lesser job for him to do.

74–76: Jojo wanders around town with a wagon, collecting random scraps of metal from the citizens for the war effort. He runs into Yorki, who has been made into a soldier, complete with a paper and cardboard uniform that Yorki claims is impervious to damage. Yorki tells him that he saw a few captured Jews, and that he didn’t understand what all the fuss was about, as they seemed normal. Jojo asks Yorki for a favor.

76–79: In Inga’s room, Jojo gives Elsa some new pencils, courtesy of Yorki. She offers to draw him, but Jojo refuses, claiming he’s too ugly, afraid he’ll never be kissed. Elsa offers to kiss him, but Jojo says it’s illegal for Jews and Nazis to kiss. Elsa tells him over and over that he’s not a Nazi, then takes in her dirty and tired image in the mirror.

Jojo lets Elsa use his bathroom to take a bath. He listens from outside the door.

In Rosie’s room, Elsa doe her hair and makeup. Jojo’s stomach growls in hunger.

79–87: In the living room, Jojo and Elsa share a sad meal of a few green potatoes. Jojo answers a knock at the door as Inga hides upstairs — it’s four GESTAPO AGENTS, led by CAPTAIN DEERTZ, accompanied by Klenzendorf.

Deertz says they’ve arrived to ransack the house. The agents start to tear the house apart, opening and peeking everywhere they can. Jojo and Klenzendorf follow Deertz to Jojo’s room. Deertz notices a drawing of David killing Goliath, and asks Jojo about the numbers on the front door. Jojo doesn’t remember what they were.

Jojo, Deertz, and Klenzendorf head upstairs where the other officers are ransacking the rooms. Deertz asks about Rosie’s whereabouts, and Jojo thinks she’s somewhere around town. Elsa reveals herself, pretending to be Inga, dressed in Inga’s clothes.

Deertz inspects Inga’s room, and Klenzendorf stands in front of the secret door in the wall, blocking Deertz’s view of it. Deertz demands to see Elsa’s papers. Elsa finds Inga’s papers in a drawer and hands them over. Klenzendorf inspects them, and sees Inga’s birthday — May 7th. He asks Elsa what her birthday is, to which she responds May 1st. Klenzendorf hands the papers back, confirming “Inga’s” identity and covering for Elsa.

Deertz and his team take some papers from Rosie’s room and leaves. Klenzendorf tells Jojo that the Hitler Youth office is scaling back their operations, and that there’s no work for Jojo anymore.

87: In her hideout, Elsa’s shell-shocked. She’s sure that her identity will be found out. Jojo assures her that Klenzendorf is helping them, and that they’ll be okay. He says he’ll tell Rosie that they’re friends, to which Elsa responds that Jews and Nazis aren’t friends.

88–89: Jojo runs into Hitler in the kitchen, who’s disappointed the Gestapo didn’t catch Elsa. He tells Jojo to step up and act his age.

89–90: In the town square, after getting his rations, Jojo follows a butterfly that leads him to the gallows. A group of ten bodies hang, with the numbers “0 5” painted on their chests. A sign explains that they have been executed for involvement in the resistance movement. A body sways and turns, revealing itself to be Rosie. Jojo breaks down, trying to reach her, but she’s too high. He desperately tries tying her shoe, but fails.

Later that night, as Jojo sits near the gallows, Hitler silently comforts him.

90: Elsa reads in her hideout, and is interrupted when Jojo opens the door, holding a knife. He tries to attack her, and they struggle before he falls, hopeless. Elsa realizes what’s happened and breaks down.

90–92: Jojo and Elsa peek their heads out of a rooftop hatch as bombs drop in the distance. Elsa explains that Jojo’s mother and father were involved in the resistance, his father from afar. The “0” in “0 5” is the letter “O”, standing for Oesterreich, Austria, and the “5” represents the fifth letter in the alphabet, “E”. Together they make “OE”, the way Austria was spelled before the Nazi regime.

Elsa reassures Jojo that Rosie didn’t tell him anything because she didn’t want him to know anything that would implicate him. She tells Jojo the story of how her family was taken away on a train, and how she and her cousin escaped. Elsa eventually found her way to the city, where she’s been passed from one family friend to the next in hiding. She promises Jojo she won’t leave, and they watch the bombing into the night.

92–93: Jojo and Elsa, alone, do their best to keep themselves fed and occupied — Jojo barters for food and cooks a depressing meal, and Elsa draws pictures that Jojo hangs around his room. The amount of Elsa’s pictures on the wall start to equal the amount of Hitler propaganda. As he and Elsa eat, his stomach fills with butterflies, infatuated with her.

93–94: Later, in Spring, Jojo reads a “letter” to Elsa that raves over her drawings, supposedly from an art gallery in New York. He claims that they want to do another exhibition of her work; Elsa plays along and gives him more drawings to “send off”.

As he puts the drawings away, a distant bomb shakes the house. Gunshots sound off outside.

94–96: Outside, pandemonium ensues as Jojo watches as civilians, many of them women and children, being outfitted with weapons. Townsfolk run around, looking for safety. Jojo runs into Yorki, who carries and accidentally fires a rocket launcher. Yorki fills Jojo in — the Allies are closing in from all sides, and his uniform is truly made from paper and cardboard. Hans, the boy who tried to force Jojo to kill the rabbit, was killed in battle. Jojo offers to help Yorki, refusing to believe that Germany can lose. He takes some of Yoki’s ammo in his wheelbarrow and follows him.

96–97: Down another street, the fighting nears. Jojo tells Yorki that Elsa is his girlfriend, but is saddened because she’s Jewish. Jojo assures him that there are bigger things to worry about, like the Russians and the English.

Klenzendorf and Finkel pass through, wearing their flamboyant uniforms from their drawings, complete with Klenzendorf’s gun outfitted with a radio. Yorki heads to the battle with his ammo, and Jojo looks for a place to hide as explosions and gunfire surround him. Jojo sprints away from the fighting.

98–99: On another street, an Allied parade of tanks and soldiers pass through. A woman excitedly tells Jojo that the war is over. Imaginary Hitler is overjoyed, as this means Elsa can go to Paris and he and Jojo can be alone.

99–101: While waiting in line for rations from Russian soldiers, Jojo takes an army jacket off of a dead German soldier.

In Inga’s room, Elsa watches fireworks from the window as Jojo enters. Jojo lies and tells her that the Germans won the war. Elsa breaks down, terrified that she will be caught. Jojo assures her that she can stay with him, and that he will take care of her. Elsa sobs, hopeless.

101–102: In a classroom, Jojo attends school with other German children. A RUSSIAN TEACHER lists words like “Evil, devils, inhuman”, etc., and tells the class that they need to learn to be better Germans, as Germans are terrible. Hitler sits next to Jojo, excited.

102–104: Jojo wanders the city. Russian troops loot houses and an angry mob scouts a group of Germans. Officer Deertz, Fraulein Rahm, and Klenzendorf are among the group. Fraulein Rahm is taken with a few others and lined up against a wall.

Jojo is shuffled along amongst the prisoners and protestors, and runs into Klenzendorf, who reveals that Finkel is dead. A PARTISAN threatens them and demands to know if Jojo knows Klenzendorf. Jojo tries to say that he does, but Klenzendorf shoos him away, pretending he doesn’t know him. Jojo is swallowed into a crowd and doesn’t see as Klenzendorf and other Nazis are hanged.

104–106: At the river, Jojo runs into Yorki. Yorki tells Jojo that Hitler killed himself and was hiding things from the public, which Jojo can barely process. Yorki reveals that he’s a postman now, and gives Jojo a collection of letters for his mother, from his father. Jojo accepts that his father was a deserter, and asks if he can live with Yorki’s family.

106–109: At home, in Inga’s room, Jojo reads another letter to Elsa from “Nathan”, assuring her that she will be safe. Elsa reveals that Nathan died last winter from Tuberculosis, and that she knew all along that that Jojo was kindhearted.

Jojo tells Elsa that they are friends, and that he’s found a way to escape Germany. She tells him that she has found a way too — she’s going to kill herself. Jojo begs her not to, saying that they have to leave immediately.

109–112: In his room, Jojo tells Hitler that they shouldn’t be friends anymore. Jojo and Hitler argue, and Jojo professes his love for Elsa. Jojo says he doesn’t need Hitler anymore, as his father is coming home, and demands Hitler leave. Hitler does, and Jojo tears down the posters from his wall.

112–113: Jojo leads Elsa, clean and in possession of Inga’s papers, to the front door. He ties her shoe and gives a perfect wink before he opens the door.

They head outside, and Elsa takes it in — Allied soldiers on the street, a Russian flag on a building. She realizes she’s safe, and Jojo says they’ve made it.

Writing Exercise: I encourage you to read the script, but short of that, if you’ve seen the movie, go through this scene-by-scene breakdown. What stands out to you about it from a structural standpoint?

To download a PDF of the breakdown for Jojo Rabbit, go here.

Major kudos to Gareth Boucher for doing this scene-by-scene breakdown.

For over 100 more movie script scene-by-scene breakdowns, go here.