How was an anorexic Joker able to manhandle a younger, fitter Alfred?

In the 2019 Joker film, after finding out that his biological father could be Wayne, Joker arrives at the Wayne Manor’s front gate, where he teases a young Bruce Wayne.

He was then interrupted by a younger Alfred, who told him to leave. After refusing Joker’s wants to meet Thomas, the Joker grabs Alfred by his collar, and tries to choke him for a few seconds, before the Joker spared him and ran off. This is all while being outside a gate, against a butler whose life-long job is apparently to protect Bruce. To make things more embarrassing for Alfred, he was manhandled in front of a younger Bruce.

How is it possible for a malnourished, anorexic Joker to be able to physically dominate a seemingly well-fed, mentally, physically and financially superior butler in Alfred, who at the time, was much younger (and so theoretically stronger) than most interpretations of the character?

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Best Answer

He caught him off-guard.

Alfred likely felt fairly safe behind the gate. He probably didn't expect Arthur to be able to reach through the bars and grab him, or he would've stood further back. You say that Arthur "spared him", but I don't think he could've actually done much more to hurt Alfred from that position. I think he let go not to spare him, but because he knew Alfred would soon overpower him if he continued to try to hold onto him.

Also, I agree with the other commenters, in that while he is slim, I don't think he's necessarily malnourished. There's nothing I can remember in the film that suggests he's so poor that he can't afford to eat. In the scene where he gets into the refrigerator, it seems pretty well stocked.