#99: The Elephant Man

Release Date: October 10th, 1980

Format: Criterion Collection on Blu-ray

Written by: Eric Bergren, Christopher De Vore, David Lynch

Directed by: David Lynch

4 Stars

The Elephant Man is a tender, beautiful movie.

I’m not sure that David Lynch, in only his second film, is perfectly suited for the subject matter, but in a way that helps the film. In his trademark Lynchian weirdness (I say this lovingly), he easily avoids any sort of formulaic biopic tropes. He also has no interest in crowd-pleasing, Oscar-baiting social commentaries, either. He’s not explicitly here to impose his morality on the audience, although the subtext is clear: You can find beauty in this cruel, ugly world, and if you have the courage to open yourself up to it, your own capacity to love and be loved grows immeasurably.

What a lovely thought. 

The movie is based on the true story of John Merrick (John Hurt), a horrendously disfigured man who is essentially held captive and presented as the main attraction of a backroom freak show in late 19th century London. John Merrick is malnourished, almost mute, and debilitated both physically and emotionally. 

But an honorable, humanitarian doctor, Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins), saves John from his slavery and provides him a room at the London Hospital. There, for the first time in his adult life, John is treated like a human being. He re-learns to speak. He reads. He creates cardboard models. After the story of his awful hardships is reported in the newspaper, he becomes a sympathetic celebrity amongst the social elite in London. He is given heartfelt gifts and words of encouragement. He is gifted tickets to the theater. Dr. Treves invites him into his home to meet his wife, Ann (Hannah Gordon), for tea. 

It’s this scene that I found exceptional. John is moved to tears by the kindness of Dr. Treves and Ann, and reciprocates by showing them a small photo of his deceased mother that he’s carried with him his entire life. John believes that before her death in his infancy, his mother surely thought of him as a disappointment. Ann tells John that his mother is beautiful, and that “no son as loving as you are could ever be a disappointment.” John replies that he wishes his mother could see him this moment, with such “lovely, kind friends…then maybe she would love me as I am.” This brings Ann to tears, and John holds her hand to comfort her, as Dr. Treves watches on in wonder at their intense sympathy towards each other.

The scene serves as a lovely encapsulation of The Elephant Man.