The Elephant Man (film)
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| The Elephant Man | |
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| Directed by | David Lynch |
| Produced by | Jonathan Sanger Stuart Cornfeld Mel Brooks (uncredited) |
| Written by | Christopher De Vore Eric Bergren David Lynch |
| Starring | Anthony Hopkins John Hurt Anne Bancroft John Gielgud |
| Cinematography | Freddie Francis |
| Editing by | Anne V. Coates |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 3 October 1980 (US premiere) |
| Running time | 124 min. |
| Country | UK / USA |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5,000,000 (estimated) |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
The Elephant Man is a 1980 biopic loosely based on the story of the 19th century British deformed celebrity, Joseph Merrick (called John Merrick in the film). The film was directed by David Lynch and stars John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Michael Elphick, Hannah Gordon and Freddie Jones.
The screenplay was adapted by Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren and David Lynch from the books The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences (1923) by Sir Frederick Treves and The Elephant Man: A Study in Human Dignity by Ashley Montagu. It was shot in black-and-white.
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[edit] Synopsis
The story begins with Dr Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) discovering John Merrick (John Hurt) in a Victorian freak show where he is managed by the brutish Bytes (Freddie Jones). Merrick is so hideously deformed that he must wear a hood when in public. Also, Bytes claims his exhibit is an imbecile. Treves is moved by Merrick's condition and pays Bytes to bring him to his hospital so that he can inspect him and present a lecture on his peculiar physique, at which Treves coldly displays him as a mere curiosity. On Merrick's return, Bytes beats him so severely that Treves is called, who attempts to take him back to the hospital. Bytes confronts Treves and accuses him of also exploiting Merrick for his own ends, which leads the surgeon to resolve to do what he can to help the unfortunate man.
The ward nurses are revolted by Merrick's appearance, so Treves places him in a quarantine room under the watchful care of the dour matron, Mothershead (Wendy Hiller). Mr Carr Gomm (John Gielgud), the Governor of the Hospital, questions Treves about the infectious patient and reminds him that the place cannot entertain an incurable. Treves attempts to coach Merrick (who has thus far remained mute) to recite a few polite sentences such as "Hello. My name is John Merrick." However, during his interview with Carr Gomm, the confused and anxious Merrick breaks down. Carr Gomm leaves, telling Treves it was a good attempt, but the man is an obvious imbecile. As Carr Gomm walks away, Treves hears Merrick in a strong and confident voice recite the 23rd Psalm and he calls back his superior.
It is soon revealed that Merrick is in fact a sophisticated and articulate person, and that his playing dumb is merely a defence mechanism to avoid beatings from Bytes. Carr Gomm arranges a set of rooms at the hospital, and Queen Victoria — having learned of Merrick — instructs funds to be set aside for his care. He makes drawings and models of churches and reads. Merrick visits the home of Treves and his wife (Gordon) and reveals his most treasured possession, a portrait of his mother. When he states his hope that his mother would love him if she could only see what lovely friends he now has, Mrs. Treves breaks down and begins to weep, much to her embarrassment. Merrick begins to receive society visitors in his rooms, including the actress Mrs Kendall (Anne Bancroft) and becomes a celebrity. He becomes so successful that the head nurse complains that it seems that Merrick is still being treated as a freak show attraction, albeit in a more upper class, celebrated style. For Treves' part, this observation and his role in this situation deeply trouble him, and he begins to question whether or not he has done the right thing.
However the rooms are not secure, and a night porter (Elphick) begins to exploit Merrick. Also Bytes learns how to get to his former "property" and abducts him to continental Europe, where he is put on show again. Merrick escapes with the help of his fellow freak show attractions, and makes it back to London. However, he is harassed by a group of boys at a train station, and accidentally knocks down a young girl. He is chased, unmasked, and cornered by an angry mob, at which point Merrick angrily asserts his humanity in the film's most famous scene, saying, "I am not an animal! I am a human being! I... am... a man!" He then collapses from exhaustion.
Meanwhile, Treves is consumed with guilt and, with the help of Mothershead, he takes action against the night porter. When the police bring Merrick back to the hospital, he is re-installed in his rooms in the hospital and makes some recovery, but it is clear that he is dying. As a treat, Mrs Kendall arranges an evening at the theatre where Merrick receives an ovation. That night, back at the hospital, Merrick thanks Treves and for the first time sleeps lying down — even though he knows this will kill him (because of his oversized head, which he had to rest on his knees lest it snap his neck). The spirit of his beloved mother appears to comfort him during the last scene of the movie.
[edit] Historical inaccuracies
The film is based on historical events but makes numerous changes to recorded fact. For example, the incidents in Belgium and at the railway station took place before Merrick was admitted to Treves's hospital, not afterward, and Merrick travelled to Belgium of his own accord, because freakshows had been made illegal in Britain, unlike the film, in which he is kidnapped. There is also no evidence that Merrick was abused while working at the horrible freakshow. In fact, Merrick had saved up a great deal of money from the wages he had earned while working there. Likewise, Treves did not "rescue" Merrick from a sadistic carnival proprietor; it was Merrick who freely approached the doctor with a written note requesting his care.
Contrary to the film, Dr. Treves did not cajole Merrick into speaking his first words. Indeed, on account of a severe constrictive deformity of the mouth, it actually took several operations before Merrick was physically able to speak at all. The film's chief antagonist, Bytes, is an altogether fictitious character. As played by Freddie Jones, wearing ratty clothes with a stove-pipe hat, a perpetual five-o'clock shadow and a chronic case of alcoholic tremors, Bytes is clearly modeled after Robert Newton's characterization of Bill Sykes in David Lean's 1948 film of Oliver Twist.
The film also repeats an error in many early biographies and fictionalizations of Merrick's life in calling him John, when his name was, in fact, named Joseph.
[edit] Production
The film was produced by Mel Brooks, who downplayed his involvement as he did not want the project to be perceived as a comedy.
The make-up for John Hurt was made from casts of Merrick's body, which had been preserved at the Royal London Hospital. David Lynch originally attempted to do the make-up himself but the results were not filmable. The final make-up was devised by Christopher Tucker. The make-up was so convincing that the Motion Picture Academy was prompted to create a new category for Best Make-up for the Oscars.
In addition to writing and directing the film, David Lynch provided the musical direction and sound design. During its depiction of the final moments of Merrick's life, the film uses "Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber. This has been partly responsible for a resurgence in the piece's popularity (it would be later used in the 1986 Oscar-winning Vietnam war film, Platoon).
Actor Frederick Treves, great nephew of the surgeon, appears in the opening sequences as an Alderman trying to close down the freakshow.
[edit] Awards
The Elephant Man was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role (John Hurt), Art Direction-Set Decoration, Costume Design, Director, Film Editing, Music: Original Score, and Writing: Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.
It was also won the BAFTA Award for Best Film as well as other BAFTA Awards for Best Film, Best Actor (John Hurt) and Best Production Design, and was nominated for four others: Direction, Screenplay, Cinematography and Editing.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The Elephant Man at All Movie Guide
- The Elephant Man at the Internet Movie Database
- The Elephant Man at the Arts & Faith Top 100 Spiritually Significant Films list
| The work of David Lynch |
|---|
| Feature films: Eraserhead • The Elephant Man • Dune • Blue Velvet • Wild at Heart • Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me • Lost Highway • The Straight Story • Mulholland Dr. • Inland Empire TV series: Twin Peaks • American Chronicles • On the Air • Hotel Room Other work: Short films • Industrial Symphony No. 1 • Rabbits • Darkened Room • Dumb Land • The Angriest Dog in the World |
| Preceded by Manhattan |
BAFTA Award for Best Film 1981 |
Succeeded by Chariots of Fire |
