The Elephant Man (1980)
- Starring:
- Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, (more)
- Director(s):
- David Lynch
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG
- Category:
- Drama
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John Hurt stars as John Merrick, the hideously deformed 19th century Londoner known as "The Elephant Man". Treated as a sideshow freak, Merrick is assumed to be retarded as well as misshapen because of his inability to speak coherently. In fact, he is highly intelligent and sensitive, a fact made public when one Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) rescues Merrick from a carnival and brings him to a hospital for analysis. Alas, even after being recognized as a man of advanced intellect, Merrick is still treated like a freak; no matter his station in life, he will forever be a prisoner of his own malformed body. Unable to secure rights for the famous stage play The Elephant Man, producer Mel Brooks based his film on the memoirs of Frederick Treves and a much later account of Merrick's life by Ashley Montagu. The film is lensed in black and white by British master cinematographer Freddie Francis. Though nominated for eight Academy Awards, the film was ultimately shut out in every category. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 123 mins
Complete Cast:
- Anthony Hopkins - Dr. Frederick Treves
- Anne Bancroft - Mrs. Madge Kendal
- Wendy Hiller - Mothershead
- Michael Elphick - Night Porter
- Helen Ryan - Princess Alexandra
- Dexter Fletcher - Bytes' Boy
- Phoebe Nicholls - Merrick's Mother
- Carole Harrison - Tart
- Stromboli - Fire Eater
- Patricia Hodge - Screaming Woman
- Dierdre Costello - 1st Whore
- Frederick Treves - Alderman
- Kathleen Byron - Lady Waddington
- David Ryall - Man with Whores
- Pauline Quirke - Whore
- Claire Davenport - Fat Lady
- Patsy Smart - Distraught Woman
- Marcus Powell - Midget
- Tommy Wright - First Bobby
- Teresa Codling - Princess in Panto
- Hugh Manning - Broadneck
- Gerald Case - Lord Waddington
- John Hurt - John Merrick
- John Gielgud - Carr Gomm
- Freddie Jones - Bytes
- Hannah Gordon - Mrs. Treves
- John Standing - Fox
- Lesley Dunlop - Nora
- Kenny Baker - Plumed Dwarf
- Lisa & Teri Scobie - Siamese Twins
- Chris Greener - Giant
- Fanny Carby - Mrs. Kendal's Dresser
- Robert Day - Little Jim
- Roy Evans - Cabbie
- Pat Gorman - Fairground Bobby
- John Rapley - King in Panto
- Orla Pederson - Skeleton Man
- Richard Hunter - Hodges
- Tony London - Porter
- Peter Davidson - Second Bobby
- William Morgan Sheppard - Man in Pub
- Eiji Kusuhara - Japanese Bleeder
- Robert Bush - Messenger
- Director(s):
- David Lynch
- Writer(s):
- Eric Bergren, Christopher de Vore, David Lynch
- Producer(s):
- Stuart Cornfield, Jonathan Sanger
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG(Questionable for Children, Adult Situations)
- Categories:
- Drama
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
- 1980 - The Elephant Man - British Academy of Film and Television Arts - Best Actor
- 1980 - The Elephant Man - British Academy of Film and Television Arts - Best Picture
- 1980 - The Elephant Man - British Academy of Film and Television Arts - Best Art Direction
- 1981 - The Elephant Man - French Academy of Cinema - Best Foreign Film
