The Elephant Man (1980)

Written by Sir Frederick Treves, Ashley Montagu

Directed by David Lynch

Running Time: 100 minutes (approx)

Production Year: 1980

Rating: PG Certificate

Filmed in Black and White

David Lynch's powerful and poignant film The Elephant Man brought the true and hitherto obscure story of the shockingly disfigured John Merrick to a worldwide audience. Released in 1980, its central performances - from John Hurt as Merrick (aka the Elephant Man) and Anthony Hopkins as Frederick Treves (the surgeon who rescues him from a fairground freak show) - are high-class acts indeed. Hurt, almost unrecognisable beneath the heavy make-up, is quite superb, while Hopkins's performance is relatively restrained, and all the better for it.

If that wasn't enough, the quality support cast - including Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller and Freddie Jones - lock in tightly, providing excellent underpinning. And look out for a super little cameo from Michael Elphick as the night porter.

Sympathetically shot in black and white by Freddie Francis, the film stoically delivers Merrick's story, faithfully recreating the horrors of Victorian England and exposing the social prejudices of that time. Nominated for eight Oscars, it's probably Lynch's most conventional movie. Highly recommended.

Click to see when The Elephant Man is coming up on TV: UK

Cast

	Anthony Hopkins		Dr. Frederick 'Freddie' Treves
	John Hurt		John Merrick 'The Elephant Man'
	Anne Bancroft		Mrs. Kendal
	John Gielgud		Carr Gomm
	Wendy Hiller		Mothershead
	Freddie Jones		Bytes
	Michael Elphick		Night Porter
	Hannah Gordon		Mrs. Anne Treves
	Helen Ryan		Princess Alex
	John Standing		Dr. Fox
	Dexter Fletcher		Bytes's Boy
	Lesley Dunlop		Nora
	Phoebe Nicholls		Merrick's Mother
	Pat Gorman		Fairground Bobby
	Claire Davenport		Fat Lady