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The Elephant Man (1980)

AA 124 min  -  Biography | Drama | History  -   10 October 1980 (USA)
8.3
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Ratings: 8.3/10 from 83,973 users  
Reviews: 294 user | 89 critic

A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous facade, there is revealed a person of intelligence and sensitivity.

Director:

David Lynch

Writers:

Christopher De Vore (screenplay), Eric Bergren (screenplay), and 3 more credits »

Stars:

Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt and Anne Bancroft
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35 photos | 3 videos | 160 news articles | full cast and crew »

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Related News

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4 May 2012 4:06 PM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Hopkins ...
John Hurt ...
Anne Bancroft ...
John Gielgud ...
Wendy Hiller ...
Freddie Jones ...
Michael Elphick Michael Elphick ...
Hannah Gordon Hannah Gordon ...
Mrs. Treves
Helen Ryan Helen Ryan ...
John Standing John Standing ...
Fox
Dexter Fletcher ...
Bytes' Boy
Lesley Dunlop Lesley Dunlop ...
Nora
Phoebe Nicholls Phoebe Nicholls ...
Pat Gorman Pat Gorman ...
Fairground Bobby
Claire Davenport Claire Davenport ...
Fat Lady
Full cast and crew »
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Storyline

Based on the true story of Joseph Merrick, a 19th-century Englishman afflicted with a disfiguring congenital disease. With the help of kindly Dr. Frederick Treves, Merrick attempts to regain the dignity he lost after years spent as a side-show freak. Written by Scott Renshaw <as.idc@forsythe.stanford.edu>  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Freak | Dignity | 19th Century | Animal In Title | Surgery  | See more »

Taglines:

I am not an animal! I am a human being! I...am...a man!

Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

El hombre elefante See more »

Filming Locations:

Broadgate, London, England, UK See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$26,010,864 (USA) (1981)
See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Brooksfilms See more »
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Merrick's condition was undiagnosed at the time of his death. Later studies of his skeleton and the casts made of his body led researchers to suggest he suffered from neurofibromatosis (NF) type I, a genetic condition that 1 in 4,000 persons suffer from. The NF Foundation used the movie as a fund raising tool and credited it with making the disease more widely known. Later examination, including CT scans of the skeleton, lead researchers to believe he suffered from Proteus syndrome, a much rarer condition than NF. A scientist in 2001 speculated that Merrick may have suffered from a combination of neurofibromatosis type I and Proteus syndrome. In 2003, researchers used surviving DNA samples from Merrick in an attempt to determine his unique condition. However these tests were inconclusive and the cause of Joseph Merrick's medical condition remains unknown. See more »

Goofs

Continuity: When Fredrick Treves is bring up the oatmeal to John Merrick and Carr Gomm startles him he puts the oatmeal behind his back as to hide it from him. In the next shot he has the oatmeal in front of him and puts it behind his back again while he is walking towards Carr Gomm. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Skeleton Man: Get rid of them! I don't want to see them!
Fat Lady: Darling, don't be difficult! Let's take our sweet lovely children on an outing.
See more »

Crazy Credits

Closing disclaimer:
This has been based upon the true life story of John Merrick, known as The Elephant Man, and not upon the Broadway play of the same title or any other fictional account. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Ace Ventura (1996) See more »

Soundtracks

"Adagio For Strings"
By Samuel Barber
Played by The London Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by André Previn (as Andre Previn) See more »