Only time I ever cried writing a blog post…
This movie kills me. It’s unwatchable! And it’s not like it’s has a direct, personal connection– like a song or a place that meant something to me earlier in my life. Nope, this is just a really REALLY sad movie.
I was surprised once in a freshman Foundation class (though, c’mon, I shouldn’t have been) when I asked for a show of hands of who had seen this movie. Wanna guess how many had in a room of 18- year olds? Two of 20–and these are film students! Sure, I get it, they have video games to play, texts and Instagram and Snapchat and Tindr and…
If you haven’t seen Elephant Man, you should. John Hurt as the Elephant Man, Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Treves, directed by David Lynch. We’ll do three scenes with clips and scripts. Prepared to be depressed and uplifted. Let’s go…
- TRAIN STATION SCENE
MERRICK
NO! I AM NOT AN ELEPHANT! I AM NOT
AN ANIMAL!! I AM A HUMAN BEING! I...
AM... A MAN! I AM A MAN!!
- TEA AT DR. TREVES
MERRICK
I love the way you've arranged your
pictures on the mantlepiece. Is that
the way it's done in most houses?
TREVES
Oh yes.
MERRICK
Who are they of?
TREVES
Oh, our relatives... the children.
MERRICK
The children! May I see?
TREVES
Of course.
Treves goes to the fireplace and takes down a few pictures.
He hands a picture of the girls to Merrick.
MERRICK
(as if looking at an
icon)
The Children. Where are your children
TREVES
Oh, they're gone for the day... with
friends.
MERRICK
(the word gives him
pleasure)
Friends. Ah yes, friends! How nice.
ANNE
And here is one of Frederick's mother.
MERRICK
How lovely.
TREVES
Yes.
ANNE
And here are my mother and father.
MERRICK
They have noble faces.
ANNE
(a cord is struck)
I've always thought that myself.
MERRICK
Oh, yes.
Merrick sets the picture down carefully.
MERRICK
(ever so timidly)
Would you... would you like to see
my mother?
TREVES
(startled)
Your mother?
MERRICK
Here.
He reaches into his cloak and brings out the small portrait
of the beautiful woman. Treves is absolutely amazed. Merrick
gently hands the picture to Anne.
ANNE
Oh... why Mr. Merrick she's beautiful.
MERRICK
She has the face of an angel... She
was an angel. She was so kind... so
kind to me. It's not her fault, for
in the fourth month of her maternal
condition she was knocked down by an
elephant. I'm sure I must have been
a great disappointment to her.
ANNE
(visibly touched)
Oh no, Mr. Merrick. No. No son as
loving as you are could ever be a
disappointment.
MERRICK
If only I could find her. If only
she could see me now, here, with
such lovely kind friends. You, Mrs.
Treves, and you, Mr. Treves. Then
maybe she would love me as I am.
I've tried to hard to be good.
At this, Anne is so extremely touched that she begins to
cry. She tries to hold it in, but to no avail. She reaches a
hand out to Merrick and he takes it. He tries to comfort
her.
MERRICK
Please... please...
But Anne goes on, as Treves, in wonder, watches her and
Merrick locked together in the communication of intense
sympathy.
- A VISIT FROM MRS. KENDAL
Merrick is a trifle nervous but Mrs. Kendal smiles at him
and he relaxes a little.
MERRICK
Mr. Treves says that you are in the
theatre. Do you live there?
KENDAL
Oh no, Mr. Merrick. I just work there.
MERRICK
Well, even to work there would be
wonderful. Is it beautiful?
KENDAL
You've never been?
MERRICK
Alas, no.
KENDAL
Well you must go. It is one of the
most beautiful places on earth. Of
course, I'm rather partial.
MERRICK
Tell me about it, please!
KENDAL
It's very difficult to put into a
nutshell, but I should say the theater
is the shrine of the imagination,
where one may suspend disbelief and
travel anywhere in the world, to any
time you desire. You may look over
the shoulders of kings, unobserved,
battle with ruthless tyrants, and
marry the beautiful princess, all in
the space of a few hours. Onstage
you may be whoever you wish to be,
do anything you please, and always,
always live happily ever after. The
theatre is all the brightest and
best things of the world, Mr. Merrick.
It is lights and music, gaiety and
joy. It's... well, it's romance.
MERRICK
(the magic word)
Romance!
KENDAL
That's one thing the theatre has in
great store. which reminds me. I
have something else for you...
She produces a beautiful leather-bound volume of Shakespeare's
works. Merrick takes it with reverence and begins to leaf
through it.
KENDAL
Have you read it?
MERRICK
No, but I certainly shall.
Merrick finds a place and begins to read.
MERRICK
Romeo and Juliet. I know of this...
"If I profane with my unworthiest
hand, This holy shrine, the gentle
fine is this: My lips, two blushing
pilgrims, ready stand, To smooth
that rough touch with a tender kiss."
Merrick, embarrassed by these last words, starts to close
the book.
Mrs. Kendal knows Juliet's lines by heart. She looks at
Merrick for a moment, then replies tenderly.
KENDAL
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand
too much, Which mannerly devotion
shows in this; For saints have hands
that pilgrims hands do touch, And
palm to palm is holy palmer's kiss.
Merrick pauses, looking at Kendal, then continues.
MERRICK
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers
too?
KENDAL
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use
in prayer.
MERRICK
O, then, dear saint, let lips do
what hands do. They pray, grant thou,
lest faith turn to despair.
They both look at each other for a long, silent moment. Treves
is touched and amazed.
KENDAL
Why, Mr. Merrick, you're not an
Elephant Man at all...
MERRICK
Oh no?
KENDAL
Oh no... no... you're a Romeo.
I’m blubbing reading this; it’s always deeply affected me and I watched it with my 14 year old son last.night and I hope in my heart each time that there is some sweet release from the suffering some go through. I need to believe Joseph Merrick found his mother eventually.
yes, it’s a killer for sure. I honestly can’t watch it!