The Elephant Man (film)
The Elephant Man is a 1980 film directed by David Lynch, based on the life of Joseph Merrick.
Joseph Merrick
- I am not an elephant! I am not an animal! I am a human being! I am a man!
- People are frightened by what they don't understand.
- My life is full because I know I am loved.
Dr. Frederick Treves
- Am I a good man? Or a bad man?
- [to a man caught abusing Merrick] You're the freak! You're the monster!
Bytes
- Life!... is full of surprises. Consider the fate of this creature's poor mother, struck down in the fourth month of her maternal condition by an elephant, a wild elephant. Struck down!... on an uncharted African isle. The result is plain to see... Ladies and gentlemen... The terrible... Elephant... Man!
Mary Jane Merrick
- Never. Oh, never. Nothing will die. The stream flows, the wind blows, the cloud fleets, the heart beats. Nothing will die.
Dialogue
- Dr. Fox: Have you ever mentioned his mental state?
- Dr. Frederick Treves: Oh, he's an imbecile, probably from birth. Man's a complete idiot... Pray to God he's an idiot.
- Mrs. Kendal: Why, Mr. Merrick, you're not an elephant man at all.
- John Merrick: Oh no?
- Mrs. Kendal: Oh no... no... you're a Romeo.
- Carr Gomm: Can you imagine the kind of life he must have had?
- Dr. Frederick Treves: Yes, I think I can.
- Carr Gomm: I don't think so. No one could possibly imagine it! I don't believe any of us can!
- Mothershead: Sir! I don't quite... I don't quite understand why it is you allow that sort of people in there.
- Dr. Frederick Treves: Why? Because he enjoys it, and I think it's very good for him.
- Mothershead: Yes, but, sir, you saw the expression on their faces. They didn't hide their disgust. They don't care anything about John! They only want to impress their friends!
- Dr. Frederick Treves: I think you're being rather harsh on them, don't you, Mrs. Mothershead?
- Mothershead: I beg your pardon!
- Dr. Frederick Treves: You yourself hardly showed him much loving kindness when he first arrived, did you?
- Mothershead: I bathed him, I fed him, and I cleaned up after him, didn't I? And I see that my nurses do the same. And if loving kindness can be called care and practical concern, then I did show him loving kindness, and I am not ashamed to admit it!
- John Merrick: There's something I've been meaning to ask you for some time now.
- Dr. Frederick Treves: What's that?
- John Merrick: Can you cure me?
- Dr. Frederick Treves: No. We can care for you, but we can't cure you.
- John Merrick: [matter-of-factly] No. I thought not.
- Mrs. Treves: I'm very pleased to meet you, Mr. Merrick.
- John Merrick: I'm very pleased... [begins to cry]
- Dr. Frederick Treves: What is it, John? What's the matter?
- John Merrick: It's just that I-I'm not used to being treated so well by a beautiful woman...
- John Merrick: Would you care to see my mother?
- Dr. Frederick Treves: [surprised] Your mother? Yes, please.
- [Merrick pulls out a small portrait]
- Mrs. Treves: Oh but she's... Mr. Merrick, she's beautiful!
- John Merrick: Oh, she had the face of an angel! [sadly] I must have been a great disappointment to her.
- Mrs. Treves: No, Mr. Merrick, no! No son as loving as you could ever be a disappointment.
- John Merrick: If only I could find her, so she could see me with such lovely friends here now; perhaps she could love me as I am. I've tried so hard to be good.
