John Merrick from The Elephant Man film
Introduction
David Lynch’s The Elephant Man is the second feature film he directed and easily one of my favorite films of his. Based on the story of Joseph Merrick, The Elephant Man is a beautifully tragic film that gives the audience an important lesson about appearance and judging a book by its cover, of course, with amazing visuals and acting. This article will contain major spoilers for The Elephant Man and will explore the true story of Joseph Merrick.
Who was Joseph Merrick?
Born August 5th, 1862, Joseph Merrick was a real person who had Proteus syndrome, a rare disorder that causes abnormal bone growth. When Merrick was five years old, he began to experience abnormal bone and skin growth. The size of his head increased by 3 feet, skin hung from the back of his head across his face, and his jaw was deformed, making it nearly impossible for him to speak or show emotion. Merrick was originally thought to have neurofibromatosis.
His parents related his condition to a frightening encounter Merrick’s mother had with a circus elephant during her pregnancy. Merrick’s mother passed away when he was just eleven years old from bronchial pneumonia. A year later, his father married his landlady. Merrick was later rejected by both his father and stepmother. Merrick had a couple of jobs, including cigar rolling and peddling, though he had to resign from these jobs due to his condition. When he was seventeen, he entered the Leicester Union workhouse. He found the workhouse extremely unenjoyable but was forced to stay due to his inability to find another job.
In 1884, Merrick escaped the workhouse and contacted Sam Torr to be admitted to a “human oddities show,” a well-known freak show. Merrick was eventually invited and admitted to the London Hospital by a surgeon named Frederick Treves, where he lived a fairly normal life. Joseph Merrick died unexpectedly in the hospital. He died in his sleep from a dislocated neck and suffocation.
About David Lynch’s The Elephant Man
In 1980, David Lynch’s adaptation of Joseph Merrick’s story was released, this version notably being the most accurate depiction of Merrick’s story. Before David Lynch even considered directing The Elephant Man, he wrote a script called Ronnie Rocket. Sadly, this script never came to be due to a lack of funding. Lynch needed a new script, so when he heard about The Elephant Man, a light bulb went off in his head, and he knew exactly what to do. Since Lynch was a small filmmaker at the time, Mel Brooks and his team were skeptical until Brooks decided to watch Eraserhead. When Brooks suggested watching Eraserhead, Lynch thought he was done for. Instead, Brooks enjoyed the film so much that he immediately, and literally, handed Lynch the script with open arms. The script is based on the book The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences, written by Sir Frederick Treves.
The Elephant Man Summary
The film begins with Merrick’s mother being frightened by a stampede of elephants. This scene is not only beautiful but also sets the mood of the movie. We fast forward to Victorian-era London, where we meet renowned surgeon Dr. Frederick Treves, who discovers Merrick in a freak show being mistreated and exploited by the barbaric ringmaster, Mr. Bytes, for his deformities. Treves bargains with Bytes to bring Merrick to the London Hospital for further examination. When Merrick arrives, Treves introduces him to his colleagues, who are intrigued by Merrick’s appearance. When Merrick is returned to Mr. Bytes, he is given a brutal beating, which prompts Treves to take Merrick in as a permanent resident of the London Hospital, protecting him from apathetic staff with the help of a caring nurse named Mrs. Mothershead. As Merrick settles in, Governor Carr Gomm expresses his reservations about the institution, worried about Merrick’s mental abilities and the inability to cure him. Treves decides to prove him wrong by teaching Merrick basic skills, such as speaking in full sentences.
When Merrick finally has a conversation with Governor Carr Gomm, he doesn’t seem impressed and advises Treves to find Merrick better help. Treves nearly gives up until he hears Merrick fully recite the 23rd Psalm extremely well. After this, Governor Carr Gomm begins to trust Merrick and decides to keep him in the hospital, where Merrick starts to create a small cathedral model, finally feeling at peace. Merrick begins to accept visitors, one of whom is an actress named Madge Kendal, who enjoys Merrick’s company. During a council meeting, the question arises whether Merrick should stay in the hospital, but his place is secured by Queen Victoria. Merrick’s peace ends when Mr. Bytes plans to kidnap him at night. After he’s kidnapped, Bytes attempts to bring him back as an act in the freak show, but Merrick, being in an unstable condition, collapses. Merrick escapes once again and is confronted by a group of men who treat him cruelly. Merrick has had enough and exclaims one of the most famous lines in the movie: “I am not an elephant. I am not an animal. I am a human being. I am a man!” After this, Merrick is sent back to the hospital, where we see him have a few good moments getting the chance to see Madge Kendal’s show at the theater before he peacefully passes away in his sleep.
A Lesson For All
David Lynch executes The Elephant Man beautifully, highlighting Joseph Merrick’s story and sharing the lesson of human decency and giving others a chance. The films Lynch usually writes show what terrible things can hide behind a beautiful surface. The Elephant Man is different, and while it doesn’t highlight all of Merrick’s life, it shows the beauty of the misunderstood. The film has touched and inspired many.
Now, writer Moby Pomerance, son of Bernard Pomerance, creator of the Tony Award-winning Elephant Man play, plans on readapting The Elephant Man with A24, starring Adam Pearson as John Merrick. Adam will become the first disabled actor to portray the character on screen. This adaptation is set to start filming in 2026. If you have time this summer, try immersing yourself in the world of film, and hopefully, if you look deep enough, you can learn a thing or two about the beauty this world holds.
Works Cited:
David Lynch 1980 The Elephant Man Brooksfilms
The elephant man (1980) – movie summary, ending explained & themes: What’s after the movie 2025. What’s After the Movie? (n.d.). https://www.whatsafterthemovie.com/summary/the-elephant-man
Ruth. (2025, January 28). Classic Review: The elephant man (1980) – an appreciation for David Lynch’s heartbreaking and hauntingly beautiful biographical drama. FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG. https://flixchatter.net/2025/01/27/classic-review-the-elephant-man-1980-an-appreciation-for-david-lynchs-heartbreaking-and-hauntingly-beautiful-biographical-drama/
Tangcay, J. (2025a, May 2). “A different man” star Adam Pearson to play Joseph Merrick in “the elephant man” film adaptation (exclusive). Variety. https://variety.com/2025/film/news/adam-pearson-new-elephant-man-adaptation-123638185