The Elephant Man

A true story of courage and human dignity.

1980 • 124 min • Drama · History

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Synopsis

A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man being mistreated by his "owner" as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of great intelligence and sensitivity. Based on the true story of Joseph Merrick (called John Merrick in the film), a severely deformed man in 19th century London.

Our family guide

Best from age 13

Movie Knight Score

3996 reviews

100 Reviewers · 2 · 51%
80 Audience · 3994 · 49%

A kind surgeon rescues a severely disfigured man from a sideshow in Victorian London. He discovers a sensitive and intelligent person beneath the outward appearance, challenging societal prejudice and offering him dignity. Based on a true story, the film explores compassion amidst cruelty.

Violence & peril: 3/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 2/10
Romance & sensuality: 1/10
Scary moments: 4/10

Heads up

Depicts a character with severe disfigurement
Themes of exploitation and cruelty
Some scenes show the character being mistreated

What it models well

Compassion and empathy
Dignity and respect for all
Overcoming prejudice
Inner beauty and intelligence

Talk about it after

Judging others by appearance
Historical treatment of people with disabilities
The importance of kindness
Social responsibility and human rights

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Elephant Man. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: David Lynch • Crew: David Lynch, Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren

Trailers & clips

David Lynch on Mel Brooks & THE ELEPHANT MAN | Special Feature (Excerpt)

David Lynch: Mel Brooks Is the Guy Who Put Me on the Map

Emotional scene from THE ELEPHANT MAN

Clip

Reveal

First 10 Minutes [4K Remastered]

Official 40th Anniversary Restoration Trailer

Interview with John Hurt

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
Saw this, recently up-converted to 4K at the London Film Festival and, apart from the clear improvements to the quality and detail of the image, I was reminded of just how good it is. Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft play their roles with engaging sincerity - very ably supported by Sir John Gielgud and Dame Wendy Hiller.…
CinemaSerf, TMDB Community

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
_**The ultimate outcast**_ In 1884 London, a doctor (Anthony Hopkins) meets Joseph Merrick, aka The Elephant Man (wrongly called John Merrick in the film) who was being exploited as a freak show attraction. Treves (Hopkins) tries to help Merrick (John Hurt) for the last six years of the latter’s life wherein he becomes cultured, but he inevitably remains an object of curiosity, to high society as well as low society.…
Wuchak, TMDB Community