I grew up in a religious household and abandoned religious belief around the age of 14. At the time I didn't see anything important about holding onto these lofty stories and passages, I saw no worth in them because I was young and naive and I thought myself smarter than I actually was. But, as I grew older I realized the foundation that spiritual belief can provide someone, faith in the face of adversity no matter how hard your life is, you don't waver. I saw that if someone could surrender themselves to God they would be protected, validated, actualized... saved. Merrick here despite all the obstacles life threw at him held firmly to his belief, he felt that God would never abandon him when everyone else had. Steadfast belief, unwavering faith, dedication. Merrick was a human being. And now he's an angel.
I love how this scene shows his religious side. He was a deeply pious man who found strength and comfort in his faith. "Though father and mother abandon me, the Lord will take me in." Psalms 27:10
@John Vee The commenter didn't say you NEED to believe anything, but simply said that faith can help people to get through terrible times. No need to shit on the beliefs of others, or mock what others view as holy.
@John V Silly book of superstition. Yes, you atheists always say that. Here's the thing. Where does that compassion for another human being come from? If another human being is just an animal that will die out, why show compassion to it at all? If it was an animal that will die and be lost forever, why do we have ABILITY to have compassion for that another human being, if the universe is just meaningless? Book of superstition? Story that black death is brought by a woman who kills everyone in the house when she finds the house unclean is silly and superstitious. Story that you are gonna have accident after black cat steps on your way is silly and superstitious. Story that when miror is broken you will have seven years of bad luck is silly and superstitious. Story that there is a Creator who made humans, then we humans rebelled against Him, then He came to Earth to reconcile us with Him by His death and Resurrection and that He will walk with us in all days of our life is not silly or superstitious, it is a story that can be true or false and is probably true. What you consider superstitious is something you will name as talking snake, yet everyone in history of Christianity knew that snake refers to devil, since the old Hebrew word for snake also means diviner and deceiver and is used for other angelic beings in Hebrew Bible. What you will call silly is man made from clay, yet in Hebrew text there is no word for ,,from", but Hebrew simply says that ,,God made man who IS dust of the Earth.", a common way to refer to humans in that time as dust of the earth. What you call silly and superstitious is woman made from rib, yet there is no word for ,,rib" in Hebrew text, but that word is ,,whole side of something", and thus text wants to say that woman is man's other half and he can't be full without her. What you call silly and superstitious is Genesis 1 that is so complicated in language that entire books where made in analyzing it. What you call silly and superstitious is Flood, yet Flood was obviously local in scope, yet global in judgement to humans (i.e. all HUMANS where destroyed in it, but not all earth was flooded). I guess that ,,silly and superstitious book" is not so sillly and superstitious after all, right? And even IF every religion in the world is false, they are all still more rational than the non-sense of atheism.
This scene is a masterclass in acting from all three. Hurt embodies Merrick on every level, Hopkins is so natural you almost feel like you’re standing there with them, and Gielgud’s subtleties while trying to listen to and understand Merrick are just remarkable. Also pretty remarkable that this is David Lynch’s second film.
I cried here too. its just amazing and beautiful how a man who's been through years of abuse can still be so gentle and have such a strong faith in God. Its one of those inexplainable feelings. Words do his person justice.
@@terryhancockroc6560 I didn't get that, is it 'stealing from Anthony Hopkins and John Gielgud' referring to being the most prominent character or the actor you wanted to say. If it is I'm sure that it's because the character is very distinguishable amongst them.
@@kaan_isik Clunky cliche I used. To be in a scene with Hopkins and Gielgud but make it his was my impression. "Stealing" the scene in the way Spencer Tracy could command a scene without talking. All three could do it, they all compliment each other so perfectly, but this scene stands out. They all have their moments in it, wouldn't you have given anything to have been on set for this film? Incredible.
@@terryhancockroc6560 I hear what you wanted to say, I think it's shrewder if it looked a bit artificial rather than natural lookings by David Lynch had John Hurt appear as John Merrick. But after all it's your opinion and you know what they say "à chacun ses goûts." : )
@@Eggnoodlesandketchup3 ok i agree,some will but most not.you care others not even myself i care most times about my pain from my autoimmune disease i have but in that hour you see others pain again but you canot do anything important cause your pain is your pain and you have your pain but what happens when not in pain you have everything but you care only for yourself.cause this paradigm is everywhere thats why we suffer except our nature that is live pain and finally die...you care there is light,some light but mostly is dark versus light ,but in real life this little light is that of exsists darkness doesnt really exsist ,even the little light is something important cause we have photons that exsist,even if its small its important,darkness isnt something you can measure,yes there is darkness but without light darkness loose its meaning,doesnt exsist.its like cold and heat ,heat exsist cold even if we fell it doesnt.you measure the heat.so light always wins even if its little,we choose side as humans in life we regret and we see at the end...
@@observer8477 The world is full of conflict, opposition. Man is at heart selfish and wicked. I try to pursue Life, light and love. Not death, darkness and hatred. The world is made up of these things. If I tell you the truth I believe the answer is to know God and his will for us. He loves us and we need to love Him and love each other. I'm still learning how to achieve this. God loved the world so much that he gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him may receive everlasting life. I think it begins here.
@@Eggnoodlesandketchup3 yes brother i saw that in every way almost ,about the world and me in the past,i didnt speak about god directly but thats what i meant at the end that i said we choose side and we see at the end,god i was talking and his judgement at the end of our journey .i was wicked years ago and i still fight darkness in another level now but i think i found jesus speakings was the answer to all of these things,mabe not excactly to all bible teaches,i mean in a straight manner it talks about some few things but it depends on how you believe it and its personal.but the most things He said talked to me inside when i was doubting him straight,i blasphimized him straight in my pain that he didnt exsist,challenging him to talked to me if he was real and i believe he did,with his remarkable ways...sometimes people are suspicious about my kindness,sometimes they call me a fool but i know things.anyway mary christmas my friend and keep your search in the lights path i hope we all going to found one day.bye
One of the best films ever made. I just cannot watch it all the way through. It hurts too much. What a wonderful man he was and Dr. Treves. They did exist.
I'm an atheist who never cries at movies, haven't in over a year. It's not a point of pride for me, as I'm often deeply moved by movies, I just can't show it physically. 'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil' made me cry.
3:15 I think this is the most moving scene in the movie because it is when Merrick lets Treeves and the rest of the world know he is not dimwitted, but rather he is mentally capable and fully aware of understanding the dreadfully terrible hand he was dealt with in life and is able to comprehend fully all the sadness that it bestows upon him. We all have felt we did not think we made as good of an impression on other people as we would have liked, based on our appearances at sometime in life. We all have felt a sense of rejection, as well, by another person or group of people at some point or other in life. The other person doesnt like me, or I dont feel like I fit in, etc., And we ask ourselves, what is wrong with me? Particularly, as children. It feels terrible. Then to look at the level of disdain and rejection not being able to fit in with society this poor man must have had to have endured all through his life seems unbearable. To know you look so ugly and horrific to people. This guy has my empathy and my admiration. God bless him and his soul.
This was the first movie I ever watched as a boy that had such a profound effect on me; I really identified with John Merrick. My son asked me a few years ago if monsters exist. I was honest with him, I said they did. They're called people. The only monsters that exist are people. RIP John
_"I didn't teach him that part."_ That explosive moment when a single uttered sentence causes two revelations to hit the human brain in the same fraction of a second, one accompanied by joy, the other by horror: 1) Merrick isn't an idiot. 2) *_Merrick isn't an idiot._*
Absolutely. Joy then horror... I love the following scene when they're in the office and Gielgud is asking Treves can you imagine the horrible life that he's had. It's heartbreaking
3:23 The dialogue. The music. The role. The acting. The reaction. When I reached this point, I knew right away I am watching a timeless gem of a creation of phenomenal artistic proportions. A true star in the darkness of the universe.
@@MrGpschmidt His name was actually Joseph. The mistake of "John" comes from Treves' recollections, which he wrote when he was quite old. The film gets a whole slew of things wrong, but it's still a fantastic work of cinema.
David Lynch was the most unlikeliest director around at the time to produce such a masterpiece, everything is gold, from the actors, script, lightning, understated score and cinematography, 30 years later and its still heart breaking to watch 😳
I think part of what made Merrick's case so unique was that despite his deformities he was by all account a very articulate and sensitive man man, or at least as long as his physical condition allowed him to be. Sort of beauty and the beast combined. The fact that he was one of the first cases of a person with such an extreme condition who allowed himself to be examined by doctors also was unique for its time.
He was. He loved to write letters and was an avid reader. He was also deeply religious and by all accounts a gentle soul who never complained. I only wish that Joseph Merrick be laid to rest in Leicester with his mother, as he would have wanted.
My heart just went out to him the first time I watched this as a boy. I was on the edge of my seat going, "C'mon, you can do it! You can say the verse!" I wanted him to have a good place to be in so badly. I almost leap for joy when he said it. Then I remembered I was only watching a movie. And man, that's how you know you're watching a good film. When you don't even realize that's what you're doing.
The 23rd Psalm is probably the most well-loved by so many - including myself. But how profoundly moving and poignant and beautiful it truly becomes when spoken by ''Mr Merrick''. I would guess it would be his favourite too. ;)
My wife, 11 yr old son & I watched together. My son & I were in tears. Mine were only interrupted by the way he said, "Potatoes", which made me laugh so hard I laughed all of my toxins out.
Hopkins' performance is out of this world. He remains in third place observing and reacting, and yet he is eloquent. It's a pity that the character of Treves was not to Hopkins' liking.
De Niro maybe the better actor, but Hurt gave a much more powerful, convincing, emotional performance as The Elephant Man. This is one of those few movies I find myself applauding for an actor. Thumbs up if you agree.
He apparently captured the personality of the actual John Merrill, who was known to be a polite, friendly, sensitive and emotional man who was profoundly touched by and grateful for the treatment he received from those he met while living at the hospital.
This movie reminds me that the world is not all evil and that there really are advanced people that come to the world to teach us all (John Merrick being one of them) The movie is good for your soul. When I feel myself becoming hard and cold because of all the shit life throws at me, I always watch that film again and it brings me crashing down again and softens my heart. Anyone who doesn't shed at least one tear while watching that movie is either lying or is cold hearted. Its a very human film
What I read essentially stated that he was able to talk pretty coherently for a while, but his condition did progress to the point that verbal communication became difficult. By the time in his life that this was depicting he was largely communicating by mannerisms and gestures I think, though he was apparently still major letter writer.
Amazing trio of actors People with severe illnesses or disabilities are often intelligent and kind, it's as if God gives them a perfect soul when nature gave them an 'imperfect' body
Such a beautiful sensitive performance by such a beautifully sensitive actor John Hurt. He captures the dignity and sensitivity of the real John Merrick.
Truly heartbreaking makes me cry thank god he had a happy life was loved at the end the cruel treatment poor man had amazes me back then clever caring doctors saved him give him dignity love respect and a home
I watched this for the first time at about 3 in the morning and I was bawling the whole way through, especially the "romeo" scene and I don't usually cry at movies
When he gets to verse 4...."Yea, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death....." which I'm sure the poor creature did the whole of his life - the music starts and my heart is pierced and the tears start flowing - Every. Single. Time, because his faith in the Lord never faltered
1. By now I've watched the whole thing in one go. 2. I didn't cry, but found it terrible. 3. If you don't cry during this movie, you COULD be tough. It could also mean you have no soul, or have something against him.
It is indeed tragic, but Merrick saw being in the show as preferable to a life in a Workhouse, and better than being shown by Treves to medics for no fee at all. Indeed, he found the latter particularly humiliating, and came to resent his visits to the hospital, eventually refusing to cooperate with Treves. Unlike in the film, Tom Norman (the showman) fed, treated and paid him rather well, and from the show's "run" in Whitechapel Merrick saved more than £50. A respectable sum in those days.
some of the best acting I've ever seen, moving, compassionate....I saw this when it came out as a teenager and I didn't even know who David Lynch was....we knew John Hurt from "The Naked Civil Servant" and "I, Caludius" and Anthony Hopkins from "Magic" and Sir John Gielgud from one of my favorite TV series. "Brideshead Revisited" as Jeremy Irons' rather whimsical widower father... I guess I'm getting old....
One of the greatest movies ever made. It's a movie that never ages. It is perfect on every single level. And this scene is absolutely heartbreaking. 🙂📽️🎬
We watched this movie in school as i recall. What effect it may have had i don't recall. But today i am grateful that they did. If you have to be without heart not to consider your actions on others after such an extraordinary level of acting is showing the vices cruelty and the rewards of compassion.
that must have been very uncomfortable to live like that with skin swelling. Poor him. everytime i see him, my tears come out. Even if he was deformed, he was one of the beautiful ones in the world and those people that treated him bad were the freaks, not him!
(CONT) ...however, saying all that, I do think many people would be interested by a fuller and more accurate retelling of Joseph's life, from childhood, and what he REALLY suffered, esp at the workhouse,no less distressing, while later of course there were so many kind people to help him to enjoy the remainder of his life as happy as possible at the hosp.Also, to show that his mother loved him so much... And to show just how very brave and heroic he was in my opinion. MJM
Absolutely...I think such a film if it were made would be no less distressing and emotional. What I truly cant bear to imagine was how it was for him as a child. Its just too much...That would be very difficult to show. Its really upsetting.I feel so sad when I think of that, while I knew his mother loved him so much.
When God told Samuel that david was to be the next king of Israel david was just a boy but God look on the inside . When you this man you mit think he poor or people might think he was ugly I see a beautiful soul rich in heaven and in faith.
Psalms 23 A Psalm of David. 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Raging Bull and Coal Miner's Daughter and this all lost to Ordinary People. All the directors lost to Robert Redford for OP as well. I'm stunned this didn't win but it's fantasy to pin one artist up against another. All three in this scene were nothing short of brilliant. Lynch directing-brilliant. Brooks producing? Fearless. This magnificent film is timeless. Just a tough year to be released if awards were your thing.
