I have revisited The Elephant Man recently. I would say that the film conveys the fine qualities that you have written about so beautifully, but I have trouble with the ending. After finishing his model cathedral, the movie implies that John commits suicide by laying down flat on his bed. True to life, the film mentions that John has to sleep sitting up because his overly large head would kill him. The real Joseph Merrick was found dead lying on his bed, but I don't think it was determined whether it was an accident or intentional. The movie shows him intentionally sleeping on his back. Bringing an end to his life like that essentially undercuts the positive Christian themes of the story. Then it ends strangely with the face of John's mother appearing in the stars and speaking the last few lines of the first stanza in Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem Nothing Will Die. How do you interpret the ending in this otherwise admirable film and deal with its moral quandary?
Thanks for your comment Christopher. It’s a difficult ending but one where I see a hope instead of despair.
His choice to lay down on his back for the first time indicated a symbolic rest because he finally feels the love he has been longing for all his life and can sleep peacefully.
Rather than being a suicide, which some speculated, Treves performed the autopsy and came to the conclusion that his desire to “be like other people” lead to his decision to lay down on his back. You could say it was a naive hope instead of despair that lead to his tragic death. I think this conclusion makes more sense since he’s just stated in the same scene that he is happy and fulfilled.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I can see what you mean and I will keep it in mind when I re-watch The Elephant Man soon with a friend who hasn't seen it before.
Well done including this film. I wonder how many people have seen it. I probably only saw it because I belonged to film club in high school.
Thanks Angela! It’s definitely an underseen film despite its revered status. Worth a rediscovery!
I have revisited The Elephant Man recently. I would say that the film conveys the fine qualities that you have written about so beautifully, but I have trouble with the ending. After finishing his model cathedral, the movie implies that John commits suicide by laying down flat on his bed. True to life, the film mentions that John has to sleep sitting up because his overly large head would kill him. The real Joseph Merrick was found dead lying on his bed, but I don't think it was determined whether it was an accident or intentional. The movie shows him intentionally sleeping on his back. Bringing an end to his life like that essentially undercuts the positive Christian themes of the story. Then it ends strangely with the face of John's mother appearing in the stars and speaking the last few lines of the first stanza in Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem Nothing Will Die. How do you interpret the ending in this otherwise admirable film and deal with its moral quandary?
Thanks for your comment Christopher. It’s a difficult ending but one where I see a hope instead of despair.
His choice to lay down on his back for the first time indicated a symbolic rest because he finally feels the love he has been longing for all his life and can sleep peacefully.
Rather than being a suicide, which some speculated, Treves performed the autopsy and came to the conclusion that his desire to “be like other people” lead to his decision to lay down on his back. You could say it was a naive hope instead of despair that lead to his tragic death. I think this conclusion makes more sense since he’s just stated in the same scene that he is happy and fulfilled.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I can see what you mean and I will keep it in mind when I re-watch The Elephant Man soon with a friend who hasn't seen it before.