Type in any movie or show to find where you can watch it, or type a person's name.

The Elephant Man Poster

The Elephant Man

PG
Movie
1980
2h 4m
English
Drama, History
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.
Rating
WATCHMODE
8.3
IMDB
The Elephant Man (1980) on IMDb
CRITIC SCORE
85

Where to watch

USA Streaming Sources
 
Kanopy
 
Spectrum On Demand
 
Hoopla
FREE
Pluto TV
Available in 0 other countries.
See something wrong? Let us know

My Friends' Ratings

In order to see what your friends rated The Elephant Man, you need a Watchmode account. It's free and takes just a minute. Create an account
Anthony Hopkins
Frederick Treves
John Hurt
John Merrick
Anne Bancroft
Mrs Kendal
John Gielgud
Carr Gomm
Wendy Hiller
Mothershead
Michael Elphick
Night Porter
Hannah Gordon
Mrs Treves
Helen Ryan
Princess Alex
Dexter Fletcher
Bytes' Boy
Phoebe Nicholls
Merrick's Mother
Pat Gorman
Fairground Bobby
Orla Pederson
Skeleton Man
Patsy Smart
Distraught Woman
Stromboli
Fire Eater
Roy Evans
Cabman
Nula Conwell
Nurse Kathleen
Directed By: David Lynch
Written By: David Lynch (Screenplay), Christopher De Vore (Screenplay), + 1 more

Featured Comments/Tips

randomacd4 says...
8 years ago
The Elephant Man is a heartbreaking story. Its one of the most approachable David Lynch movies. I found myself feeling some very heavy emotions throughout this film after all the struggle of the titular character. John Hurt would've won an Oscar any other year. It took De Niro in Raging Bull to defeat him.
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  400
unicornsandcandies says...
5 years ago
Really great story about a man who never experienced kindness from people. It's really heartbreaking as a story but the film itself is boring. Nice but certainly not the best film to watch in free time imho
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  100
siggi963 says...
2 months ago
A classic based on a true story.
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  000
Zoran81 says...
2 months ago
The Elephant Man should be a well-known fact for all film lovers. A film with that special something. A film that belongs among the classics and one you simply must watch to fully experience. Throughout different stages of my life, I have returned to this film and watched it several times. The first time was as a teenager in the ’90s. My first memory was an indescribable sorrow and a heavy heart for the main character, Merrick. John Hurt gives an unforgettable performance. Over the years, I have revisited the film, and I’m still amazed by how powerful an impression it has left on me. It stirs up storms of emotions. It makes you reflect on how brutal fate can be, how friendship can unfold, and how loneliness and humanity are interconnected. The interplay between John Hurt and Sir Anthony Hopkins is outstanding, and the fact that the film was shot in black and white only enhances the visual language of the movie. Without a doubt, one of my favorite films, and I can’t find any weaknesses in it. I highly recommend it and give it a solid 10/10 rating.
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  000

Featured User Reviews

Wuchak
4 years ago
_**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’ More
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  000
CinemaSerf
2 years ago
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 More
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  000
manicure
6/10  4 years ago
The Elephant Man is a straightforward biopic about disfigured Joseph "John" Merrick and his struggles with social acceptance in a fascinating Victorian England setting. The story is brought to life by convincing acting, beautiful cinematography, and carefully crafted sets and makeup. All vai More
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  000
WhoPotterVian
CONTAINS SPOILERS10/10  4 years ago
It doesn't matter how much time passes, there will always be some people who won't accept others' differences. This is a fact of life that never changes, even if people have become more tolerant of others being different to them over the centuries. It means a film like The Elephant Man w More
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  000

You might also like...

Streaming sources forGandhi
Gandhi
Streaming sources forThe Straight Story
The Straight Story
Streaming sources forJohnny Got His Gun
Johnny Got His Gun
Streaming sources forRudy
Rudy
Streaming sources forCoal Miners Daughter
Coal Miner's Daughter
Streaming sources for84 Charing Cross Road
84 Charing Cross Road
Streaming sources forTerms of Endearment
Terms of Endearment
Streaming sources forPatton
Patton
Streaming sources forTemple Grandin
Temple Grandin
Streaming sources forHidden Figures
Hidden Figures
Streaming sources forThe Remains of the Day
The Remains of the Day
Streaming sources forOctober Sky
October Sky
Streaming sources forRequiem for a Dream
Requiem for a Dream
Streaming sources forHome Fires
Home Fires
Streaming sources forImitation of Life
Imitation of Life
Streaming sources forThe Killing Fields
The Killing Fields
Streaming sources forThe Wonder Years
The Wonder Years
Streaming sources forThe Scarlet and the Black
The Scarlet and the Black
Streaming sources forMissing
Missing
Streaming sources forSully
Sully
Streaming sources forThe Miracle Worker
The Miracle Worker
Streaming sources forThe Fighting Sullivans
The Fighting Sullivans
Streaming sources forThey Shoot Horses Dont They
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Streaming sources forGrey Gardens
Grey Gardens
Streaming sources forJesus of Nazareth
Jesus of Nazareth

VideosPlay Video

Back to Top