Haunting, riveting and one of the most beautiful films ever made...

Rating: 10/10 (24 September 2005)

I saw the movie for the first time 2 weeks ago and it left me speechless and with my mouth gaping. Never have I seen a more moving film and I've seen lots. Hopkins and Hurt gave the performances of a lifetime and played them with such passion and feeling.The movie broke my heart and broke it even more when I learned it was a true story! I was horrified when we first see John but then as we went deeper and realized what a kind, loving, and intelligent man he really was...wow. My favorite part had to be when he and Bancroft were doing Romeo and Juliet, although it was disappointing that Bancroft got so much credit for such a small part. Seeing John being treated so inhumanely infuriated me on so many levels and it's hard to watch those scenes without yelling at the screen. It also made me realize that there are still Elephant Men and Women in the world today and I hope they're not treated like John Merrick was. I sincerely hope we can all learn some- thing from John Merrick and Dr. Treves. Was he attractive to look at? No. Was he a wonderful human being? Absolutely. Watching him remove the pillows and quietly slip away made the tears start all over again. In all, this is a beautifully haunting movie that stays with you and makes you think! A definite must see!