The Elephant Man

Many viewers will be familiar with the true story of deformed Joseph Merrick (also known as John Merrick) and Frederick Treves, the doctor who helped Merrick become a celebrity in late-19th-century English society, from David Lynch's 1980 film starring Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt. Based on Bernard Pomerance's play (a Broadway hit in 1977), this 1982 ABC-aired version is presented in somewhat altered and abbreviated form. The stars of the original staging—Philip Anglim and Kevin Conway—reprise their performances as Merrick and Treves, respectively, while Jack Hofsiss returns to direct. Among the supporting cast are Emmy-winner Penny Fuller as an actress who befriends Merrick, and Glenn Close as a princess who visits him. The play differs from Lynch's movie in many respects, the most obvious being that Anglim assumes the role without the heavy makeup that Hurt wore, instead suggesting the character's physical impairments by contorting his body and speaking haltingly. This theatrical conceit leaves much to the viewer's imagination, but thanks to Anglim's soulful presence it works, and Conway is also excellent in showing Treves's transformation from smug scientist to emotional protector. Although the stage-bound production—captured on videotape—sometimes looks smudged and murky, this remains an affecting presentation. DVD extras include recollections by Conway and Hofsiss. Recommended. (F. Swietek)