14. John Merrick Is Shown Kindness - The Elephant Man
John Merrick, a man with extreme physical deformities but a fully functioning mind, has been treated cruelly his entire life. Forced into the sideshow circuit, beaten and abused until he was nearly dead, Merrick is only treated like a human when he is befriended by a curious doctor. Away from the circus and safely in a hospital, he may be seen as a novelty, but that's far better than the life he had been living before. When he's finally shown a little bit of kindness, he almost doesn't know what to do with himself. So the moment that the doctor gives him a modest gift, a mere shaving kit, he is overcome with gratitude. He begins crying and repeating, "My friends", and we are struck with the realization that this simple act is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for him. And the fact that in spite of everything he's been through, he's still such a gentle, sensitive person, makes it all the more emotional.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
