The Elephant Man Page #3

Filled with curiosity, Treves moves toward the curtain.

ALDERMAN:

This exhibit degrades all who see

it, as well as the poor creature

himself.

OWNER:

He's a freak! How else can he live?

ALDERMAN:

Freaks are one thing. No one objects

to freaks, but this is entirely

different. This is monstrous, and

ought not to be allowed. These

officers will see to it that you are

on your way as soon as possible.

Good day.

The alderman turns and leaves the tent.

OWNER:

(to himself)

...Movin' again!

He shakes his head in disgust.

Now at the canvas, Treves tries to lift the edge to get a

peek inside the wagon, but the meaty hand of the Owner clamps

down on his wrist.

OWNER:

Have a care, guv'nor.

The two men look at each other for a solid moment.

TREVES:

Forgive me...

Treves backs away and returns his gaze to the painted canvas.

FADE TO BLACK:

OPERATING ROOM - THE LONDON HOSPITAL

We see a bellows pumping air into the open grate of a cast

iron stove. We hear moaning in the background. The coals

flare to a fierce glow. From the mouth of the stove protrude

the handles of several cauterizing irons, their heads imbedded

in the coals. Up above the irons, Treves stands by a waist-

high operating table covered with black leather. His face is

illuminated by an oil lantern held by a nurse.

The room is fairly dark owing to the oppressive overcast sky

seen through two windows. There is also a large sink, a

cupboard containing dressings, gags, manacles, emetics and

other unattractive things, and two hard chairs.

TWO STUDENTS and two other DOCTORS, MR. FOX and MR. HILL,

are present. The two Students are pulling with constant

pressure on a rope tied to the patient's leg. Treves and Mr.

Fox are working on a chest wound caused by a machine accident.

There are gear-wheel marks getting progressively deeper as

they near a great open gash. Mr. Hill places a cotton mask

over the patient's nose and mouth and applies drops of

chloroform. The patient struggles, but soon his moans subside

and he is unconscious.

TREVES:

How long has this man been here?

FOX:

Three quarters of an hour.

TREVES:

Mmmm. Hodges, Pierce come closer.

Mr. Hill, take hold of the rope

please. It's a machine accident. I

expect you'll be seeing a good deal

of this.

The two medical Students come forward. They stare uneasily

at the gaping wound, which bubbles each time the man takes

an agonized breath.

Treves and Fox quickly and expertly tend the wound as Hodges

and Pierce look on.

TREVES:

(off handedly)

Abominable things these machines.

One can't reason with them.

FOX:

What a mess.

Treves now notices that the student's faces have gone a trifle

ashen.

TREVES:

What got you into medicine, Hodges?

HODGES:

My father, sir. He's built quite a

successful practice. I hope to take

it over one day.

TREVES:

Is that your case as well, Pierce?

PIERCE:

Yes sir. Though of course I do have

a great desire to help my fellowman.

Treves smiles at them knowingly.

TREVES:

Of course you do realize that medicine

has changed quite a bit since your

father's time. In those days we didn't

even wash our coats. In fact, the

sign of a truly accomplished surgeon--

was his black operating coat, so

stiff with dried blood and pus that

it could stand up by itself in the

corner. I've still got mine

upstairs... You don't mind blood, do

you?

HODGES & PIERCE

Oh no, sir. (etc.)

TREVES:

Good, that's one thing we've always

plenty of.

HALLWAY:

A hospital MESSENGER BOY, dressed in a blue uniform and a

can is making his way down the hall. He stops and looks into

an operating room much like the one we have just seen.

Inside, the room is empty. The Boy closes the door and

continues on to another operating room. The Doctors move

with great urgency around the operating table. Blood is

draining down into a white porcelain bowl. A Woman can be

heard moaning. The Boy looks carefully, but finally closes

the door and continues on his way.

TREVES' OPERATING ROOM

There is a hissing sound and steam from the cauterizing of

the wound comes up obscuring part of Treves' face. The patient

is being held down firmly by the other men.

The door opens and Treves looks up. The Boy pops his head

in.

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