The Man Who Would Be King (1975)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

John Huston (screenplay) and
Gladys Hill (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

17 December 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

Adventure in all its glory!

Plot:

Two British soldiers in India decide to resign from the Army and set themselves up as deities in Kafiristan--a land where no white man has set foot since Alexander.

Plot Keywords:

India | King | Soldier | Treasure | Friendship

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Sean Connery	...	Daniel Dravot
Michael Caine	...	Peachy Carnehan
Christopher Plummer	...	Rudyard Kipling
Saeed Jaffrey	...	Billy Fish
Doghmi Larbi	...	Ootah
Jack May	...	District Commissioner
Karroom Ben Bouih	...	Kafu Selim
Mohammad Shamsi	...	Babu
Albert Moses	...	Ghulam
Paul Antrim	...	Mulvaney
Graham Acres	...	Officer
The Blue Dancers of Goulamine	...	Dancers
Shakira Caine	...	Roxanne

Also Known As:

Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King (UK) (complete title) (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Atlas Mountains, Morocco

Company:

Allied Artists Pictures

Trivia:

The main theme of the movie is an old Irish air "The Moreen", more often called "The Minstrel Boy" after Thomas Moore wrote the lyrics "The minstrel boy to the war is gone." However the words sung by Daniel and Peachie are from the Christian Hymn "The Son of God goes forth to war" by Reginald Heber.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In Kipling's office at the beginning of the film, Peachy states that according to Herodotus (pronounced "Harry-odotus"), Alexander the Great defeated King Oxyartes and took Roxanna as his wife. Herodotus actually died about 70 years before Alexander was born, thus making him unable to recount facts about Alexander's life history.

Quotes:

[speaking to Billy Fish in Kafiri]
Billy Fish: Ootah say take your pick. He have twenty three daughters.
Danny: Those are his daughters? Why the dirty old beggar!
Peachy Carnehan: Now, now Danny. Different countries, different ways. He's only being hospitable according to his lights. Billy, tell him one's as pretty as the next and we cannot choose.
[Billy translates; Ootah replies in Kafiri]
Billy Fish: Ootah say he also have twenty sons if you be liking boys.
Peachy Carnehan: [angrily] Tell him he makes my gorge rise; tell him!
Danny: Now Peachy, different countries, different ways. Tell Ootah we have vowed not to take a woman until all his enemies are vanquished.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Galaxy High School: The Beef Who Would Be King (#1.3)" (1986)

No film is closer to perfect

Take the story from a master like Kipling, give it to a director of classics like THE AFRICAN QUEEN, add a superb script that crackles with wit and cast two of the greatest modern day screen actors in roles that fit them like gloves. The result comes as near to the perfect action-adventure film as you will ever find. Kipling's rousing tale of two British soldiers in the days of high Empire keeps a tight hold of the viewer throughout. The twists of the tale are fascinating, the characters mesmerizing, the whole concept is so ingenious and full of potential that with such a team it simply cannot miss! Caine & Connery are superb together, oozing charisma and obviously enjoying themselves greatly as the two British NCOs.It's possible that neither has ever produced work to match what you will see here, it's wonderful to watch. Huston's direction is top drawer and the feeling of claustrophobic Indian market places and dusty railways stations is so strong it's a relief when the two heroes of the story make their ways into the wilderness to conquer a territory and "be kings". "Billie Fish", the stranded Ghurka soldier that the pair encounter high in the mountains produces a fine characterisation by Jaffery . His eye-rolling expressions and comic timing are inch perfect in his performance throughout. Perfect too is Christopher Plummer as Kipling himself. Indeed so convincing is he as this most archetypal Englishman that one is reminded how Huston considered casting to be the most important element of his job - to paraphrase, if you find the right actor for the role, he needs no direction! I can't think of a film that more consistantly proves how right he was!

Through battles, politics, greed and jealousy the two would-be kings gallop untill the final memorable explosive showdown. The last scene is perhaps the most effective and memorable of all. True pathos which tugs strongly at the heartstrings. A fitting end to a marvelous film.