The Man Who Would Be King (1975)

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.

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

John Huston (screenplay), Gladys Hill (screenplay)

Stars:

Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited 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

Storyline

This adaptation of the famous short story by Rudyard Kipling tells the story of Daniel Dravot and Peachy Carnahan, two ex-soldiers in India when it was under British rule. They decide that the country is too small for them, so they head off to Kafiristan in order to become Kings in their own right. Kipling is seen as a character that was there at the beginning, and at the end of this glorious tale.

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Plot Keywords:

india | king | ex soldier | rifle | fall | 

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Taglines:

Rudyard Kipling's epic of splendor, spectacle and high adventure at the top of a legendary world.

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Genres:

Adventure

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 March 1976 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King

Filming Locations:

Todgha Gorge, Morocco

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Devon/Persky-Bright, Allied Artists Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor) (uncredited)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Karroom Ben Bouih (High Priest Kafu Selim) was the night watchman of an olive orchard near the filming location. He was hired after John Huston accidentally met him, and told to come to the set the following day. After he fell asleep a few times during filming, it was discovered that he had still kept his night watchman job. Huston had to explain to him that he didn't need that job any more - the film company would pay him enough that he could sleep at night.

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Goofs

At the end of the first battle, Daniel is wheeling on his horse as the enemy around him fall to the ground in fear, because he is seemingly unhurt by the arrow sticking out of his chest. But the arrow is not there in any of the long shots. It only reappears in Daniel's chest when he is shown in close-up.

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Quotes

Peachy Carnehan: Pardon me while I fall down laughing. HA, HA, HA.

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Connections

Referenced in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

User Reviews

Unforgettable.

The greatest "buddy film" of all time. What makes this so? First off, casting two real life friends, Sean Connery and Michael Caine. Second, all other "buddy films" are simply comedies. And while the Man Who Would Be King has some laughs in it, and Connery and Caine bounce off of each other almost as good as Abbott and Costello, the story itself is a drama. And what a drama it is. Two English soldiers set out to be the rulers of a country, but can anyone who was a grunt one day, and a king the next, become a King without getting an inflated ego? The answer is no and that becomes the ultimate test for these two friends. Terrific performances by Caine, Connery and even Christopher Plummer, who gives a brief, but good performance as Rudyard Kipling, the man who wrote the short story this film was based on. This film features perhaps the greatest ending to a movie ever made. You will never forget it, and you will wish that you had a friendship as strong as these two individuals.