The Man Who Would Be King (1975)

Two British former soldiers decide to set themselves up as Kings in Kafiristan, a land where no white man has set foot since Alexander the Great.

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
Larbi Doghmi	...	Ootah (as Doghmi Larbi)
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:

adventurer | 19th century | imperialism | execution | epic | 

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Taglines:

Adventure in all its glory!

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Genres:

Adventure | History | War

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sir Sean Connery and Sir Michael Caine later sued Allied Artists for what they felt was improper percentage profit share. They were reportedly awarded two hundred fifty thousand dollars each.

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Goofs

When Peachy and Danny travel with the caravan into the Khyber Pass, all of the camels are Arabian (aka dromedaries), rather than Asian (Bactrian) beasts. This is not an error. Despite their names, both species are present and available in their domestic form in eastern Afghanistan, where the Khyber Pass is, and have been for centuries before the events of the movie take place.

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Quotes

Peachy Carnehan: It took him half an hour to fall.

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Connections

Referenced in The Mummy Returns (2001)

User Reviews

Wonderful adventure film with breathtaking outdoors , unforgettable dialogs and sensational performances

Ruyard Kipling's epic of splendor , spectacle and high adventure at the top of a legendary world. It begins with some words which Rudyard Kipling pens in the opening scene are the opening lines to an actual Kipling poem, "The Ballad of Boh da Thone" that contains several elements which feature in the movie . The flick tells the tale of Daniel Dravot (Sean Connery's favorite film character , though John Huston also considered Richard Burton) and Peachy Carnahan (Michael Caine , though also was deemed Peter O'Toole) , two ex-soldiers in India when it was under British rule. Kipling (Christopher Plummer would have been dismissed early on by the producers but for Sean Connery's insistence that Plummer stay) who is seen as an important role that was there at the beginning and the ending , he advised about a dangerous journey . They 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 . There Daniel becomes a king and attempts to marry a princess (Shakira Caine, this is the only feature film to co-star Michael Caine and wife) under High Priest Kafu Selim (Karroom Ben Bouih was 103 years old when he made his first and only film appearance , when he saw some of the footage he declared that now he would live on forever.

Long live and spectacular adventure with an extraordinary duo , Connery and Caine , they form the best pair of all time . A glorious tale with two heroes who head off to Kafiristan in order to become Kings in their own right . John Huston tried to launch the film version of "The Man Who Would Be King" many times before completing it . It was originally conceived as a vehicle for Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart in the fifties, and later as a vehicle for Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. When it was considered as a vehicle for Robert Redford and Paul Newman, Newman suggested Sean Connery and Michael Caine . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Oswald Morris filmed in Pinewood studios with magnificent production design by Alexandre Trauner and shot on location Glen Canyon, Utah, USA , Grande Montée, Mont-Blanc, Chamonix , France ,Atlas Mountains, Morocco and at the Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, just north of the southern Moroccan city of Ouarzazate ; this site was used in Gladiator as the North-African arena where Maximus first fights. Ouarzazate is known as "Morocco's Hollywood" since many international productions - such as Kingdom of Heaven and The Hills Have Eyes - were shot in the area. Imaginative as well as sensitive musical score composed and conducted by Maurice Jarre .

The motion picture well produced by John Foreman was stunningly by the great John Huston at his best . The picture was made in a good time of the 70s and 80s when Huston resurged as a director of quality films with Fat City, (1972), The man who would be king (1975) and Wise blood (1979). He ended his career on a high note with Under volcano (1984), the afore-mentioned Honor of Prizzi (1985) and Dublineses (1987). Rating : Above average , this is one of John Huston's best films , a model of his kind , definitely a must see if you are aficionado to adventure film . Huston broke a new ground with this landmark movie , providing classic scenes and unforgettable dialogs .

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English Arabic Urdu

Release Date:

19 December 1975 (UK)

Also Known As:

Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King

Filming Locations:

Todgha Gorge, Morocco

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,678

Company Credits

Production Co:

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

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor) (uncredited)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39:1