The Man Who Would Be King opens with author Rudyard Kipling (Christopher Plummer) working in his study. His solitude is broken by the arrival of a tattered, half-mad derelict, who is soon revealed to be his old acquaintance Peachy Carnahan (Michael Caine). As Kipling listens in rapt fascination, Peachy relates the incredible adventures of himself and his partner-in-chicanery Daniel Dravot (Sean Connery). Con men Carnahan and Dravot have masterminded all sorts of underhanded money-making schemes,
the most elaborate of which takes them to a remote city in the hills of eastern Afghanistan. Here, through methods both foul and fair, Daniel passes himself off as the incarnation of Alexander the Great, the better to lay his hands on the vast riches all around him. Unfortunately, Daniel begins to believe his own lies, and the results are disastrous for both himself and Peachy. Inadvertently exposing Daniel's scheme is his native wife, played by Shakira Caine (Michael Caine's real-life wife). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The film is supposed to be fun -- despite its ending -- and even that is an interesting departure from the über-serious tone of most epics of the time.
Connery and Caine (both excellent) become classic Huston overreachers, and echoes of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and Moby Dick permeate the mythic yarn.
Good old fashioned adventure film after a lesser known Rudyard Kipling story. Two British soldiers decide to create an empire on their own by traveling from India into the wild Afghan mountains, soon finding traces of Alexander the great. There is plenty to see here, two excellent leading men with Connery and Caine,
gorgeous landscapes and bizarre local rituals make for a very entertaining, sometimes funny, often brutal ride, even if the heroes are cocky and still believe in making the world a better place just by being British. You see their eventual downfall coming but still cheer for them of course. Gladly, the tragic ending doesn't feel forced but as the only possible solution.
Two likable rogues Michael Caine and Sean Connery hatch a scheme to conquer the untamed wilderness of Kafiristan using their military training to unite its warring tribes. Seeing Connery and Caine together is reason enough to recommend this film to anyone, but John Huston's adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's classic story
lives up to all expectations. There is no superfluous action, love scenes or unnecessary bells and whistles; just pure storytelling at its finest. Unsurprisingly, the central double act play off each other brilliantly and together with an excellent Christopher Plummer as Kipling himself, they make for a fantastic parody of and homage to "Britishness" amid a perfect blending of humour and derring do. Huston effortlessly shifts tone, darkening the mood til the wonderful twist in the tale with a similar morality message to his own The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre. One of the last of the true boy's own classics and another of the "they don't make them like that anymore" category.
No quotes approved yet for The Man Who Would Be King. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'The Man Who Would Be King'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
