The Man Who Would be King (Huston) 1975
Imprint Via Vision Blu Ray
Both the novella and film of The Man Who Would Be King have been described as a ripping yarn but that expression has lost some of its charm and romance. Today it’s hard to think of an Indian adventure film, set during the late 19th century of the British Empire, not to be caricatured with a Monty Pythonesque glee or attacked by earnest political correctors. As for being viewed as a buddy film then The Man Who Would Be King avoids any broad display of male competitiveness. Trains and fights do handsomely figure in Huston’s film but we are spared excessive stunts and over-staged crashes: this is a ripping storyline not a technical ripping up of the plot destruction.
But how do you film this Kipling story straight and avoid any potentially jingoistic imperialism? Well you are a supreme adventure film maverick named John Huston – we all remember the great vigour of his The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) starring Huston’s father and Humphrey Bogart, so just cast Sean Connery and Michael Caine (a great admirer of Bogart); write them a witty script and warm camaraderie is the result.
You must also believe in your material, Huston read Kipling’s story when he was young and always wanted to film it. Make the narrator of the tale to be Rudyard Kipling himself and cast an impressive Christopher Plummer as its authorial anchor, arguing against, and then helping, the Connery / Cain duo in their crazed determined adventurism.
Peachy Carnehan (Michael Caine) and Danny Dravot (Sean Connery) are ex-sergeants of the British Army. They’ve become inventive criminals in India. Yet the continent no longer offers so much opportunity: now bound for Kafiristan (a province of Afghanistan) to offer their services to a ruler to help conquer his neighbours. During their fighting an arrow pierces Dravot’s jacket but he’s unharmed. The people and the priests of the city of Sikandergul see this as a sign that Dravot is a god. When they discover he’s wearing a Masonic tag, round his neck, given to them by Kipling, from his pocket watch, that Peachy once tried to steal, they’re convinced that Alexander the Great has sent a promised son to rule over them. Danny rules conscientiously until deluded by power he decides to take a beautiful young woman named Roxanne (Shakira Caine) as his wife. This triggers Danny and Peachy’s undoing.
We’re not given an explanation as to why Peachy and Danny act as they do. But their roguish individualism stresses a refusal to adjust to civilian life in England and a lack of recognition when it came to making the British Empire great. This last complaint is forcibly communicated in the early scene where they are questioned by the governor. He accuses them of being political undesirables and detriments to the British Empire, to this Peachy cries out, “Detriments. Detriments. It’s detriments like us that built this bloody Empire!”
Class anger and resentment spills over into hubris and greed. They will become a king and his attendant in their newly explored land and make a few bob on the side (They’re given a hoard of treasure by the Kafiristan priests). Remain loyal kingly friends; cheeky con-artists to the outside world throughout a journey that proves to be, in its way, a fulfilling destiny: quickly becoming richly tragic-comic.
A great scene in the film is the moment when the priests are cutting a rope bridge on which a singing Danny defiantly stands with Peachy, held on one side of the ravine, accompanying him in the Irish song The Minstrel Boy now with the lyrics of The Son of God Goes Forth to War. Their loyalty and comradeship, eulogised so movingly in defeat, and beautifully directed by Huston, is followed by a perfectly timed dissolve, flash forwarding to the incredulous face of Rudyard Kipling, as he’s told their story by a physically and mentally broken Peachy.
The craftsmanship of the superb The Man Who Would Be King is a delight. Huston knows where to place his camera for maximum atmosphere and effect. He clearly loved making the film as did his actors. Oswald Morris’s photography is alternative gritty then beguiling. Maurice Jarre provides a jaunty and lyrical score.
But it’s the brilliant teaming of Michael Caine and Sean Connery that most resonates. This is performance charisma on a highly entertaining level. The Man Who Would Be King is a treat from start to finish.
Alan Price©2025.
The Man Who Would be King (Huston) 1975
Imprint Via Vision Blu Ray
Both the novella and film of The Man Who Would Be King have been described as a ripping yarn but that expression has lost some of its charm and romance. Today it’s hard to think of an Indian adventure film, set during the late 19th century of the British Empire, not to be caricatured with a Monty Pythonesque glee or attacked by earnest political correctors. As for being viewed as a buddy film then The Man Who Would Be King avoids any broad display of male competitiveness. Trains and fights do handsomely figure in Huston’s film but we are spared excessive stunts and over-staged crashes: this is a ripping storyline not a technical ripping up of the plot destruction.
But how do you film this Kipling story straight and avoid any potentially jingoistic imperialism? Well you are a supreme adventure film maverick named John Huston – we all remember the great vigour of his The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) starring Huston’s father and Humphrey Bogart, so just cast Sean Connery and Michael Caine (a great admirer of Bogart); write them a witty script and warm camaraderie is the result.
You must also believe in your material, Huston read Kipling’s story when he was young and always wanted to film it. Make the narrator of the tale to be Rudyard Kipling himself and cast an impressive Christopher Plummer as its authorial anchor, arguing against, and then helping, the Connery / Cain duo in their crazed determined adventurism.
Peachy Carnehan (Michael Caine) and Danny Dravot (Sean Connery) are ex-sergeants of the British Army. They’ve become inventive criminals in India. Yet the continent no longer offers so much opportunity: now bound for Kafiristan (a province of Afghanistan) to offer their services to a ruler to help conquer his neighbours. During their fighting an arrow pierces Dravot’s jacket but he’s unharmed. The people and the priests of the city of Sikandergul see this as a sign that Dravot is a god. When they discover he’s wearing a Masonic tag, round his neck, given to them by Kipling, from his pocket watch, that Peachy once tried to steal, they’re convinced that Alexander the Great has sent a promised son to rule over them. Danny rules conscientiously until deluded by power he decides to take a beautiful young woman named Roxanne (Shakira Caine) as his wife. This triggers Danny and Peachy’s undoing.
We’re not given an explanation as to why Peachy and Danny act as they do. But their roguish individualism stresses a refusal to adjust to civilian life in England and a lack of recognition when it came to making the British Empire great. This last complaint is forcibly communicated in the early scene where they are questioned by the governor. He accuses them of being political undesirables and detriments to the British Empire, to this Peachy cries out, “Detriments. Detriments. It’s detriments like us that built this bloody Empire!”
Class anger and resentment spills over into hubris and greed. They will become a king and his attendant in their newly explored land and make a few bob on the side (They’re given a hoard of treasure by the Kafiristan priests). Remain loyal kingly friends; cheeky con-artists to the outside world throughout a journey that proves to be, in its way, a fulfilling destiny: quickly becoming richly tragic-comic.
A great scene in the film is the moment when the priests are cutting a rope bridge on which a singing Danny defiantly stands with Peachy, held on one side of the ravine, accompanying him in the Irish song The Minstrel Boy now with the lyrics of The Son of God Goes Forth to War. Their loyalty and comradeship, eulogised so movingly in defeat, and beautifully directed by Huston, is followed by a perfectly timed dissolve, flash forwarding to the incredulous face of Rudyard Kipling, as he’s told their story by a physically and mentally broken Peachy.
The craftsmanship of the superb The Man Who Would Be King is a delight. Huston knows where to place his camera for maximum atmosphere and effect. He clearly loved making the film as did his actors. Oswald Morris’s photography is alternative gritty then beguiling. Maurice Jarre provides a jaunty and lyrical score.
But it’s the brilliant teaming of Michael Caine and Sean Connery that most resonates. This is performance charisma on a highly entertaining level. The Man Who Would Be King is a treat from start to finish.
Alan Price©2025.
By Alan Price • film, year 2025 • Tags: Alan Price, film