IMDb > The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
The Man Who Would Be King
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The Man Who Would Be King (1975) More at IMDbPro »


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Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   17,349 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
John Huston (screenplay) and
Gladys Hill (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Man Who Would Be King on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
17 DECEMBER 1975 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Adventure in all its glory! more
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. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 4 nominations more
User Comments:
Great story, great acting and great fun more (122 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King (UK) (complete title) (USA) (complete title)
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Runtime:
129 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
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. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: In the introductory sequence, Arabic writing is visible on a wall, betraying the fact that the scene was filmed in Morocco. more
Quotes:
Peachy Carnehan: Detriments you call us? Detriments? Well I want to remind you that it was detriments like us that built this bloody Empire AND the Izzat of the bloody Raj. Hats on. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Mummy (1999) more

FAQ

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17 out of 26 people found the following comment useful.
Great story, great acting and great fun, 30 DECEMBER 2002
Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK

Danny and Peaches are two officers in the British army who find themselves at a loss when their services are no longer required in Asia. While blackmailing a local Raj, the pair are exposed by author Rudyard Kipling and brought before an officer. They are warned but released. Later the visit Kipling to get him to witness a contract for their latest plan – to become kings of a small country by training a village to conquer the rest of the villages and then leave months later with riches. The conquest begins in earnest, but when Danny's vigour in battle makes him appear to be a god to the villagers new dangers are introduced.

I have seen two interviews recently with the two leads (separately) and both time clips of this film were shown that made me think `I must watch that again'. Come Christmas and the repeats on all channels gave me the chance to see it. I had forgotten just how funny the film is and it really helps the film to be an enjoyable adventure to add to the dark edges. The plot is from a Kipling story so it is of a good stock and stands up well. The addition of humour is well pitched and really helps.

It is a great adventure story, with a cautionary twist in the tale and can be enjoyed on all levels. The directing is as good as you'd hope from Huston but what really made the film for me was the two leads on top form. Both Connery and Caine have a great chemistry and totally convince as the old school military types. They bring the roles to life and make them enjoyable and get us behind them effortlessly. Admittedly most of the support cast are only jabbering natives who aren't allowed characters with the odd exception. Plummer is good in a minor role but this is the Connery/Caine show all the way.

Overall this is a great story that is well told by director Huston. The film is made even better by the gentle camaraderie between Connery and Caine and the good vein of humour that underpins the strong story and quite downbeat climax to Caine's story.

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