MPAA Rating: PG/Genre: Adventure/Stars: Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer, Saeed Jaffrey, Shakira Caine, Doghmi Larbi, Jack May, Karroom Ben Bouih, Mohammad Shamsi, Albert Moses, Paul Antrim, Graham Acres, PJ Retiree, The Blue Dancers of Goulamine/Runtime: 129 minutes
I think it can safely be said that, among the things that we all have in common as human beings living together on this planet that astronomers may call Earth yet we call home, there is one distinct thing which I feel is worth talking about at the beginning of this review. That being that we all have in some way or another at the very least 1 or more aspirations for where we would like to be in life let alone where we would like our life to eventually wind up. Of course, this is hardly that surprising dear reader since not only does the development of the aforementioned aspirations help act as a showcase for every individual what it is that they value the most in this life, but they can also serve as inspiration/a springboard of sorts to help guide and motivate you to achieving those aspirations in order to have the most fulfilling life one could possibly hope to attain. With that in mind however, it should also be said that for as positive as 95% of the aspirations that a human being could come to possess are (marrying the love of their life, having kids, being the first in their family to graduate from college, buying a home, getting free Starbucks coffee for life, etc.) there is that remaining 5% which we should all be extremely mindful of. Not just because those aspirations are ones which people should really think twice about pursuing (engaging in a life of crime for example), but because those aspirations are also ones that can potentially lead to consequences for both our lives let alone the lives of those closest to us that we might never have seen coming yet perhaps we ought to have at the very least taken into a degree of consideration however small. Of course, the reason I bring this up to you today dear reader is not because this is me engaging in a warm-up act for a psychologically-rooted TED talk on the perils of aspirations. Rather, it’s because it is the main focus of a slice of cinema from 1975, and film I happen to be reviewing for you today incidentally, known as The Man Who Would Be King. A slice of cinema that, through the prism of a rousing adventure story, also operates as a wonderful cautionary tale for why no country ever let Sean Connery become their leader (a bit of a mistake in my opinion even IF he was part of Highlander II: The Quickening, but I digress). It also, and all joking aside, is a slice of cinema that I really do dig the heck out of quite a bit dear reader. To be sure, it is not a flawless outing by any means, but with the aid of incredibly well-done work on both sides of the camera, The Man Who Would Be King is an absolutely magnificent gem of a film from beginning to end and every riveting minute in between.
The plot is as follows: An adaptation of a novella from 1888, The Man Who Would Be King takes us as movie goers back in time to India in the long-ago year of 1885 where we quickly meet a man by the name of Rudyard Kipling (the author of the original source material taking the place of the story’s anonymous narrator). A man who, among other things worth knowing about him, is a distinct and fairly skilled correspondent who works at the offices of the Northern Star newspaper in Lahore. As intriguing as Kipling’s life has been up until this point however, we see that he’s about to be treated to a rather exciting story. This is because shortly after our story gets underway, we witness as, while working late in the office one night, Kipling finds himself approached by a scraggly and loopy vagabond who soon, much to Kipling’s shock, reveals that he is an old associate of sorts by the name of Peachey Carnahan who would like to regale him with a tale about himself and a comrade of his by the name of Danny Dravot. From there, our story proceeds to flash back by about three years where we quickly see how Dravot and Carnahan, a pair of former military officers in the British Army turned professional criminal mischief makers, met Kipling. It seems the pair had politely “borrowed” Kipling’s pocket watch only to discover they had snatched a watch off a fellow member of the Freemasons which they too belonged and made the decision to promptly return it, but not before Kipling decided to return the favor by foiling a scheme being conducted by the pair involving the blackmail of a local noble in the immediate area. Rather than dealing with this in a rancorous or hostile way though, we see that the pair instead simply take it in stride and visit Kipling to discuss a new plan that the two have conjured up. It seems that, due in large part to a combination of factors including the fact that India is just becomingly too gosh darn civilized for them to get away with their particular schemes to say nothing of heading back to the United Kingdom would just see them get stuck in jobs they would be miserable in, the pair are deciding to make the choice to leave India and make their way, with no less than twenty rifles and ammo, to a semi-mythical place known as Kafiristan. Upon their arrival, we see that the pair will then proceed to offer their skills and services as former soldiers to the country’s leaders and aid them in overtaking the countries near them before then deposing the leaders in question, stealing as much in the way of valuables as they can, and then getting the heck out while the getting is good. Thus the stage is now set for a rather incredible adventure. One that, by the time it’s over, will teach these two men a lesson or three. Not just about the perils of pride and the folly of excessive greed, but also about what can potentially happen when one’s aspirations wind up far exceeding their grasp as well…..
Now right off, it can be said without a doubt in my mind whatsoever that the work done by the various departments operating behind the camera on this exciting cinematic adventure is absolutely impeccable in every single sense of the word. Without question, this starts with the work done in the director’s chair by iconic helmer/occasional actor himself John Huston (The Maltese Falcon from 1941, 1948’s Key Largo, and 1951’s The African Queen among many others) and, for a film that the man had been wanting to make since at least the 50s, this is a truly top-tier adaptation of Kipling’s work. Indeed not only does Huston do a magnificent job here of working in synch with the other departments to ensure that the vibe consistently felt through the film is one made up of equal parts larger than life, swashbuckling, and ruggedly adventurous, but he also excels at then ensuring that the vibe is effectively balanced out with more low-key yet no less effective moments of self-analysis and construction on the part of our fairly three-dimensional cast of characters as well. As a result, yes we as an audience are able to find ourselves being swept up in this truly incredible adventure, but we are also able to get to know and care about the characters that are involved in the adventure as well. That same feeling can also be felt incidentally in the work done on this slice of cinema’s screenplay, as penned by Huston and Gladys Hill (and which earned both of them an Oscar nod for Best Adapted Screenplay). Yes there is perhaps a few distinct creative touches that the pair do with the source material, but overall this really is one of the more faithful cinematic literary adaptations that I have seen. On top of that, we also see that the pair are able to not only contribute welcome degrees of poignancy and comedy into the mix, but also effectively add in a bit of analysis on the concept of English imperialism without the whole thing ever once becoming too preachy on the points I feel it’s trying to make or taking us out of the exciting adventure unfurling around us as movie goers. Now besides the phenomenally skilled dual-tier work done by Huston on both the page and at the helm, this film also brings us truly breathtaking work from Oswald Morris (1982’s The Dark Crystal, 1981’s The Great Muppet Caper, and 1965’s The Hill) in the cinematography department. Indeed not only does Morris’ work effectively show off the beauty and splendor present in the exotic locales the film takes us to, but he also is able to provide the film with both a profoundness and vibrant appearance as well. Lastly, this section would be tragically underwritten if I didn’t take some to focus on the work done here by Maurice Jarre (1989’s Dead Poets Society, 1990’s Jacob’s Ladder, and 1981’s Taps to name a few) on this film’s musical accompaniment. Indeed by effectively merging together a Western orchestra with customary Indian music, we see that Jarre is able to give this film a score that not only incredibly reinforces the adventuring spirit of the story, but which also provides it with a majesty and potency as well. Suffice it to say that when you also take into account Oscar-nominated work in the editing department by Russell Lloyd and in the costume design department by the iconic Edith Head (The Sting, and the 1956 take on The Ten Commandments among numerous others) it’s clear that the team behind the camera are all absolute masters of their respective craft and their contributions to this film are most assuredly definitive proof of that.
Alongside the truly impeccable work engaged in by the various departments behind the camera, this slice of cinema is also the blessed recipient of equally as superb work done in front of the camera by an extremely well-chosen cast of talent. Without any doubt in my mind whatsoever, this starts with the lead performances given here by acting legends Sirs Sean Connery and Michael Caine as both of them are phenomenal in this movie and the chemistry between them, undoubtedly fueled by the pair’s real-life friendship, a treasure in its own right. Indeed in regards to the former, we see that Connery does a magnificent job at giving us a character who has a charm and roguish likability to him yet, as the film goes on, finds himself having to balance those qualities with a rising degree of pride and ego that can really make the aforementioned act of liking, let alone empathizing with, him extremely difficult. Indeed it’s a very tricky balancing act to navigate, but one that Connery pulls off beautifully. As for the latter, we see that Caine is able to bring to Carnehan the same degree of roguish charm. Unlike Connery’s portrayal of Dravot however, we see that Caine is able to ensure that, even as his friend begins letting the power go to his head, Carnehan is able to stay significantly more grounded and therefore make him a slightly more sympathetic character in the eyes of the audience at the same time. Besides the absolutely excellent work done by the dynamic duo that is Sean Connery and Michael Caine respectively, this slice of cinema also gives us a terrific supporting turn from fellow screen legend Christopher Plummer (Inside Man from 2006, Up from 2009, and Knives Out from 2019 among many others….oh and a little low-budget musical from 1965 that no one’s heard of since) in the role of Rudyard Kipling (as stated earlier in this review taking the place of the source material’s anonymous narrator). Yes he may only have 30 minutes of screentime at most here, but even so Plummer does a wonderful job of giving this film both an anchor on which to attach its story and a performance that is a terrific blend of intelligence, good humor, and as a moral counterpart to our more than slightly unscrupulous protagonists. Lastly, I would definitely be amiss if I didn’t take some time in this section to focus on the delightful job here done by Saeed Jaffrey (Sphinx from 1981 and Gandhi from 1982 among others) in the role of Machendra Bahadur Gurung or “Billy Fish” as he requests that Carnehan and Dravot call him on their first meeting. Indeed it might take a little while before he shows up in this, but the moment he does we see that Jaffrey does an outstanding job at not only holding his own on screen opposite such acting titans as Caine and Connery, but also at bringing a humanity, loyalty, delightful sense of humor, and even a bit of heart to the proceedings as well. That and, without going into spoilers, his final scene in the movie is one that does contribute a welcome degree of poignancy to the mix also. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in fantastic performances from Michael Caine’s real-life wife Shakira Caine in a key supporting role, Doghmi Larbi, Jack May, and Albert Moses among others it’s clear that not only is everyone involved aware of the kind of film they are making, but they all look like they are having an absolute blast making it. As a result not only are all the performances exceptional in every sense of the word, but everyone is able to make the most of the amount of screentime that they are given no matter how big or small that amount may be.
All in all and at the end of the day is The Man Who Would Be King “75” a perfect and flawless film in every sense of both of those words? Sadly as much as I would like to say that, I am afraid that I cannot do that with this slice of cinema though that is most assuredly by no means due to the efforts of the immensely talented cast or crew respectively. At the same time, is this the worst slice of cinema to be found on the resumes for any of the creative talents involved in the making of this movie on either side of the camera? Happily I can confirm that is most assuredly not the case either though in all fairness if you do think this then you will be “delighted” to know that Highlander II, Jaws: The Revenge, Meteor from 1979, and The Avengers from 1998 among many others would like to have a bit of a talk with you. All jokes aside dear reader, I must admit that I really do love this movie and not just because it’s one that my grandparents introduced me to when I was a kid. To be sure, the pacing of the film is going to be a bit of an issue for those of you who prefer their adventure films a bit quicker of pace a’la something like Raiders of the Lost Ark. With that in mind though, the direction is impeccable, the script is fantastically penned, the cinematography is jaw-droppingly beautiful to behold, the soundtrack is wonderfully in synch with the action and poignancy being unfurled before us on screen, and the performances by the extremely well-chosen cast of players (with particular regard to the work done by Connery, Caine, Plummer, and Jaffrey) are all absolutely well-done with every individual making the most of the amount of screentime that they are given during the course of the 129-minute runtime. Suffice it to say then dear reader that it might not be perfect, but there is no doubt that The Man Who Would Be King is definitely one old-school adventure film made with equal parts passion and skill that fans of the genre are sure to appreciate time and time again. Now if you’ll excuse me: I just heard a knock at my door and I’m wondering if it’s an old friend of mine who went on vacation here recently to Las Vegas and I’m hope he has at least one exciting story that could even begin to remotely match the one I just saw in this film. Make of that what thou will dear reader. On a scale of 1-5 I give The Man Who Would Be King “75” a solid 4 out of 5.
