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.

The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
  • Rating: (22,931 votes)
  • Taglines:Adventure in all its glory! » Long live adventure... and adventurers! »
  • Runtime:129 minutes
  • Director: John Huston
  • Countries:UK, USA
  • Actors:
    Daniel Dravot
    Sean Connery
    Peachy Carnehan
    Michael Caine
    Rudyard Kipling
    Christopher Plummer
    Billy Fish
    Saeed Jaffrey
    Ootah
    Doghmi Larbi
    District Commissioner
    Jack May
    Kafu Selim
    Karroom Ben Bouih
    Babu
    Mohammad Shamsi
    Ghulam
    Albert Moses
    Mulvaney
    Paul Antrim
  • Genres:Action, Adventure
  • Producers:
    John Foreman
    producer  
    William Hill
    associate producer (uncredited)  
  • Plots: 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. Written by Greg Bole <bole@life.bio.sunysb.edu>
The Man Who Would Be King
  • User's comment:John Huston: A Man Who Was King by j_beaudine

    It took John Huston more than 20 years to bring one of his favorite stories, "The Man Who Would Be King," to the big screen. Originally, he had Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable in mind for the lead roles. Sean Connery and Michael Caine would end up in the roles. Overall, it was worth the wait.

    Based on Rudyard Kipling's short story, "The Man Who Would Be King" is a tale set in the 1880s at the height of the British empire's rule in India. Daniel Dravot and Peachy Carnehan (Connery and Caine respectfully) are two soldiers turned con men who decide to conquer Kafiristan, a remote section of Afghanistan. Once there, the two men plan to train the natives into an army, become rulers, and steal the country's treasure left behind by Alexander the Great. However, due to a misunderstanding, Daniel is crowned king and is seen as a possible god and descent of Alexander. Peachy wants to stick with the plan, but Daniel soon becomes consumed by his new power.

    In a decade that evolved around the 'New Hollywood,' Huston was one of the very few filmmakers from the Studiio-era to be able to continue his craftsmanship and turn out some fine stories. In a way, "The Man Who Would Be King" is a big screen epic presented on a smaller scale. Despite all the breathtaking scenery and fine set pieces, it ultimately is a character driven story about two friends staying together until the end.

    The performances of Connery and Caine rank among the best work from their distinguished careers. Christopher Plummer also gives a fine performance as Kipling himself. Huston, who always seemed to adapt other's materials successfully, achieved one of his most personal projects into fine perfection. With beautiful locations and a wonderful musical score by Maurice Jarre, "The Man Who Would Be King" is not only one of Huston's best, but is also one of the best films to come out from the 70s that still had a certain feel of stories that had a feel of a time long gone when film audiences were able to enjoy films that had everything. Adventure, comedy, drama, suspense, and so forth. I guess you could say 'They don't make them like they use to' after viewing this film from one of the great film mavericks of all time.


  • Quotes: Billy Fish: I oft times tell Ootah about Englishmens. How they give names to dogs and take off hats to womans, and march into battle, left - right, left -right with rifles on their shoulders. Daniel Dravot: Peachy, I'm heartily ashamed for gettin' you killed instead of going home rich like you deserved to, on account of me bein' so bleedin' high and bloody mighty. Can you forgive me? Peachy Carnehan: That I can and that I do, Danny, free and full and without let or hindrance.
  • Also known as: El hombre que sería Rey (Argentina), El hombre que sería Rey (Uruguay), L'homme qui voulut être roi (Canada - French title), L'homme qui voulut être roi (France), O Homem Que Queria Ser Rei (Brazil), O Homem Que Queria Ser Rei (Portugal), Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King (UK - complete title), Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King (USA - complete title), Aki király akart lenni (Hungary), Covek koji je hteo da bude kralj (Serbia - imdb display title), Covjek koji je htio biti kralj (Yugoslavia - imdb display title, Croatian title), Czlowiek, który chcial byc królem (Poland - imdb display title), Der Mann, der König sein wollte (West Germany), El hombre que pudo reinar (Spain), El hombre que sería rey (Mexico - imdb display title), Ha-Ish sh'Ratza Lehiyot Meleh (Israel - Hebrew title), L'uomo che volle farsi re (Italy), Manden der ville være konge (Denmark), Mannen som ville bli konge (Norway - theatrical title), Mannen som ville bli kung (Sweden), Muz, ktery chtel byt králem (Czechoslovakia), O anthropos pou tha ginotan vasilias (Greece - transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title), Omul care voia sa fie rege (Romania), Seikkailujen sankarit (Finland),

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