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The Man Who Would Be King

The Man Who Would Be King (1975)

December. 17,1975
|
7.8
|
PG
| Adventure Drama

A robust adventure about two British adventurers who take over primitive Kafiristan as "godlike" rulers, meeting a tragic end through their desire for a native girl. Based on a short story by Rudyard Kipling.

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CheerupSilver
1975/12/17

Very Cool!!!

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RipDelight
1975/12/18

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

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Taha Avalos
1975/12/19

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

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Guillelmina
1975/12/20

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

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denzil-09434
1975/12/21

What an excellent movie. Wonderful casting, who could be better than Connery and Caine for these characters? Plus it's a fairly faithful rendition of a wonderful story by one if the great English writers of any age. As with any movie, great writing has to be the foundation if it's to be any good. Highly recommended.

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Kirpianuscus
1975/12/22

...but , certainly, seductive. because it gives well known things in the best package. because the "chemistry" between Connery and Caine is the pillar of an exotic story about desire, myth , chance and fall. and the key for a show who seems unique. so, one of films who diserves be time by time. for many reasons. for different states. for humour and old stories about vanity. and, sure, for two remarkable actors. so, almost perfect.

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zardoz-13
1975/12/23

"Maltese Falcon" director John Huston's storybook adventure saga "The Man Who Would Be King" casts Sean Connery and Michael Caine as two former British Army soldiers in 19th century India. These two scoundrels aspire to become kings in their own right in a distant land of Kafristan. Despite its downbeat ending, this ambitious saga has some amusing moments early on as the roguish pair visit the famous writer Rudyard Kipling before they march off to glory. This is an old-fashioned melodrama about a pair of mercenaries who get everything that they deserve in the long run. Nevertheless, Connery and Caine have a field day as the Queen's own until they encounter tragedy. Our protagonists masquerade as natives and enter a land where no white man has been seen since Alexander the Great in 230 B.C. They raise an army from a small ruler's kingdom and march into battle against one tyrant after another until Connery's Daniel Dravot leads a reckless charge against the enemy in their first battle against the orders of his comrade-in-arms Peachy Carnehan (Michael Caine) who reprimands him for his amateurish behavior. During the charge, an arrow plunges into Daniel's chest, but lodges harmlessly in his bandoleer and he survives. However, everybody who witnessed his exploit believe that Daniel survived because he is nothing less than divine, a god, and they fall down on their knees and worship him. Predictably, our heroes amass a fortune in gold, but Daniel begins to believe in his own divinity and makes the mistake of taking a wife. When the dame bites him during their wedding ceremony, they realize that they have cooked their collective geese. Everybody realizes that Daniel isn't a god and they sent him to his death and crucify poor Peachy. Lensed on location in sunny, sand-swept Morocco, "The Man Who Would Be King" was a life-long dream of writer & director John Huston who initially sought to make it during the Golden Age of Hollywood with Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart.

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Fluke_Skywalker
1975/12/24

John Huston's adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's 'The Man Who Would Be King', with its stereotypical natives and romanticized imperialism, certainly won't win any awards for political correctness, but Michael Caine and Sean Connery's jaunty and charming performances make you forget that their characters and their deeds are rather despicable.For much of its runtime 'The Man Who Would Be King' plays a bit like a Bing Crosby/Bob Hope road pic. It's not until the best laid plans go astray in the third act that we see the story more clearly for what it is; a tragedy of ego and greed and the brotherhood between deeply flawed men with a seemingly incongruous sense of honor.

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