In about 1888, Rudyard Kipling wrote a short story that writers since, the caliber of T.S. Eliot, William Faulkner and James Joyce have called a masterpiece, and one of the finest short stories ever written!
It is the story of two cashiered British Army Sergeants and Freemasons, Danny Dravot and Peachy Carnehan, who set out for the farthest reaches of India to seek their fortunes and become kings of Kafiristan (land without God) in the grand adventure, "The Man Who Would Be King."
They travel across rugged, parched desert vistas and snow-clogged mountain passes until they reach a mountain village where they find another ex-soldier, a Gurkha, named Billy Fish, who recognizes the pair as British soldiers like those he has served under. Billy becomes their interpreter and advisor on local customs. The two military men offer their services as mercenaries and help settle a local war.
In the battle, Danny is struck in the chest by an arrow without effect and the locals believe he is a God! The two are taken to the holy city of Sikandergul, where Danny is mistaken for the prophesied return of Alexander The Great, and rightly entitled to the throne and a vast fortune in jewels and gold! Having realized their dreams and more, the two plan their get away with the treasure. Or so it goes until Danny becomes carried away with being a God-king. He runs afoul of the high priest and suddenly the jig is up! (Interestingly, the priest was played by a local fellow who was then 101 years old, and a night watchman at a nearby mining company who kept unnecessarily returning to his night job after each day's filming! A play on "don't quit your day job!")
This is truly a great story filled with adventure, humor and excitement, and one director John Huston had long sought to bring to the screen. He originally wanted to use Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable, in the roles of Peachy and Danny, but time was not in his favor as both stars died before production could begin and the project was shelved until 1974, when Huston brought together Sean Connery (as Danny) and Michael Caine (as Peachy) and gave us a great, historical piece of movie making legerdemain! Caine and Connery have never been better in any roles they've done; probably due to the richness of these larger-than-life characters that you'll greatly enjoy coming to know!
Kipling himself is portrayed by Christopher Plummer, as he meets the two fellow Freemasons in a humorous way before they start their greatest adventure, as if they were real characters he came to know and then wrote about in later days.
The film's music is by Maurice Jarre, who adds continual strains of the classic Irish ballad "The Minstrel Boy" within his lush score. That tune (my personal favorite Irish song) is sung by Danny in the final scenes as he meets his fate.
This is a must-see, or see-again classic film that the whole family can enjoy! Rated PG, there are battle scenes and a somewhat violent game played by the villagers with their former leader's head! (wrapped in a cover) However, the violence is fairly tame compared to today's standards and shouldn't deter your little ones' viewing pleasure.
Three great Brit actors plus one great American director equal splendid entertainment! Or, as Roger Ebert said: "**** Swashbuckling adventure from the hand of a master."
Oh, and call me if you want to sing "The Minstrel Boy" anytime!