I had mixed feeling
while watching The Man Who Would Be King (1975). On the one hand you
could see it as a story about colonialism, cultural appropriation, and immoral
men. On the other hand, said immoral men are played by Sires Sean Connery and Michael
Caine, two actors who could read a dictionary and still come off as charismatic.
Factor in that they are directed by John Huston, the man behind at least three
other cinema classics, and you end up with one of their best films of their
careers.
This is another classic
on found on Turner Classic Movies and is not available on most streaming channels.
I had heard of it many times and was curious to see the pairing of two legends
of cinema, especially Sean Connery in one of his post James Bond roles, where
he played a more morally dubious character. Apart from that I was not too
familiar with the story and was surprised by where it went.
Connery and Caine are on
magnetic form as Daniel Dravot and Peachy Carnehan, two British soldiers seeking
their fortunes in India in the late 1800s. Having helped the British empire colonize
India, they now work as con men hoping to find glory in the region of
Kafiristan. This they announce to journalist Rudyard Kipling (Christopher Plummer),
better known as the author of The Jungle Book, who here is the story’s
narrator. A fellow Freemason who was almost conned by Dravot and Carnehan,
Kipling is both amused by their mannerisms and curious about their ambitious plan.
This is after all two small-time crooks planning to become kings of a land that
has not been explored since the days of Alexander the Great.
Equipped with a cache
of rifles and a few horses, the two best friends head off into adventure. They
travel scorching deserts, fight off bandits, and brave sub-zero temperatures across
vast mountain ranges. Given how hard they work for their goals, you almost root
for these two scoundrels if it wasn’t for the fact their goal is to fleece an
entire nation. This they do with surprising ease, by saving villagers, making
deals with local leaders, and using their military knowledge and weapons to win
strategic battles. Their crowning achievement is convincing the locals that Dravot
is a god after he survives a seemingly deadly wound, hence the movie’s title.
In fact, when the locals first ask if Dravot and Carnehan are gods, their answer
is that they are Englishmen: “The next best thing.”
On paper, what these
two characters do is quite despicable. With their superior weapons they kill
people they have never met before just so they can eventually lay their hands
on a pile of gold. Thanks to coincidences and the local religion, they con an
entire populace into crowning Dravot their king. Even worse, Dravot begins to
believe his own legend and decides to rule as king of Karifistan instead of
taking the gold with Carnehan. This is like when a cult leader decides to not
only take your money but take your life too.
One could easily argue
that Dravot and Carnehan are villains, but their saving grace is that they know
what kind of men they are. While trying to survive the deadly cold in the mountains,
the two friends discuss their position in life and admit that if they were to
die today no one would miss them. Yet, they have no regrets, given all the
marvels they have seen in their many travels and adventures. It is also entertaining
from beginning to end to see these two best friends chase their fortunes, while
simultaneously shouting expressions like: “God’s holy trousers!” These two
scoundrels are so attached to each other, it is almost as if Connery and Caine
are playing the same character.
If it played on the big
screen, I might watch The Man Who Would Be King again for its sweeping
shots of deserts and magnificent mountains, and for the performances of two
acting legends. However given how badly they treat the people of Karifistan or
the people of India for that matter, I can’t say these are characters I would
like to revisit often. Perhaps I should try the characters in The Kid Who
Would Be King instead.
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