# Man Who Would Be King, The (1975)

### reviewed by
Brian Koller

    The Man Who Would Be King (1975)

    Grade: 66

"The Man Who Would Be King" is a good film that should have been a great film. It had so much potential: it was well-cast, with Sean Connery and Michael Caine playing the leads. John Huston, a force behind many great films, was the director. The set and costumes are excellent: you feel as if you are actually there in remote Karafistan. It is a very good story, and with an important moral: lust for power and greed can do you in.

Connery and Caine are 19th century British soldiers stationed in India. They are expelled from India due to roguish behavior such as theft, gun-smuggling and blackmail. They decide to visit remote Karafistan, install themselves as rulers there, then confiscate any treasure to be found there. Their plan goes very well, until Connery discovers that he would rather remain as king than flee with treasure.

What bothered me most about "The Man Who Would Be King" is the conceit of the main characters. Caine delivers a line similar to "He's not a God, but an Englishman. The next best thing." The soldiers truly believe that it is their right to slaughter, mislead and plunder Karafistanis if it serves their interests. Early in the film, Caine throws a subservient Indian out the window a moving train. This is supposed to be humorous. The Englishmen consistently are able to fool Indians and Karafistanis, who ought to know better.

Other minor complaints: a Karafistani woman (Shakira Caine, Michael's real-life spouse) has the Western name 'Roxanne'. Upon reaching Karafistani, the British soldiers immediately encounter the only man (Billy, played by Saeed Jaffrey) who speaks English in the entire country. Even more incredibly, at their first meeting Billy offers unconditional loyalty to the Englishmen. The first local ruler that the Englishmen encounter (Ootah, played by Doghmi Larbi) is conveniently an obliging fool.

Still, the cast, sets, costumes, story, script and score are all very good. "The Man Who Would Be King" remains a good movie, but it would be properly titled "The Film That Would Be Great".

kollers@mpsi.net http://members.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html

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