The Man Who Would Be King
Tired of life as soldiers, Peachy Carnehan and Danny Dravot travel to the isolated land of Kafiristan, where they are ultimately embraced by the people and revered as rulers. After a series of misunderstandings, the natives come to believe that Dravot is a god, but he and Carnehan can't keep up their deception forever.
Critics Sentiment
Dravot is crowned king and shown the royal treasury
Terrified Roxanne bites Danny making him bleed publicly
The film's most dramatic drop occurs when Roxanne's bite exposes Danny's mortality, plummeting from royal triumph to catastrophic downfall.
Critics consistently praise this as a masterful old-fashioned adventure that builds to spectacular heights before delivering a tragically satisfying conclusion. The chemistry between Connery and Caine, combined with Huston's direction and stunning cinematography, creates what many consider the greatest buddy adventure film. While some find the pacing slower by modern standards, the overwhelming consensus celebrates its epic scope, character development, and unforgettable ending.
Full cast
Sean Connery
Daniel Dravot
Michael Caine
Peachy Carnehan
Christopher Plummer
Rudyard Kipling
Saeed Jaffrey
Billy Fish
Doghmi Larbi
Ootah
Jack May
District Commissioner
Karroom Ben Bouih
Kafu Selim
Mohammad Shamsi
Babu
Albert Moses
Ghulam
Paul Antrim
Mulvaney
Graham Acres
Officer
Shakira Caine
Roxanne
Nadia Atbib
Dancer (uncredited)
Yvonne Ocampo
Dancer (uncredited)
Gurmuks Singh
Sikh Soldier (uncredited)
Kimat Singh
Sikh Soldier (uncredited)
Crew
Write a Review
Rate each story beat:
