The Man Who Would Be King (1975)

Directed by John Huston. Starring Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Saeed Jaffrey, Christopher Plummer, Doghmi Larbi, Karroom Ben Bouih, Jack May, Mohammad Shamsi, Shakira Caine. [PG]

Terrific adventure picture from the Rudyard Kipling story of two roguish former officers in the British Army who venture into the distant lands beyond India and the Khyber Pass for fortune, glory, and mischief, and one of them (Connery) is mistaken by locals to be a god! Escapism of the highest degree blends humor, action, foreign mystery, scenic far-flung backdrops, hubristic downfalls, and broad character work; the pairing of Michael Caine and Sean Connery is just as enjoyable in execution as it must have looked on the page, and the film represents director Huston’s most successful motion picture in over two decades. Beautifully photographed in Morocco by Oswald Morris. Huston scripted with Gladys Hill; imperialist themes and racial exploitation may rankle some viewers, however, so some measure of historical perspective is needed. Plummer makes bookending appearances as Kipling himself, while Caine’s wife, Shakira, has a small but important role.

90/100