The Man Who Will Be King (Film)

The Man Who Would Be King (original title: The Man Who Would Be King) is a 1975 adventure, drama, and war film directed by John Huston. The screenplay was adapted by John Huston and Gladys Hill from Rudyard Kipling’s short story of the same name.

The film follows two former British soldiers who decide to travel to Kafiristan, a region untouched by any white man since the time of Alexander the Great, in order to establish their own kingdom.

The story is set in 1880s British India. Two discharged soldiers, Daniel Dravot and Peachy Carnehan, believing India insufficient for their ambitions, set out for the mysterious region of Kafiristan to found their own kingdom. Armed with only twenty rifles, the pair overcome harsh natural conditions to reach their destination. With the help of Billy Fish, a local guide who speaks English, they train the Kafiristan people in military tactics and gain dominance over neighboring villages.

During a battle, Daniel survives an arrow wound to the chest due to armor hidden beneath his clothing, leading the locals to believe he is an immortal god and the returned son of Alexander the Great. Unexpectedly proclaimed the theocratic king of Kafiristan, Daniel is presented with a treasure. This newfound power gradually severs his connection to reality. Daniel’s refusal to abandon his wealth and return to India, his growing arrogance, and his decision to marry a local woman named Roxanne break the pact he made with Peachy, plunging the two into a desperate struggle for survival.

The narrative centers on themes of ambition, greed, and the lust for power. Through the protagonists’ pursuit of their goals, the film explores friendship, the willingness to take great risks, and the refusal to surrender. It also addresses the human desire to transcend limits and the universal values of honor and dignity.

The film’s production budget was estimated at $8,000,000. Its worldwide box office revenue was recorded at $12,678,000.^【1】

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• Daniel Dravot (Sean Connery): A former British soldier who leaves the army to establish a kingdom in Kafiristan with his friend Peachy. He is regarded by the locals as an immortal god and the returned son of Alexander the Great (Sikander).
• Peachy Carnehan (Michael Caine): A former sergeant and Daniel’s closest comrade. He remains by Daniel’s side throughout the entire adventure. After the kingdom is established, he advocates returning to India with the treasure.
• Rudyard Kipling (Christopher Plummer): A reporter for the Northern Star newspaper. He is the writer who witnesses the beginning and tragic end of the two soldiers’ adventure and communicates with them through their shared Masonic ties.
• Billy Fish (Saeed Jaffrey): The sole Gurkha soldier to survive a previous mapping expedition in Kafiristan. Due to his fluency in English and local languages, he serves as Daniel and Peachy’s interpreter and assistant.
• Roxanne (Shakira Caine): A young Kafiristani woman whom Daniel, intoxicated by power, defies the rules to marry.
• Kafu Selim (Karroom Ben Bouih): The high priest of the sacred city of Sikandergul. He subjects Daniel to various trials to determine whether he is a mortal man or a god.
• Regional Commissioner (Jack May): A British official who disrupts the two former soldiers’ scheme to blackmail a local ruler.
• Ootah (Larbi Doghmi): A local figure encountered by Daniel and Peachy in the village of Urheb within Kafiristan’s borders.

The film received nine nominations across various prestigious film ceremonies in 1976.^【2】