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Caine's real life wife, Shakira, plays the woman who helps expose Connery+ Caine's fraud in this film. Prior to marrying Caine, she had appeared in a few films/TV Shows [including 'Carry on again doctor'] but the filmmakers seemed keen to wipe these away as she's given an 'introducing' credit. A Caine biography I have wrongly says this was her 'one and only' credit. She retired for acting/modelling after this and has been married to Caine for 50 years.
'The Man Who Would Be King' from 1975 is such an underrated and largely forgotten movie today. I absolutely ADORE everything about this movie! Sean Connery and Micheal Caine have such wonderful onscreen chemistry together. You can tell these two had a blast making this movie. It's one of the all-time best "Buddy films". I love Rudyard Kipling! He's easily one of my all-time favorite authors.
It wasn't talked about much in 1975 either. This was the year of Jaws, The Towering Inferno, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and Dog Day Afternoon. I remember those films in particular as I saw them in the cinema at the time. No-one was talking about this especially since it was post Zardoz which was looked upon as Connery's nadir.
Sean Connery, Michael Cain, Roger Moore were all friends in real life. Goodness, I can't even imagine what their dinner and drinking conversations were like.
The most memorable scene in this film for me is where Connery and Caine are sitting down and quietly discussing death. Its a serious moment in an otherwise comedic film where they realise that no one is going to miss them after they're gone, they have no real deeds or achievements to their name, nothing profound to brag about. And yet... they're content with that. They are them and they wouldn't have it any other way. It really made me think when I first heard this and I have to say it really does reflect my own life.
Much of the humor in this movie is due to Connery and Caine improvising their scenes. They even changed the dialogue. Caine said John Huston offered very little direction, instead telling them, "You're getting paid so much money to do this, I think you should do it yourselves."
Another actor (and I am blanking on the name, I apologize) told a wonderful story of the only direction he ever got from John Huston: "Look through the camera lens and ask yourself, 'What needs to go in the rectangle?'"
John Huston is an all time great director. Glad your reviewing one of his works. The Maltese Falcon and Treasure of Sierra Madre are among the greatest movies of all time.
Personally, I also very much like his Moby Dick movie. The Maltese Falcon is so effortlessly watchable. I watch it once a year together with Sierra Madre.
Magnificent film. I love seeing interviews with Caine and Connery telling stories of their time on this film. The pair were at the top of their game on this one. Solid review, Calvin.
Two more Bond connections: 1) The year after, Huston would play Moriarty opposite Roger Moore as Sherlock Holmes in the TV movie Sherlock Holmes in New York. 2) The DoP, Oswald Morris, previously worked on The Man with the Golden Gun - he took over cinematography duties after Ted Moore fell ill.
@@ricardocantoral7672 Was thinking that, same time, it is TOO coincidental and too exact. It is just too close. Maybe the (TV) filmmakers were Ian Fleming geeks, who knows.
@@ricardocantoral7672 It was included in American editions of Fleming's non-fiction 'Thrilling Cities' book but wasn't given a separate publication until the Sunday Times ran it in 1999 before being added to the 'Octopussy+ Living Daylights' collection in 2002. It was so obscure that a very comprehensive James Bond reference book, 'The Bond Files' didn't include it in it's first edition in 1998. Eon themselves may have been unaware of it given it only starts getting adapted in the mid-2000's [with the character 'Solange' name in Casino and the end confrontation in Quantum].
It is a shame. They are both in 'A Bridge to far' but share no scenes together. Roger Moore said in the early 90's that he, Caine and Connery were looking for a project to do together but it never materialised.
Because of Allied Artists not paying Connery and Caine their money and collapsing soon after, the rights to this film have been all over the place, though Warner Bros. has been handling most of the Allied Artists catalog int he U.S., but a possible 4K upgrade could settle the matter in (hopefully) the near future.
The Bond Connections, some of which Calvin already mentioned: ~John Houston acted in and directed part of the spoof _Casino Royale._ ~Sean Connery was James Bond. ~Michael Caine was Harry Palmer in the series that was inspired by the success of the Connery Bond films. Also, the first film, _The IPCRESS Files,_ was produced by Harry Saltzman, who also produced the Bond pictures at the time.
~I would also like to denote the fact that Caine was in Cars 2 playing more or less the vehicular version of Bond in a film that pays homage to many a Bond film. (Please don’t insult the film, I love it and it was my introduction to the spy genre)
I actually like that while this film looks like an epic, it has a totally different feel to it. It is very unpretentious and really fun. Curious how some of those other pairings (Gable/Bogart, Lancaster/Douglas, etc.) would have looked.
📽 Connery did have his *lean years* , namely between DAF (1971) and NSNA (1983) ~ (Others: Robin and Marian, Outland, Zardoz, Cuba, Muder on the Orient Express, Meteor)
Here's another film with connections to 007 that'd be good for a review: The 1958 docudrama retelling of the Titanic disaster: *"A Night To Remember"* based on the book by Walter Lord, directed by Roy Ward Baker photographed by Geoffrey Unsworth and produced by William MacQuitty (who actually saw the launch of the Titanic in Belfast, Ireland in May 31, 1911 and saw her began her first & final voyage in Southampton, England on April 10, 1912). The Bond actors & actresses who starred in the film include: *Honor Blackman* *Michael Goodliffe* *Laurence Naismith* *Desmond Llewelyn* *Peter Burton* *Alec McCowen* *Geoffrey Bayldon* *Jeremy Bulloch* (sadly the cameo of Sir Sean Connery was just a rumor, just like Ian Fleming's cameo in "FRWL").
I remember after renting this movie as a kid thinking ‘Wait… this has the same plot as Road to El Dorado’… and thus this movie taught me what gripes were. 😅
I love that the film never forgets that Danny and Peachy are scoundrels through-and-through. Protagonists, but absolutely NOT heroes. They're dishonest, greedy, racist, pig-ignorant, and don't care what anyone else thinks of them. Even their own countrymen think they're scum, except Kipling, who just finds them to be fascinating monsters. I've not read the original Kipling story, but I wonder how accurately that element is adapted. This movie is a clear parable for British colonialism, in how their greed has no bounds, how dependent these two are on Billy Fish to tell them anything and everything about the land they're trying to exploit, because they know nothing, and how Danny at least starts to believe his own propaganda, while Peachy remains the more level-headed cynical crook. It takes all kinds to run an empire as a heist. I doubt this would represent Kipling's actual feelings, but it might well represent Huston's, and it's so incredibly 70s. Caine especially plays such wonderful bastards; I can't think of anyone else who's had so many starring roles as a guy we're not supposed to like, just find disturbingly compelling.
Great analysis. My favorite part of the movie is when Daniel asks Peachy if he can forgive him for getting them both killed and Peachy says yes and Danny says "Everything's all right then."❤
I remember watching how they did the rope bridge stunt on 70's kids TV show "Clapperboard" back in the 70's as a nipper - amazing stuff. Glad you reacted to this epic,one of my all-time favourite films. 🎥🙌👍
I remember watching this on Netflix eight years ago or so and really enjoying it. Caine and Connery have a great chemistry and it makes the film immensely watchable. It's certainly a better Caine/Bond pairing than Bullseye! for sure. Also I hadn't seen any of the epic films of David Lean and the like so maybe I was more impressed by its epic sensibilities since I didn't have those to compare it to. Certainly it's nice to have a slightly breezier epic film for days when you don't have four hours to spare watching a film. Shame it hasn't appeared on Blu-ray in the UK - hopefully that's something that Arrow or Eureka can look into.
"GODS holy trousers" is my favourite line in all cinema history because of this film :) 5:27 Yeah i think you have a point Calvin. Many have watched it more because its another ambitious John Huston movie or to see Connery getting away from his Bond stereo type by being apart of this and increasing his acting range and chemistry with Michael Caine on his side. I don't think its a bad thing though, but maybe as you say there could have been a little more potential on the grand scale of things like David Lean movies as you say. It does very much however have a very Inidanna Jones feel to the movie that predates it by 6 years. Speaking of which, the bridge scene with Connery very much has a temple of doom vibe to it. I remember from interviews with Vic Armstrong talking about how incredible that stunt was by JOe powell. nice one man, Thanks again . I hope we get "High Lander" from you one day soon, anything to get you eventually to the greatest film of all time......HIGH LANDER 2: The Quickening!!!! ;)
I do find it amusing that Ramirez is the only part other than Bond Connery played more than once when he's only an extended cameo in both Highlander films! Given what a train wreck Highlander 2 is [both as a movie and behind the scenes] at least Connery is clearly having as much fun as he can until he can cash in his cheque McLeod: Will I ever see you again? Ramirez: Who Knows Highlander? [literally winks and grins to the camera] who knows?!
@@jamesatkinsonja hahaha yeah good point. I would have loved to have seen a 'entrapment 2' or 'the rock 2'. ahwell fingers crossed Calvyn will review oneday :)
Love this film from start to finish. Connery & Caine are just brilliant. These 2 are my 2 favourite actors & this film is in my top 3 films of all time. As to you saying you were disappointed with the ending, all I can say is "God's Holy Trousers"😂
It was Connery and Caine's best film of the 70s they made some hit and miss movies back then but The Man Who Would Be King was class if not a classic. It ticks all the boxes for me. When I wrote to Sean I made sure to mention The Man Who Would Be King and sent a photo from the film for him to sign knowing it was his fave film. Michael Caine said if you're a friend of Sean's you don't mention James Bond so I didn't. He kinda divorced himself from Bond thats why him making Never Say Never Again and voicing the From Russia With Love video game gave me a thrill. I get why he got fed up of Bond it was the circus that went with it he couldn't go anywhere without being recognized as James Bond rather than Sean Connery the actor. His second best film of the 70s was The Great Train Robbery. That's well worth a watch especially for the bonkers stunt work he did on top of the train.
Film 4 in the UK showed this film as part of a tribute to Connery [along with 'Robin and Marion'] which was a good choice. Part of Connery + Caine's deal for the film involved a cut of the profits which due to 'Hollywood accounting' were allegedly none existent. Connery+ Caine successfully sued the studio [Allied Artists] which went bankrupt shortly after which Connery was delighted to take the credit for! There is a nice story where Huston was ill and Connery+ Caine visited him 'in character' from this film much to Huston's delight! The 1967 Casino Royale is technically Anjelica Huston' [John's daughter] first acting work as she did some hand doubling to help him out!
Would you *please* look into _The Wild Geese_ (1978)! It doesn’t just star Roger Moore, it has a credit sequence by Maurice Binder and was edited by John Glen.
Never really thought of this film as an ‘epic’. More of ‘Ripping Yarn’. The banter and roguishness is what serves it well and to that end the first three quarters of the film are probably the most enjoyable before you start to see what’s coming a mile off.
I have a big fondness for adventure films- Gunga Din, Beau Geste (the Gary Cooper version), and this film being three of my absolute favorites. What a movie!
Great film ; I got to speak to Sir Roger Moore a few years back and asked him about the film he was going to make with both Sean Connery and Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley called Soldiers Three , based on the Rudyard Kipling poem Gunga Din , very much in the same vein as TMWWBK , at the last minute Sean Connery declined because of the james Bond connection working alongside Roger Moore , and how the press would react , Roger Moore was all for it as was the rest of the cast , what a shame they never got to appear in a film together , how great would that of been ? ; you may of been reviewing that too now no doubt if it had been ; a classic that never was unfortunately
Thanks for sharing this. The comment I came across had Roger saying he was also weary of it being seen as 'Bond meets Bond' but it's a shame it didn't happen.
This film and "The Wind and the Lion" are my two favorite post-Bond films that Sean Connery made. Both are epic in scope, both are swashbuckling, high action romantic adventure films and both have Connery at his best! I love The Man Who Would Be King for his chemistry with Caine and I love The Wind and the Lion for his performance and chemistry with Candis Bergen. If you haven't seen The Wind and the Lion, I strongly urge you to watch it now!
Both are fun. I do prefer The Man who would because I never thought The Wind and the Lion worked quite as well as i would imagine it would considering the talented and inimitable John Milius wrote and directed it. Robin and Mariam is my favorite post Bond Connery. It's the audience catching up with the character of Robin Hood decades after his glory years are past. Connery is Hood, Robert Shaw is Sheriff of Nottingham, Audrey Hepburn Mariam, the legendary Nicol Williamson Little John, Denholm Elliott Will Scarlet, Richard Haris briefly as Richard the Lionheart, Ian Holm as King John. The cast alone makes it a must see - the film has a bittersweet, melancholic tone about the past and about love. It's not about nostalgia, thankfully, or if it is, it's a repudiation of it - it's a reminder of how love and friendship can endure, and how strong those bonds are.
I believe the reason why you find the scope of the story, especially towards the end, underwhelming is that, unlike Doctor Szivago or Ben Hur this movie is not about people being thrown into uncontrollable events and then rising to the challenge of navigating and conquering the trials presented by those events. Rather, it is about people actively bringing about the events that ultimately lead to the trials they end up facing. In that sense, I invite you to consider The Man Who Would Be King not an epic, but a character study. Albeit a character study disguised in the drapings of an epic adventure, what with the exotic (and poignant) locale and massive cast of extras. Cheers, Mr. Dyson Fan P.S. Please do more Connery impressions ;-)
This is a really fine review. I saw this movie when it came out and loved it ever since then. It's actually similar, particularly the ending, to the Treasure of Sierra Madre by Huston.
This is definitely a film that deserves to be better known. I mean, it's an epic starring Sean Connery and Michael Caine, it's hardly a throwaway piece. How does it not have a larger pop cultural presence?
One of best adventure movies made, with underpinning of moral hubris of Empire mentality at the centre. Caine and Connery brilliant duo. With Billy Fish ("neighbours piss downstream") as incredibly brave Gurkha and allie
Kafiristan is based on the real region of Afghanistan where pagans had not quite been wiped out in the 1800s, it is attested to in thr journals of an American adventurer Alex Gardner who would also end up in the service of the Sihk Empire like Josiah Harlan, Josiah being one one thr inspirations for the protagonists of this film.
I was hoping for a bigger Calvin Dyson breakdown of this film. Should've looked at the time before i clicked 😂. Keep up the good work Calvin, loved your Nightfire breakdown.
The ending actually knocked me for six. Granted, first time I watched it I was 17 or so, but I think the reason why the darkness it takes works - for me - is because it put in the leg work to make you like the leads. And for me, humour is what makes me like characters. Or a sense of humour anyway. But I think you're right, it is lacking something to raise it up to the Zulu's or Lawrence's. And it could well be Sean's best performance.
Huston loved the whole concept of an adventure but he typically never did epics. He always had a greater focus on character instead of atmosphere. In The Treasure of The Sierra Madre and The African Queen, John was more concerned about how his characters suffered. I think that is why The Man Who Would Be King feels somewhat underwhelming even though it is supposed to be on a grand scale.
I really liked it when I saw it on its theatrical release. Was already a Connery fan after seeing most if not all of his Bond adventures by then (rerelease or TV; Diamonds was the only one I saw first run). Anyway I thought it was a fun flick and it made me a Caine fan for life. I hadn’t read the novel so the end came more of a shock to me than perhaps to others.
I saw this when I was a kid, and the ending freaked me out, Hah! The ending on the rope bridge, and then the crown reveal also. But having the two of them sharing screen time is worth it alone. Oh, my favorite Connery movie outside of Bond is called, The Hill. That movie is very well done.
I love watching this movie and have for decades. The primary actors are great. I love introducing this film to the younger generations. They all love it as well. It's fun. It's serious. It's cautionary. It is just an overall great film.
This might be a movie too old and depressing to cover on this channel, but I recently watched The Hill (1965) with Sean Connery in it and I was blown away. Also he has other underrated flicks from this time like Wind and the Lion, The Great Train Robbery. Oh man I do miss these sort of subjects for film, people are really scared to make exciting historical movies nowadays for fear of it looking bad or being criticised. Yet at the same time it means that fewer people nowadays grow up enthusiastic about history from film, its scary how in my university history is nowadays among the least popular and most dismissed, back in the day it used to be the opposite.
Even back in the day historical films were very expensive so that's a big factor in why you don't see as many now a days. Only someone with Christopher Nolan's track record could get $100 million+ to make Oppenheimer or Dunkirk. I agree it's a shame history in film is not as popular nor is as much variety [The Batman was a Noir movie with a superhero lick of paint but that was the only way a Noir mystery could make serious money now a days]. Both 'The Hill' and the later 'The Offense' [both directed by Sidney Lumet] are generally regarded as among Connery's best work and at least should have earned him an Oscar nomination but both didn't do well at the box office. Apparently the Hill gaining no nominations at the Oscars but Bond/Thunderball winning one [Visual effects] really got Connery down at the time.
I don't know what I want you to do next more: continue the 007 series and review Tomorrow Never Dies or review Sir Billi for the sake of reviewing something daft.
In my top five favorite films. As the actors (and you) said, it's two actors who are friends enjoying making a movie together. The epic scope was missing but I think that's because it's not about the place, it's about the people in it.
If you havent seen it already I highly recommend Connery in 1965's The Hill. I think that would be a good one to review given its 3 years after he first played Bond and right in the middle of his run, and because its just really good and probably one of his best performances imo.
I also recommended it here. It's an overused expression but in the case of The Hill I think it fits perfectly: It's a terribly underrated movie (in terms of not being mentioned too often). Great cast, great dialogue, great tension, and Sidney Lumet directing, what else do we need?
Trivia: John Huston Directed a Film adaptation of the Novel "Reflections in a Golden Eye", whose title was borrowed for a WWII operation called Operation Goldeneye, planned by Ian Fleming.
I started watching this movie several years ago but for whatever reason I stopped watching right after Danny is proclaimed king of Kafiristan. I finally watched the full movie back in March and it's really good. How did Sean Connery and Michael Caine only do one movie together haha. It's funny that Connery was the most famous Scottish actor in the world for literally decades but movie producers would almost go out of their way not to make the characters he played Scotsmen. In this movie he's playing a British soldier that could easily be Scottish. But for whatever reason the script has that in which Danny says he's from Durham. Why? Why can't Danny be Scottish? The British military was and still is filled with Scotsmen and Scotswomen. Just like how Connery is playing a Spaniard in a movie that's literally named Highlander in which all of his scenes take place in SCOTLAND! Lol. Great video! I was wondering when you'd cover this movie haha.
Loved the ending - tragic and beautiful. The events leading up to the climax were intense and scary. First disagreement with Calvin but this is a poignant, beautiful film and hardly light. The artists behind this aren’t lightweights. The filmmakers make points about greed, exploitation of native peoples and the danger of blindly worshiping human beings who present themselves as deities.
It is one of the few movies that follows the Kipling plot. Since TMWWBK was a short story, they had to expand a bit, but the movie captures the feel of the story.
Great review-I really enjoyed your impressions 7:40-8:01. This along with 'Robin+ Marrion [where Connery fights Robert Shaw again] and 'The Wind and the Lion' [co-starting John Huston and Valdek 'Kronsteen' Sheybal] were key to establishing Connery post Bond while a decade later 'In the Name of the Rose' [BAFTA for Best Actor] and 'The Untouchables' [Oscar for Best Supporting Actor] moved Connery towards mentor roles and cemented his legacy.
If you want an improbable but brilliant casting try Sean Connery as a Rif tribal leader in The Wind and the Lion. A fantastic movie and you just have to suspend believe when the lord of the Rif speaks Scot English.🤣
A favourite movie of mine. And you're right about watching a movie actually shot on location. But I'm not sure if it was ever meant to be an epic like "Dr. Zhivago" or "Ben Hur". This is a straight-out adventure movie, in the same vein "Raiders of the Lost Ark", but "The Man Who Would Be King" is the superior film. I do wonder, how can you do a review of this movie not even mention Saeed Jaffrey? His performance as Billy Fish is effortless and he fits right in with Connery and Caine.
After hearing it was Sean Connery's personal favorite film of his. I too acquired a copy. Unfortunately thinking my order was a Blu-ray but got sent a DVD instead.Now after watching your review of Kingsman & The Golden Circle. I went right off and acquired a copy a few years ago.Now after getting a copy of The Man who would be King than stumbling on your review. I am even more eager to see it.
I'd love your take on the Metal Gear Solid franchise. Hideo Kojima definitely took a lot of Bond influence for 3 and 5 especially (the later feeling like an open world Timothy Dalton Bond flick) and I'd love your take on them.
The scene where the two most ruggedly masculine heterosexual British male icons of a generation casually light each other's cigars simultaneously really is just perfect. (You really, really couldn't get away with that nowadays.)
I really hope you cover the cannonball run on one of your next reviews. It features Roger Moore playing a James Bond spoof, and he even drives an Aston Martin DB five so it counts.
It's The Spy Who Loved Me meets Indiana Jones. Just that feel. A perfect Sunday afternoon movie, as you can escape off for a couple of hours. Also pity Connery and Caine didn't do more buddy-buddy movies. I liked when Micheal Caine and Bob Hoskins did films together and even that wasn't that many.
You have to Review "The name of the Rose" with Sean Connery and Michael Londsdale! Also, your Opinion on those old epics would be very Interesting! You could argue that Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia have some relations to James Bond because their soundtracks appear in 'TSWLM' and Freddy Young shot them who also shot 'YOLT'. Thank you as always for your content!
Agreed on the underwhelming ending after all that led up to it. I saw it recently and thought it was as though they ran out of budget and had to cut back. Even Connery’s death seemed shortchanged and this reduced its impact.
Just imagine if, after YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, Eon had cast Christopher Plummer as Bond. He could have done the charm, the menace, the debonair deadliness as well as (or, who knows, even better than?) anyone. And, in that MId-Atlantic cinema sensibility, Plummer was the Canadian who convinced both Americans AND Brits that that he was British.
He was actually the first casting for Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File, but he got offered The Sound Of Music. He did however play real life British Spy Eddie Chapman in Triple Cross (1966), which is a good caper, since Chapman was a debonair thief who was put in prison in Jersey before World War 2. Upon the Nazi takeover of the island he offered his unique services to them. They agreed, but upon arriving in England on his first mission, he approached the British authorities and offered to work as a Double Agent for them against the Nazi's! After the war he received a pardon for his past crimes, and went back to being a thief. The film was directed by Terence Young, and reunited him with Claudine Auger from Thunderball. Gert Frobe also acts in it.
I guess it depends on one's tastes (seems like I'm more a fan of Lawrence style epics than Calvin), but I'm more enthusiastic on "The Man Who Would Be King" if nothing because it kind of is "Lawrence of Arabia" with more of a sense of humour. I can understand complaints of Calvin and others that the film feels kind of "small" when compared with some of its fellow epics, but it always made sense to me since it is an epic of a small marginal region likee Kafiristan (now Nuristan) is even within Afghanistan and of 2 petty ex-soldiers making an improvised army out of local tribesmen trained by themselves and a warrior race master like a Gurka. It may be argued that it being mostly funny and swashbuckling/picaresque roguish and then turning grim at the end could be uneasy, but it underscores its moral lesson and postcolonially helps to make the film more palatable (I personally never wished them to succeeded, but I enjoyed going along the story's journey with them, but their downfall was most deserved). It was like a more adventure-based and satirical version of Huston's own "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (people leave civilisation looking for riches, it gets up to their head and they are self-destroyed by that) But to each one's own. And yeah, I'm pretty use even if this had Boggart/Gable or Newman/Redford, they'd still be British and either try mid-Atlantic vagueness and/or ignore the issue (Gable could do mid-Atlantic, Boggart would probably just sound like himself but enunciating more and slower, think Ted Danson in that Gulliver's Travels miniseries, sounding more articulate than usual but not any more British) or try the accents or at least mid-Atlantic in the latter decades. Ever saw the Edinburgh festival video of Saeed Jaffrey commenting on the earlier casting possibilities? Was hillarious.
