American film director John Houston for a very long time, from the 50s, hatched the idea of filming the story of Rudyard Kipling “The Man Who Wanted to Be King”, several times changed ideas regarding the performers of the main roles, until, finally, he saw in them Paul Newman and Robert Redford, however, Newman, praising the script,
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American film director John Houston for a very long time, from the 50s, hatched the idea of filming the story of Rudyard Kipling “The Man Who Wanted to Be King”, several times changed ideas regarding the performers of the main roles, until, finally, he saw in them Paul Newman and Robert Redford, however, Newman, praising the script, said that this role is not for him and advised to shoot all the same English actors – Sean Connery and Michael Caine, and Houston followed his advice. In 1975, the film was shot, the aforementioned actors were joined by Christopher Plummer as Kipling himself. The film is slightly different from the story, but that didn't spoil it. Rudyard Kipling (Christopher Plummer) seems to accidentally (but we see that he does not) meets on the train with a certain Englishman Peachey Carnehan (Michael Kane), a petty crook who stole his watch, but chased him to return it, seeing on the chain a Masonic keychain, he could not rob the Mason, to whose bed he belonged. Peachy asks Kipling to run an errand, and so he meets his friend and accomplice Daniel Dravot (Sean Connery) for the first time. Both are retired former non-commissioned officers in the British Army and are looking for ways to earn extra money, but in India they are not doing it properly. Then they both report to his editorial office, and he learns about their plan to go to Kafiristan to become kings there and get the treasure. He tries to warn them about the dangers of going through Afghanistan, but they don’t listen to him and ask him to assure them of a pact in which they vow not to touch alcohol or women until their plan is fulfilled. In the end, Kipling gives Dravot the keychain that will then play a fatal role in the whole story - first positive, then negative. The friends go on a journey, their plans are almost fulfilled, until suddenly, after their next victory (and they have practically created their own army), they are not invited to his high priest of the secret city there, he wants to expose them, but seeing on the neck of Dravot that very keychain, he almost begins to believe that a descendant of Sikander (Iskander, Alexander the Great), who once visited them and conquered them. He is extinguished by the king, they receive the untold treasures of Sicandra at their disposal, here Peachey has a sniff and instinct for self-preservation, he offers to take away the treasures and carry away faster than his feet, but, alas, Daniel is intoxicated with power, he thinks himself a real king and refuses to go anywhere. Of course, this story could not end well. Peachey managed to escape, although he suffered greatly himself, he appeared in the editorial office and the story is conducted as if on his behalf (in the original it was conducted on behalf of Kipling). The film is shot on a wide scale, complex field shootings, which, however, were conducted not in India, but in Morocco, but the landscapes are impressive. Great actors who play the main roles. I liked the movie.
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