The Man Who Would Be King

The film adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King is lively and exciting. Two rogues, Daniel Dravot and Peachy Carnehan, decide to make their way to the fictional country of Kafiristan. They make friends with a local warlord and help vanquish his enemies. During one scuffle, Danny is hit by an arrow. It actually gets stuck in his strap, but to the natives it looks as though he was shot, pulled the arrow out, and lived in a miracle unseen by any of the Kafiristanians.

            As so often happens with events that people don’t understand, the people decide that this phenomenon was produced by magic. They decide that Danny is the son of Alexander the Great, a god in their country. Danny and Peachy, seeing a divine opening in the way to becoming rich men, decide to let the people think as they please.

Sean Connery and Michael Caine as Daniel and Peachy

            Of course, the priests of the land must determine that Danny actually is Alexander’s son. They attempt to shoot him as proof, but Peachy stops them and Danny’s Mason medal becomes visible in the struggle. This causes all of the holy men to stop, as the high priest shows a carving made by Alexander some two thousand years before. It is the symbol of the Masons, and definite proof that Danny is Alexander’s son.

            All should be well, but power tends to corrupt, and corrupt it does. Danny decides not to leave with Peachy and riches, as was originally planned, but instead to stay and marry and be king. While attempting to marry Roxanne, she bites him, causing him to bleed. The high priest sees this and exclaims that he is not a god.

            Daniel is sent out to the middle of the bridge he ordered built. It is cut down and he falls to his death. Peachy is crucified, but does not die, and is sent home in a crippled and broken state. The film is a sad account of the bond between friends and the destructiveness of too much power.