Danny and Peachy, portrayed by Sean Connery and Michael Caine respectively, are two opportunistic men seeking to amass wealth during British rule in India. With a nudge from Rudyard Kipling, played by Christopher Plummer, they hear about Kafiristan, an uncharted territory in the Hindu Kush mountains. Relying on their intelligence and cunning, they journey north and end up training a group of farmers into an army, aid…

This is a wonderful film adaptation of a Rudyard Kipling story dealing with themes of greed and its repercussions. Kipling, a significant British writer from the late 1800s, was incredibly productive—the sheer volume of his writing is astounding to consider, especially when you think about how he likely wrote everything by hand. Coming from an upper-class family deeply involved in colonial life, Kipling’s early…

A top-tier boys’ adventure story, The Man Who Would Be King arrives with considerable pedigree. The film opens with two former soldiers passing the time in colonial India, setting the stage for a trip to Kafiristan. There, the local people regard these white men as deities, and things are poised to become quite remarkable. Coming from the pen of Rudyard Kipling, directed by John Huston, and featuring Sean Conne…