The Man That Would Be King and Zulu Dawn (1 Viewer)

[mikemiller1955]

It was a Netflix night, just watched both of these.

Two of my favorites that I hadn't seen in several years.

The Man Who Would Be King..................Based on a famous short story by Rudyard Kipling, this tall tale is a prime example of charismatic casting. Daniel Dravot (Sean Connery) and Peachy Carnahan (Michael Caine) are a couple of bored British soldiers stationed in India when they hear of a kingdom filled with riches just ripe for the picking, high in the mountains of Kafiristan. They soon embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

Michael Caine at his finest here, a charming scoundrel, a great story of greed, adventure and friendship...I highly recommennd it. British pomp and circumstance, well written, well acted, fantastic locations and cinematography (though filmed in Morocco)...a great story...I have always loved this movie.

Zulu Dawn..............Douglas Hickox helms this authentically staged epic dramatizing the clash between thousands of Zulu warriors and a considerably smaller number of British soldiers stationed in Natal, South Africa, in 1879. Focusing on the Battle of Isandhlwana, one of England's most notorious military blunders, the film serves as a prequel to 1964's Zulu, which chronicles the Battle of Rorke's Drift. Burt Lancaster, Peter O'Toole and Bob Hoskins co-star.

A great example of the disciplined British professional soldiers I have always loved this movie. A must see for Zulu fanatics but I much preferred Michael Caine in Zulu.

 

[theBaron]

I agree with you, Michael, I love "The Man Who Would Be King", it's really well done, Caine is great, but so is Connery, and the fellow who played Billy Fish. I think it's a very good rendering of Kipling's short story.

I've never seen "Zulu Dawn", but I have it on my wish list of DVDs to buy for the collection.

Prost!
Brad

 

[lancer]

Great movies. Connery and Caine have rarely been cast or acted better. One of my top 5 favs. Zulu Dawn is well worth watching. My only complaint is aesthetic and it is because of the Martini-Henry carbines used instead of the full size rifle. It just is visually jarring but does not ruin a good movie. -- lancer

 

[mikemiller1955]

I agree with you, Michael, I love "The Man Who Would Be King", it's really well done, Caine is great, but so is Connery, and the fellow who played Billy Fish. I think it's a very good rendering of Kipling's short story.

I've never seen "Zulu Dawn", but I have it on my wish list of DVDs to buy for the collection.

Prost!
Brad

Ooooooh yea...Billy Fish's character was well done by that actor.

 

[Spitfrnd]

I have praised The Man Who Would be King before here. It is also one of my favorites that eventually I would like to see in Blu-ray.

 

[Evzone]

Great movies. Connery and Caine have rarely been cast or acted better. One of my top 5 favs. Zulu Dawn is well worth watching. My only complaint is aesthetic and it is because of the Martini-Henry carbines used instead of the full size rifle. It just is visually jarring but does not ruin a good movie. -- lancer

....not a lot of people know that.

 

[theBaron]

Ooooooh yea...Billy Fish's character was well done by that actor.

...and his brave and gallant end, when Peachy and Danny call to him to escape on horseback, and he says something like, "Sorry, sah'b, Billy Fish is Gurkha, and Gurkha is foot soldier!" and he charges the Kafiris.

Yes, a well-done movie!

 

[mikemiller1955]

...and his brave and gallant end, when Peachy and Danny call to him to escape on horseback, and he says something like, "Sorry, sah'b, Billy Fish is Gurkha, and Gurkha is foot soldier!" and he charges the Kafiris.

Yes, a well-done movie!

That quote is just about verbatim Brad.

 

[Deitz]

Two excellent movies, both are in my DVD collection, I was able to see A Man Who Would Be King on the big screen when it first came out.

The short story is a very good read, I would recommend reading it.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Two excellent movies, both are in my DVD collection, I was able to see A Man Who Would Be King on the big screen when it first came out.

The short story is a very good read, I would recommend reading it.

I also saw it on the big screen when it first came out, and, as Kipling is tied with George MacDonald Frasier as my favorite author, I completely agree that it is a great short story.

 

[cantinetozzo]

The Man that would be King is my favourite movie of all times!!!i also read the short story, and it conveys all the magic and cruelty of the NorthWest frontier, i own the dvd region 2 but i'd like to see the documentary contained on the region 1 version.It's interesting?

 

[lancer]

The Man that would be King is my favourite movie of all times!!!i also read the short story, and it conveys all the magic and cruelty of the NorthWest frontier, i own the dvd region 2 but i'd like to see the documentary contained on the region 1 version.It's interesting?

The documentary is ok but it is not real enlightening and does not add much. It is only a few minutes long, so no big loss. -- lancer

 

[cantinetozzo]

Thanks Lancer..then i'll wait for a better edition in region 2..it's a real pity we have a dvd with only the film in it.It's a movie beloved by everyone, and on youtube i've seen a kind of Behind the scene but in german so i think it's not impossible to obtain a better edition (and the 3 main actors thanks to God are alive and well)!I love John Houston film making style too..Moby Dick is a wonderful movie and so is The Treasure of the Sierra Madre..