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The Man Who Would Be King

The Man Who Would Be King

Adventure in all its glory!

1975129 minPGMidcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Director
John Huston
Starring
Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer, Saeed Jaffrey

Tired of life as soldiers, Peachy Carnehan and Danny Dravot travel to the isolated land of Kafiristan, where they are ultimately embraced by the people and revered as rulers. After a series of misunderstandings, the natives come to believe that Dravot is a god, but he and Carnehan can't keep up their deception forever.

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Where can I watch The Man Who Would Be King?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Man Who Would Be King streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about The Man Who Would Be King?

The Man Who Would Be King earns 8 badges, led by Stood the test of time and Top 5% of films.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Man Who Would Be King worth watching?

The Man Who Would Be King's Midcredits score is the 96th percentile of all films, from 87K ratings across 6 sources. 85% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

96th percentile

Better received than 96% of films

96th percentile among Adventure96th percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)94th
Approval (how many liked it)95th

77 /100

94th percentile of all films

96th percentile among Adventure96th percentile among 1970s

Critics 91 · Audience 76

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

85% liked it

95th percentile of all films

95th percentile among Adventure96th percentile among 1970s
85% rated it 7–1015% rated it 1–6

Critics 97% · Audience 90%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 4 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 9 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Art Direction-Set Decoration
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Costume Design

93rd percentile

87K ratings across platforms

88th percentile among Adventure96th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 3% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$8M
Worldwide gross$13K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 8th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a grand, old-fashioned adventure yarn about two scoundrels who overreach, but differ on whether that's a triumph or a bore.

Fans praised

  • peerless Connery-Caine chemistry that elevates the buddy-adventure
  • sweeping epic scale with stunning location cinematography
  • Kipling's cautionary fable of greed and hubris expertly realized

Detractors panned

  • slow, plodding pacing that fails to hold interest
  • racist, colonialist attitude with dated stereotypes
  • implausible plot and exaggerated performances

What stands out

ActingDivisive92

electrifying Connery-Caine chemistry carries the film; detractors find Caine hammy and overstated

CinematographyDivisive88

stunning Moroccan landscapes and sweeping vistas, but some find it flat by modern standards

AtmosphereDivisive85

immersive 19th-century India and mythic Kafiristan; detractors see clichéd exoticism

Emotional impactDivisive78

moving final act of brotherhood and tragic downfall; detractors feel no emotional investment

DialogueDivisive78

witty, quotable banter between the leads; detractors find it stale and overdone

CharactersDivisive75

lovable rogues with a deep bond; detractors see shallow, unbelievable con men

Plot and storyDivisive72

engaging Kipling fable of ambition and delusion; detractors call it predictable and implausible

PacingDivisive55

leisurely first half builds atmosphere but many find it a slog

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 20 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 8 points apart
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Man Who Would Be King like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, has a few laughs and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicThrilling
Heaviest: late
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsEpic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film balances a sense of grand adventure with an underlying seriousness about the consequences of hubris, playing its dramatic moments straight without irony.
The rideThe mood shifts from adventurous excitement to mounting tension and finally to a melancholic, tragic collapse.
StructureThe story is framed by Kipling's encounter with Peachy, who recounts their journey to Kafiristan in a long flashback.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe tragic ending and gruesome final image linger, while the memory of their friendship leaves a melancholic sweetness.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).TragedyHubris
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% (this title) · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Hubris: Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story follows the classic hubris tragedy trajectory: two rogues rise to power through deception and ambition, but their overreaching leads to a catastrophic fall.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfAmbitionSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Ambition · 7% of filmsCorruption · 3% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film warns that unchecked ambition and the lust for power can lead to ruin, as Danny's delusions of kingship destroy their friendship and their lives.
StanceThe film warns against the dangers of imperial arrogance and the delusion of godlike power, showing how they lead to ruin.

The world

19th centuryRuralInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Maurice Jarre
SettingBritish India and the remote mountains of Kafiristan
MusicJarre's sweeping score underscores the epic scale and eventual tragedy of the adventure.

Content guide

Is The Man Who Would Be King okay for kids?

PG

The Man Who Would Be King is rated PG. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (47/100), sexual content at mild (28/100), language at mild (19/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (20/100) and frightening material at moderate (42/100). Overall it is heavier than 58% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 12 other countries
  • UKPG
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • IrelandPG
  • JapanG
  • Belgium14
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-16
  • GreecePG
  • Netherlands6
  • SpainA
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 18% of all filmsHeavier than 58% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 76%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 64%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 32%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 35%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 63%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 76% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Man Who Would Be King have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Man Who Would Be King?

Cast

3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Sean Connery
as Daniel Dravot
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Caine
as Peachy Carnehan
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christopher Plummer
as Rudyard Kipling
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Saeed Jaffrey
as Billy Fish
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Larbi Doghmi
as Ootah
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jack May
as District Commissioner
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Karroom Ben Bouih
as Kafu Selim
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Mohammad Shamsi
as Babu
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Albert Moses
as Ghulam
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Paul Antrim
as Mulvaney
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Man Who Would Be King?

Movies like The Man Who Would Be King include Richard III (1955), The Current War (2017) and Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 (2008). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by John Huston, and most are period dramas.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its subject: ambition. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Man Who Would Be King?

997 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: con artist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.