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| Director: John Huston
Actors: Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer, Saeed Jaffrey, Doghmi Larbi
Studio: Warner Home Video
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $7.59
You Save: $7.39 (49%)
New (5) Used (11) from $3.95
Rating:  138 reviews
Sales Rank: 5526
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Hifi Sound, Letterboxed, Special Edition, Widescreen, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: VHS Tape
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 129 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 6304457367
UPC: 012569091238
EAN: 9786304457368
ASIN: 6304457367
Theatrical Release Date: December 17, 1975
Release Date: May 8, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: New; New VHS tape; sealed. Gift quality.We ship 6 days a week.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 16-20 of 138
 A word or two about the DVD December 6, 2004
D. H. Richards (Silver Spring, MD USA)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
As movies go, The Man Who Would Be King is one of the all time best. It has barely aged at all (perhaps Caine's hair do is a bit dated) and is an example of great filmmaking. Probably by today's standard's it lags a bit in places (it's called pacing kids) and has some great action sequences but not too many exploding things. And don't forget that this movie was made before CGI etc (although several scenes are clearly matte paintings, but even those are top notch).
In short a really good, entertaining action/historical adventure film that anyone should be able to enjoy.
The DVD itself is fairly amazing. Yes, the DVD is one of those "two sided" deals that you will have to flip over half way through the movie, and yes, the movie tends to just start. You have to press menu to get to the menu, but those are minor quibbles. The real joy here is the amazingly clear picture transfer that was done for this film. Trust me, I have seen worse (Fiddler on the Roof for one). There are no marks, drop out or defects during the movie. Someone has really gone through and done a first class clean up job. It looks like it was filmed yesterday on digital film.
The extras are interesting, so to speak. The 12 minute short "It Must Be Magic" is interesting in that is has dated very badly (it goes on about how Moroccans have never seen movies etc., in a very un PC way) but provides some insights. Warning: DO NOT watch it until you have seen the movie as it contains a fairly huge spoiler!
There are also several fairly useless text info screens about Kipling and Masons etc. The other previews are for other films (although an original trailer for The Man Who Would Be King is on there too).
In short, as good as you remember it and a pristine presentation make this a must have!
The perfect pair, and Saeed Jaffrey, too! May 3, 2000
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
This is easily one of my favorite movies. Huston takes the standard 1930s-40s "Hollywood Empire" movie (a la GUNGA DIN, WEE WILLIE WINKIE) and brings it up to date--to the 1880s. The true face of British imperialism, in its good and evil, is brought to light through the actions of two extremely human ex-sergeants in a remote Central Asian kingdom. Connery and Caine make a terrific pair, and probably should have been nominated (and tied) for Best Actor Oscars that year. Christopher Plummer is good in his limited roles as Rudyard Kipling (I cannot believe that this same guy has played Erwin Rommel, Inca Emperor Atahualpa, the Duke of Wellington, Rudyard Kipling, AND MIKE WALLACE! ), but I should also mention the terrific Indian actor Saeed Jaffrey, who plays the Gurkha renegade Billy Fish (while admittedly looking more Indian than Gurkha), and who has appeared in a number of other good movies, including GANDHI, A PASSAGE TO INDIA, and MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE. Maurice Jarre's music is outstanding. I can't bring myself to imagine what this movie would have been like had Huston made it with Bogart and Gable like he intended in the early 1950s (I love Bogart, but COME ON).
 stupid April 3, 2001
Aaron Williams (missouri, usa)
9 out of 18 found this review helpful
here you have one of the greatest movies ever made, a wonderful tory, you set the dvd into the machine and, amazingly, without any packaging warning, you have to flip the dvd to watch it in its entirety. why time warner continues to distribute so many of these flaws dvd products is beyond me but i strongly recommend no one buy these screwed up products until they correct the problem by re-releasing the dvd on a one-sided version. just plain stupid.
You wont see many more like this in the future. May 1, 2002
Type12point (Ottawa, ON)
9 out of 11 found this review helpful
May 1, 2002 `The Man Who Would Be King' is probably the last American studio
film that could be properly be termed `entertaining', `adult' and
`male' at the same time. It is an unapologetic adventure movie
filmed by a hard-drinker with plenty of joie-de-vivre. If they made this film today . . . it would star much younger
stars. Let's say two hunky Aussies, like Hugh Jackman and Russel Crowe.
Almost certainly, one of those two (Crowe) would also be the Executive Producer. Most of Peachy and Danny's seemingly buffoonish character
traits would be transferred to supporting characters so that Hugh and
Russell might seem strong and taciturn. If they made this film today all those bald-headed priests
in the robes would've been slaughtered easily at the end of the movie. If they made this film today the action scenes would involve
our Aussie hunks largely defeating opposing armies through the strength
of their own tireless sinews. Said scenes would also be much bloodier
and, for some reason, shot in vertigo-inducing Cut-O-Vision! If they made this film today opening captions would explain
to modern audiences who Rudyard Kipling was and what stone masons
are. That is, if these elements made it to the final cut at all. If they made this film today the final credits would run
over an Aerosmith song. If they made this film today it would be `The Count Of Monte Cristo',
or `The Man In The Iron Mask', or `Gladiator', or `Robin Hood: Prince Of
Thieves', or `The Mask Of Zorro', or `The Three Musketeers', or . . . PEOPLE WHO'LL LIKE THIS MOVIE: men, mostly; fans of Michael Caine
before he turned into Hollywood's favorite British hooker for the duration
of the eighties, and Connery the nineties. PEOPLE WHO WONT LIKE THIS MOVIE: knee-jerks might lament
the portrayal of non-whites here; not much here for the ladies.
Some Movies Stand The Test Of Time July 26, 2002
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
Some movies due to the fashion and other elements grow rapidly out of date but this is not one of them. This movie was made in 1975 and you do get a sense that it is not up to the current Hollywood standard in terms of special effects, Dolby surround, computer animation, and things of that nature. Despite this the movie still stands the test of time because of excellent performances, a good storyline, and a healthy dose of humor.First off it is based off a story by Rudyard Kipling and takes place in the hinterlands of India. Two former English soldiers (Connery and Caine) who are basically scoundrels set out to set themselves up with fame and fortune. They set out to the where no white men have been seen before and convince he locals they are gods. But look out anything that is too good is probably too good to be true or to last! Connery and Caine complement one another in this film very well I thought and again this is not a special effects flick this is shot with real backgrounds etc for the most part. If you were ever curious to get a sense of Kipling without the book this might be a good film to check out! It is also not terribly inappropriate for younger viewers, for example they make a promise to one another not to drink or chase women while on their quest. It is a period piece set in the late 1800s and depicts the railroads and remote countryside of colonial India in a day when might made right and individual adventurers could achieve glory and fortune. Or so legend would have it....
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