The Man who would be King was directed by John Huston in 1975. Based on a Rudyard Kipling short story, this movie brings together acting legends Sean Connery, Michael Caine, and Christopher Plummer. The story is set in the 1880s, starting off in India. Christopher Plummer plays Kipling, who narrates the story as it unfolds. But he remains in India and does not partake in the adventure, which takes it’s main characters, two scoundrels with great ambition cross the lands, beyond the Khyber pass through Afghanistan to a small kingdom of Kafiristan.The adventurous pair tired of military service without advancement, have hatched a plot to take their skills, and some weapons to far away lands where they can tip the scales between feuding tribes and gain power and influence.

The pair swear an oath of loyalty, and off women and drink. Their adventure takes them through many battles including one where Sean Connery’s character Danny Dravot survives an arrow strike. This leads the locals to think he is immortal aka a God, the high priest calls for him, hoping to test to see for himself, whether or not the man bleeds. But when he rips open his shirt he sees a Masonic symbol around his neck, an ancient symbol attributed to Alexander the Great, who as legend had it would send his son to reclaim his throne. Immediately the high priest is convinced that Dravot must be that son, and everyone bows down to him.

Peachy Carnehan (Micheal Caine) stays by his friend’s side as an advisor and trusted companion. Things go well, until King Dravot falls for a woman, whom he wishes to wed (this not only breaks the vow he made at the beginning of his expedition, swearing off women), but this shows to the people that he has mortal lusts, and cannot be their immortal leader. The people turn on the imposter and Peachy narrowly escape, returning to India to recount the tale to Kipling.

The woman King Dravot falls for was played by Michael Cain’s real life wife Shakira.

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The story opens when Famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot must return home from Istanbul. He is friends with the man in charge of the train, Signor Bianchi who gives up his own first class quarters for the detective. Through the night, the train comes to a standstill in Yugoslavia, due to snow on the tracks. An uncouth American businessman, Samuel Rachett is found murdered and the detective must discover who among the other passengers is guilty.

The train is filled with men and women of various ages, nobility and wealth. They include a count and countess, a princess, a governess, the elderly Mrs. Caroline Hubbard, a couple of businessmen, and a missionary, a doctor and a couple of assistants/ attendants. The clues point in all directions and the defective knows that they are planted since he had one article of evidence added to his personal belongings. He relies on interviews and broken tidbits of conversation he overheard prior to the murder and his own intuition and experience to piece together the guilty, the motive and double identities.

It’s a classic who done it, not to be missed.

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