"The Man Who Would Be King" - Film vs History

Video Description

Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life. SUPPORT MY CHANNEL 1)Become A Patron https://www.thehistorychap.com/Supporters-club or 2)Join My YouTube membership https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyTGpFsD0AJkQ6KSCW8d_Ug/join or 3) Make a one-off donation https://buymeacoffee.com/thehistorychap Rudyard Kipling’s novella The Man Who Would Be King (1888) is a tale of adventure, ambition, and hubris set in 19th-century British India and the remote, mysterious region of Kafiristan (modern-day Nuristan, Afghanistan). The story follows two roguish British ex-soldiers, Daniel Dravot and Peachey Carnehan, who concoct a daring scheme to leave behind their mundane existence in India and establish themselves as kings in an uncharted land. Their grandiose dreams, however, lead to tragic consequences. The novella is framed as a first-person account by an unnamed narrator, often interpreted as Kipling himself, who encounters Dravot and Carnehan in Lahore. The two adventurers, disillusioned with their prospects in British-controlled India, reveal their audacious plan: to cross into Kafiristan, a region untouched by colonial influence, where they intend to use their military training and cunning to rule over the native tribes. The narrator, though skeptical, provides them with a masonic token, which later proves pivotal to their fate. Disguising themselves as holy men and employing their military expertise, Dravot and Carnehan manage to unite warring tribes and establish dominion over Kafiristan. The turning point comes when Dravot is mistaken for a god due to his fair complexion and the Freemasonic symbol he wears, which aligns with local religious beliefs. The duo exploits this divine status to solidify their rule, with Dravot fully embracing his newfound role as a deity-king. However, their hubris leads to their downfall. Dravot, intoxicated by power, decides to take a native woman as his queen—despite Carnehan’s warnings that touching a mortal might expose his mortality. When the frightened bride scratches Dravot, revealing that he bleeds like any other man, the illusion shatters. The enraged Kafiris turn against them, leading to a dramatic climax in which Dravot is executed, cast from a rope bridge into a deep gorge. Carnehan, tortured and left for dead, miraculously escapes and eventually returns to the narrator in India, a broken man carrying Dravot’s severed head in a sack as proof of their ill-fated adventure. Director John Huston’s 1975 film The Man Who Would Be King remains one of the most celebrated adaptations of Kipling’s work. The film stars Sean Connery as Daniel Dravot and Michael Caine as Peachey Carnehan, with Christopher Plummer portraying Kipling as the narrator. Faithful to the novella’s themes of ambition, deception, and colonial arrogance, the film expands on the original story while maintaining its essence. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:54 Plot 3:33 1975 Movie 5:21 Zulu Stuntman 7:45 Historical Truth? 8:57 Alexander the Great? 9:47 Kafiristan 11:24 Real Adventurers 12:02 Alexander Gardner 13:49 Josiah Harlan 15:37 Frederick Wilson 17:20 William Watts McNaire 20:17 James Brooke 21:03 The Man Who Would Be King Follow me at: www.thehistorychap.com Instagram:https://bit.ly/3iySrAj Facebook:https://bit.ly/37IUfkH https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChap My name is Chris Green and I love to share stories from British history. Not just because they are interesting but because, good or bad, they have shaped the world we live in today. History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens. So rather than lectures or Youtube animations, I tell stories that bring the past to life. My aim is to be chat as if I were having a coffee or meal with you. Jean in Maryland, USA recently wrote: "Chris, is the history teacher I wish I had at school!" Just for the record, I do have a history degree in Medieval & Modern history from the University of Birmingham. Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Chris Green Communication Ltd t/a The History Chap. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Chris Green Communication Ltd does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.