Glory days of the British Empire

Rating: 7/10 (30 April 2011)

This memorable story is based on a Rudyard Kipling tale and features Christopher Plummer in a bookended role as the author himself. However, the main thrust of the narrative concerns the exploits of two ex-army rogues and their efforts to rule a remote corner of a kingdom that lies in modern day Afghanistan.
The film itself is an out and out comedy and both Michael Caine and Sean Connery play it to the hilt as the impossible to dislike scoundrels. Watching the story unfold, you're aware that it can only end in disaster but that doesn't make the telling of it any the less entertaining. It's refreshingly old-fashioned in that the story evolves from the nuances of the two leads and that they're far from the clear-cut heroes of many lesser adventure films.
It's also worth singling out Saeed Jaffrey in his role as the loyal Billy Fish - an excellent supporting performance if ever there was one.