WWII in Borneo. Learoyd (Nick Nolte) is an American who deserted and set himself up as King of the jungle. Capt. Fairbourne (Niogel Havers) is a British soldier that comes in to enlist the natives in fighting the Japanese.
That's just about it, except for Fairbourne's boss played by James Fox. He is the quintessential British soldier. The ethnocentric SOB that does all for King and Country. Nobody can play that character like Fox.
The rest of the movie features Japanese soldiers and natives battling it out. After a slaughter of Learoyd's people, including his wife, they slaughter Japanese.
Besides Fox, the best thing about the movie is seeing Nolte run through the jungle looking like some cartoon character. It was really funny.
Farewell to the King
1989
Action / Adventure / Drama / War
Farewell to the King
1989
Action / Adventure / Drama / War
Plot summary
An American soldier who escapes the execution of his comrades by Japanese soldiers in Borneo during WWII becomes the leader of a personal empire among the headhunters in this war story told in the style of Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling. The American is reluctant to rejoin the fight against the Japanese on the urging of a British commando team but conducts a war of vengeance when the Japanese attack his adopted people.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
December 02, 2015 at 02:35 PM
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I could sell your heads to the Japs.
Pure beauty of love, war, adventure, heroism, honesty, bravery...
You gotta be really stupid to mark this one lower then 8. It's fantastic movie that combines films like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Headless Horseman), Dances with Wolves, River on bridge Kwai... With stunning performance of Nick Nolte - this character has been like made for him! And not to mention Nigel Havers who is one of the biggest underdogs in movie industry today. He pick ups where Peter O'Toole left. Playing dandy intellectuals with ease and graciousness.
I liked the adaptation skill given to natives. Unlike other portraits of Indians or other native cannibal age tribes folks here are keen of accepting useful western habits so the gap of values isn't unbridgeable. That might be unrealistic but it's a movie and that is what movies are about.
Although there were sad moments in the movie it didn't left me depressed but lifted me high. Great soundtrack helps with that.
Highly recommended.
Nolte in his prime
There was a time when Nick Nolte was a powerhouse actor. Before his personal problems took their toll. This film is one of several Nolte performances before the real troubles began, and along with films such as "Cape Fear", "The Prince Of Tides", and "Jefferson In Paris", showed that Nolte had a wide acting range that was sometimes downright surprising.
Before watching this film it is important to understand that it is anti-British colonialism (which is fine by me) and it has a romantic notion of life in Borneo. Having been in Southeast Asia a fair amount -- although not in Borneo -- the picture of life depicted here is not as wonderful as it appears. But, it is always interesting. Part of the film was shot in Malaysia, substituting for Borneo.
Another thing you know before going in is that the ending is not going to be a happy one, although the very conclusion is a tad upbeat, but not until a great deal of sorrow had occurred.
The 3 primary actors are Nick Nolte, who is superb as an American who has washed ashore in Borneo and become a king of a local tribe...a life he sees as paradise. Nigel Havers is excellent as the British officer to interrupts paradise, with good intentions (of course), but who brings about an end to paradise. James Fox, an excellent British actor, has a rule that is, perhaps, the most thankless in his career..
This film was a disaster at the box office, and I'm not sure why. It's well done. All I can think is that time timing was wrong.
Recommended.