Farewell to the King
Encyclopedia
Farewell to the King is a 1989 film written and directed by John Milius
. It stars Nigel Havers
, Frank McRae
, Gerry Lopez
and Nick Nolte
, and is based on the 1969 novel L'Adieu au Roi by Pierre Schoendoerffer
. Longtime Milius collaborator Basil Poledouris
composed the musical score. The film is marketed with the tagline "In the midst of war, one man vanished into the jungle, and emerged as king."
, American deserter Learoyd escapes a Japan
ese firing squad. Hiding himself in the wilds of Borneo
, Learoyd is adopted by a head-hunting tribe of Dayaks, who consider him "divine" because of his blue eyes. Before long, Learoyd is the reigning king of the Dayaks. When British
soldiers approach him to rejoin the war against the Japanese, Learoyd resists. When his own tribe is threatened by the invaders, however, the "king" deigns to fight for their rights.
John Milius
John Frederick Milius is an American screenwriter, director, and producer of motion pictures.-Early life:Milius was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Elizabeth and William Styx Milius, who was a shoe manufacturer. Milius attempted to join the Marine Corps in the late 1960s, but was rejected...
. It stars Nigel Havers
Nigel Havers
Nigel Allan Havers is an English actor. He is probably best known for his BAFTA-nominated role as Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, and for his role as Dr. Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up...
, Frank McRae
Frank McRae
Frank McRae is an American actor and former professional football player.McRae was born in Memphis, Tennessee. McRae graduated from Tennessee State University with a double major in drama and history. He was a defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears in the 1967 NFL season.Among his acting roles are...
, Gerry Lopez
Gerry Lopez
Gerry Lopez , aka Mr. Pipeline, is an American surfer, shaper, journalist, and film actor.-Early life:Lopez was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, grew up in East Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii and attended Punahou School. He frequented the semi secret reefs in and around Aina Haina as well as better known surf...
and Nick Nolte
Nick Nolte
Nicholas King "Nick" Nolte is an American actor whose career has spanned over five decades, peaking in the 1990s when his commercial success made him one of the most popular celebrities of that decade.-Early life:...
, and is based on the 1969 novel L'Adieu au Roi by Pierre Schoendoerffer
Pierre Schoendoerffer
Pierre Schoendoerffer is a French film director, a screenwriter, a writer, a war reporter, a war cameraman, a renowned First Indochina War veteran, a cinema academician and since 2001 the President of the Académie des Beaux-Arts.-Family:...
. Longtime Milius collaborator Basil Poledouris
Basil Poledouris
Vassilis Konstantinos "Basil" Poledouris was a Greek-American music composer who concentrated on the scores for films and television shows...
composed the musical score. The film is marketed with the tagline "In the midst of war, one man vanished into the jungle, and emerged as king."
Plot summary
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, American deserter Learoyd escapes a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese firing squad. Hiding himself in the wilds of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, Learoyd is adopted by a head-hunting tribe of Dayaks, who consider him "divine" because of his blue eyes. Before long, Learoyd is the reigning king of the Dayaks. When British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldiers approach him to rejoin the war against the Japanese, Learoyd resists. When his own tribe is threatened by the invaders, however, the "king" deigns to fight for their rights.
Cast
- Nick NolteNick NolteNicholas King "Nick" Nolte is an American actor whose career has spanned over five decades, peaking in the 1990s when his commercial success made him one of the most popular celebrities of that decade.-Early life:...
as Learoyd - Nigel HaversNigel HaversNigel Allan Havers is an English actor. He is probably best known for his BAFTA-nominated role as Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, and for his role as Dr. Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up...
as Captain Fairbourne - James FoxJames FoxJames Fox, OBE is an English actor.-Early life:James Fox was born in London, England to theatrical agent Robin Fox and actress Angela Worthington. He is the brother of actor Edward Fox and film producer Robert Fox. The actress Emilia Fox is his niece and the actor Laurence Fox is his son. His...
as Colonel Ferguson - Marilyn Tokuda as Yoo
- Frank McRaeFrank McRaeFrank McRae is an American actor and former professional football player.McRae was born in Memphis, Tennessee. McRae graduated from Tennessee State University with a double major in drama and history. He was a defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears in the 1967 NFL season.Among his acting roles are...
as Sergeant Tenga - Aki AleongAki AleongAssing "Aki" Aleong is an American character actor and singer who has also been active in songwriting and musical production. He is probably best known for portraying Senator Hidoshi during the first season of the critically acclaimed series Babylon 5, as well as portraying Mr. Chiang, the aide to...
as Colonel Mitamura - Marius WeyersMarius WeyersMarius Weyers is a South African actor. He received international attention playing Andrew Steyn in the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy . He recently starred in Blood Diamond.-Selected filmography:...
as Sergeant Conklin - William Wise as Dynamite Dave
- Gerry LopezGerry LopezGerry Lopez , aka Mr. Pipeline, is an American surfer, shaper, journalist, and film actor.-Early life:Lopez was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, grew up in East Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii and attended Punahou School. He frequented the semi secret reefs in and around Aina Haina as well as better known surf...
as Gwai - Elan Oberon as Vivienne
- Choy Chang Wing as Lian
- Richard MorganRichard Morgan (actor)Richard Morgan was an Australian actor. He was most famous for playing the long-running role of Terry Sullivan in the Australian television series The Sullivans.- Early career :...
as Stretch Lewis - John Bennett PerryJohn Bennett PerryJohn Bennett Perry is an American actor and former model. He is the father of actor Matthew Perry.-Life and career:Perry was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts, the son of Maria Schaefer and Alton L. Perry. He married twice...
as General MacArthur - Michael Nissman as General Sutherland
- Wayne PygramWayne PygramWayne Pigram , better known by his stage name Wayne Pygram, is an Australian actor, known for his role as Scorpius in the science fiction series Farscape and the miniseries that followed, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars .Pygram was born in Cootamundra, New South Wales and raised in Wagga Wagga,...
as Bren Armstrong