Farewell to the King (1989)

Farewell to the King (1989) (DVD) (*)

Out of Stock

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )

Product Origin/Format:
Australia ( PAL/Region 0 )

Running Time:
113 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Trailer(s)

Movie filmed in 1989 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
John Milius

Written By:
Pierre Schoendoerffer
John Milius

Actors:
Nigel Havers ..... Capt. Fairbourne
Frank McRae ..... Sgt. Tenga
Gerry Lopez ..... Gwai
Nick Nolte ..... Learoyd
Marilyn Tokuda ..... Yoo
Choy Chang Wing ..... Lian
Aki Aleong ..... Col. Mitamura
Marius Weyers ..... Sgt. Conklin
William Wise ..... Dynamite Dave
Wayne Pygram ..... Bren Armstrong
Richard Morgan ..... Strech Lewis
Elan Oberon ..... Vivienne
James Fox ..... Col. Ferguson
Michael Nissman ..... Gen. Sutherland
John Bennett Perry ..... Gen. MacArthur

Synopsis:

Though officially based on Pierre Schoendoerffer's novel L'Adieu au Roi, Farewell to the King also bears echoes of Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Lord Jim--with a lot of filmmaker John Milius' own Hemingwayesque slant thrown in. During World War II, American POW Learoyd (Nick Nolte) escapes a Japanese firing squad. Hiding himself in the wilds of Borneo, Learoyd is adopted by a head-hunting tribe of Nyak Indians, who consider him 'divine' because of his elaborate tattoos. Before long, Learoyd is the reigning king of the Nyaks. When British soldiers approach him to rejoin the war against the Japanese, Learoyd resists (in language so flowery that it could have been written by Sir Walter Scott). But when his own tribe is threatened by the invaders, the 'king' deigns to fight for their rights. Farewell to the King is breathtakingly photographed and quite exciting at times.

In the last days of World War II, a British captain is parachuted into Borneo to organize resistance against the Japanese. In order to accomplish his mission, he must deal with an American who has made himself almost a God in the eyes of the local inhabitants.

Borneo, during World War II when the Allies, in an attempt to rid the island of the Japanese, enlisted the help of an ex-American soldier who had become king of the head-hunting tribe.

This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 24 November, 2009.