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Best movie of this year hands down!

Thanks for the memories!

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Farewell to the King, was not Oscar quality, however it was a lot better than most of the bilge that Hollywood barfs out. I have learned that if you don't expect much from todays movies you won't be disappointed. I liked the theme of the movie, the "backwater" of WWII away from the "show". The cast was wonderful, I'm not going to pick-em-apart. The plot was believable, read-up about the coast watchers, or downed pilots evading the enemy in the Pacific. Don't be critical, let your imagination go free, imagine yourself in Nolte's place, be part of the movie, after all that is what it is all about, jump starting your mind.

"Farewell to the King" is a very well made, acted and photographed film version of Schoendoeffer's novel. The theatrical version seems too short for the epic scope of the story. Don't know if it was heavily edited or whether the production's grasp exceeded their financial means but there is something missing here. This is a film that could have been Milius's great masterpiece (although Big Wednesday is a pretty great film). It has something important and striking to say about war and about the nature of the bond between Western adventurers and "savage" tribal people applicable to the American misadventure in Vietnam and to earlier periods such as Lawrence of Arabia during World War One. It doesn't quite succeed. Still this 1989 war film, unfairly dismissed at the time as a blond version of Rambo, has some of Milius' best work as a filmmaker. This is a film ripe for re-evaluation in a deluxe edition DVD.

Farewell to the King is one of the greatest war movies, and simply one of the greatest movies ever. I've seen and own dozens of WWII movies and this is one of the best. The story unfolds in a grand sweeping fashion reminiscent of Lawrence of Arabia, even Lost Horizon. At the same time it manages to capture a reality of life and loss that rarely sees the light of day on film or anywhere else for that matter.It's great to see so many people here at IMDb and elsewhere have so much good to say about this film. Nick Nolte is fantastic as the soldier turned king and turns in one of his strongest performances ever. The film is breathtaking, the acting, story, and music is top notch. It's a gripping film, very necessary and old school/Hollywood in a time filled with dime a dozen action hero types.Perhaps where some of the few critics get thrown is by the near fantasy nature of the story. If they would follow through with the stories presentation, intent, and the directors molding (done wonderfully by John Milius), they could find in fact that it works great on every level. It starts with a romanticized viewpoint of war and the "Flare of our youth" that many soldiers could look back on, to descend into the depths of hell and the realities of war that all should remember and none should forget. All of this of course is presented in a grand old tale container. The container has of that nature and large enough to hold some of the narrative information and striking, barbaric realities that the film so accurately presents, along side the beauty and normalities of what people could have in life. It's not easy to portray a vision of hell and a vision of Shangri-la (of sorts) in the same picture. This film is saying a great deal on many levels. One thing is that real freedom and a real Shangri-la is worth fighting for. Yet it's also one of the few films to even dare begin to unfold the true nature of how barbaric the Pacific War was. After years of studying the Pacific War, I can tell you that as well done as this movie is, it only skims the surface. But what a picture it gives.

1st watched 11/19/1999 - 5 out of 10 (Dir-John Milius): Unbelievable although well-played out story about an American army soldier washed up on the shore of Bornea during World War II who became a king of a headhunting tribe.Not enough understanding as to why things are happening throughout the story.