L'Adieu au Roi
by Pierre Schoendoerfferliterary work· published 1969
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Farewell to the King (French: L'Adieu au Roi) is a 1969 novel by the French writer Pierre Schoendoerffer. The novel is set during World War II and centres on Learoyd, an Irish deserter from the battle of Singapore, who has become the king of a headhunting tribe in the jungles of Borneo. An inspiration for the main character was Tom Harrisson. Schoendoerffer originally conceived the story as a film project, but changed it into a novel. The novel became a bestseller in France. It was awarded the Prix Interallié. Kirkus Reviews wrote that the novel is reminiscent of Joseph Conrad's works.
Adaptations (1)
L'Adieu au Roi was adapted into a 1989 film.
Farewell to the King1989 · film · 117 min · dir. John Milius · IMDb ↗IMDb6.255%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.
