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Zulu

  • 19641964
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 18m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
39K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,837
286
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Zulu (1964)
Outnumbered British soldiers do battle with Zulu warriors at Rorke's Drift.
Play trailer2:36
1 Video
88 Photos
  • Drama
  • History
  • War

Outnumbered British soldiers do battle with Zulu warriors at Rorke's Drift.Outnumbered British soldiers do battle with Zulu warriors at Rorke's Drift.Outnumbered British soldiers do battle with Zulu warriors at Rorke's Drift.

IMDb RATING
7.7/10
39K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,837
286
  • Director
    • Cy Endfield
  • Writers
    • John Prebble(original screenplay)
    • Cy Endfield(original screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Stanley Baker
    • Jack Hawkins
    • Ulla Jacobsson
Top credits
  • Director
    • Cy Endfield
  • Writers
    • John Prebble(original screenplay)
    • Cy Endfield(original screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Stanley Baker
    • Jack Hawkins
    • Ulla Jacobsson
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 284User reviews
    • 44Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:36
    Official Trailer

    Photos88

    Michael Caine in Zulu (1964)
    Michael Caine in Zulu (1964)
    Michael Caine in Zulu (1964)
    Ulla Jacobsson in Zulu (1964)
    Stanley Baker in Zulu (1964)
    Michael Caine and Stanley Baker in Zulu (1964)
    Stanley Baker in Zulu (1964)
    Zulu (1964)
    Zulu (1964)
    Zulu (1964)
    Zulu (1964)
    Zulu (1964)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Stanley Baker
    Stanley Baker
    • Lt. John Chard R. E.as Lt. John Chard R. E.
    Jack Hawkins
    Jack Hawkins
    • Otto Wittas Otto Witt
    Ulla Jacobsson
    Ulla Jacobsson
    • Margareta Wittas Margareta Witt
    James Booth
    James Booth
    • Pvt. Henry Hookas Pvt. Henry Hook
    Michael Caine
    Michael Caine
    • Lt. Gonville Bromheadas Lt. Gonville Bromhead
    Nigel Green
    Nigel Green
    • Colour-Sergeant Bourneas Colour-Sergeant Bourne
    Ivor Emmanuel
    Ivor Emmanuel
    • Pvt. Owenas Pvt. Owen
    Paul Daneman
    Paul Daneman
    • Sgt. Maxfieldas Sgt. Maxfield
    Glynn Edwards
    Glynn Edwards
    • Cpl. Allenas Cpl. Allen
    Neil McCarthy
    Neil McCarthy
    • Pvt. Thomasas Pvt. Thomas
    David Kernan
    David Kernan
    • Pvt. Hitchas Pvt. Hitch
    Gary Bond
    Gary Bond
    • Pvt. Coleas Pvt. Cole
    Peter Gill
    Peter Gill
    • Pvt. 612 Williamsas Pvt. 612 Williams
    Tom Gerrard
    Tom Gerrard
    • Lance Corporalas Lance Corporal
    Patrick Magee
    Patrick Magee
    • Surgeon Reynoldsas Surgeon Reynolds
    Richard Davies
    Richard Davies
    • Pvt. 593 Jonesas Pvt. 593 Jones
    Denys Graham
    Denys Graham
    • Pvt. 716 Jonesas Pvt. 716 Jones
    Dafydd Havard
    Dafydd Havard
    • Gunner Howarthas Gunner Howarth
    • Director
      • Cy Endfield
    • Writers
      • John Prebble(original screenplay) (suggested by an article written by)
      • Cy Endfield(original screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Zululand, South Africa, 1879. The British are fighting the Zulus and one of their columns has just been wiped out at Isandlwana. The Zulus next fix their sights on the small British outpost at Rorke's Drift. At the outpost are one hundred fifty British troops under the command of Lieutenants Bromhead and Chard. In the next few days, these one hundred fifty troops will fight about four thousand Zulus in one of the most courageous battles in history. —grantss
    • hopelessly outnumbered
    • zulu
    • british army
    • military tactics
    • anglo zulu war
    • 192 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Excitement Fills the Screen in This Towering African Adventure!
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • History
      • War
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Colour Sergeant Bourne was 24 during the defense of Rorke's Drift (Nigel Green, who played him, was 40). He was the last defender of the post to die as an honorary Lieutenant Colonel, on V.E. Day, May 8, 1945, age 91.
    • Goofs
      The Zulu chief Cetewayo did not send his impi to attack Rorke's Drift; he ordered that the installation be left alone. One of his half-brothers ordered and led the attack, figuring he would get a quick victory and impress the king.
    • Quotes

      Pvt. Cole: Why is it us? Why us?

      Colour Sergeant Bourne: Because we're here, lad. Nobody else. Just us.

    • Crazy credits
      At the end of the opening credits 'and Introducing Michael Caine' is shown, this would suggest that this was his first film. In fact MC had previously had five credited film roles, numerous TV appearances and several uncredited film roles before appearing in Zulu.
    • Connections
      Edited into Wizards (1977)
    • Soundtracks
      Men of Harlech
      (uncredited)

      Traditional

      Performed by soldiers

    User reviews284

    Review
    Top review
    A tribute to both sides of an uneven war.
    ZULU steers away from making one side good and one side bad. Okay, we identify with the British troops in the face of insurmountable odds and all that - but you have to admire the ZULU warriors all the more for going up against them unfalteringly and the 'pan' across their fallen bodies isn't so much a moment of joy for the Brits saying "Ha, look how many we've killed of you lot" as opposed to clearly showing what an awful waste of life it all actually was.

    The film clearly marks out why the British Army was as good as it was. Organisation. Okay, we got butchered a couple of times, but when placed in a position with time to ready ourselves the British forces where pretty unbeatable. One of the huge advantages being the fact that often we were going up against quite primitive 'warriors' with even more primitive weapons. The whole staying smart, obeying orders and keeping in line, firing in order helped to saved all those mens lives and is a neatly condensed show of arms to everybody out there. Each setpiece of British organisation re-inforces just how good they were, just how well they were drilled and just how murderous they could be with their efforts.

    The film clearly marks out why the ZULU forces wasn't quite so good. It wasn't a lack of courage or absence of valour, it was simply down to the fact that they were outclassed weapon and organisation wise. Okay, they made pretty well organised charges and all that, but against rifles that's just cannon fodder. But as is pointed out by the Dutch guy, they're merely counting your guns. The ZULU's in the film aren't daft guys in furry underpants, they're the bravest warriors ever seen (or ever likely to be seen). Well organised forces wilted in the face of British troops during that period, they didn't. The fact they salute the British and walk away merely adds to their nobility and patheticises the British efforts - eventually they would have crumbled, the British would have lost against such odds if the Zulus had pressed all at once. They didn't. They walked away saluting the British effort. That moment alone, with Caine blazing about how they're being taunted and the Dutch guy chuckling to himself struggling to believe what is actually taking place is the icing on the cake of the gradually increasing tension.

    For a moment of absolute spine tingling tension you can't beat the ZULU singing being countered by the Welsh Choir of voices. It's an equaliser as such, a moment of contrast and compare between the rigid red suited Brits and the tribal shield clapping chanting.

    John Barry's music is a constant presence and always perfectly suited to the moment, I'd be interested to know the content of the ZULU chants though, whether they are authentic (which I figure they are) or simply picked out by the director for looking the most intimidating.

    Top film, no insult to anybody.
    helpful•29
    2
    • Koncorde
    • Feb 16, 2003

    FAQ2

    • Isn't that a bearded Peter O'Toole striding past a couple of diplomats early in the film?
    • How come Colour Sgt Bourne doesn't get the VC?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 17, 1964 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • English
      • Zulu
    • Also known as
      • Zulu - Die Schlacht von Rorkes Drift
    • Filming locations
      • Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa
    • Production company
      • Diamond Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,720,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 18 minutes

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