Zulu (1964)

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

Director:

Cy Endfield

Writers:

John Prebble (original screenplay), Cy Endfield (original screenplay)

Stars:

Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stanley Baker	...	Lt. John Chard R. E.
Jack Hawkins	...	Otto Witt
Ulla Jacobsson	...	Margareta Witt
James Booth	...	Pvt. Henry Hook
Michael Caine	...	Lt. Gonville Bromhead
Nigel Green	...	Colour-Sergeant Bourne
Ivor Emmanuel	...	Pvt. Owen
Paul Daneman	...	Sgt. Maxfield
Glynn Edwards	...	Cpl. Allen
Neil McCarthy	...	Pvt. Thomas
David Kernan	...	Pvt. Hitch
Gary Bond	...	Pvt. Cole
Peter Gill	...	Pvt. 612 Williams
Tom Gerrard	...	Lance Corporal
Patrick Magee	...	Surgeon Reynolds

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

zulu | british army | victorian era | military tactics | anglo zulu war | 

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Taglines:

The supreme spectacle that had to come thundering out of the most thrilling continent!

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Did You Know?

Trivia

After the events in this film, Britain got it's back up and sent an even greater army to south Africa. The second Zulu war was won by the British. Lord Chelmsford, the British Commander-in-Chief, had hoped that this victory would make up for Isandlwana, but it did not. When back in England he tried to meet with Prime Minister Gladstone but in a notable snub, Gladstone refused. Chelmsford later met with Queen Victoria and then, through her, Gladstone, but the Prime Minister made his great displeasure quite clear. Chelmsford never got over the defeat.

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Goofs

A few battle scenes show British soldiers with bolt-action rifles.

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Quotes

[Bourne calls the roll after the battle]
Colour Sergeant Bourne: Hitch... Hitch, I saw you. You're alive.
Pvt. Hitch: I am? Oh, thanks very much.

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Crazy Credits

"And introducing Michael Caine"

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojoUK: Top 10 British War Movies (2019)

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Soundtracks

Men of Harlech
(uncredited)
Traditional
Performed by soldiers

User Reviews

You can't do better than ZULU

A stirring, inspiring film about ordinary British soldiers, caught off-guard and forced to fight for their lives.

During the Victorian period, discipline within the British Army was at its very peak, and the Officers were well versed in standard military manoeuvres. However, Lord Chelmsford, leading the colony out of ISLANDWANA, effectively sealed the fate of the 1000 or so Soldiers encamped on the slopes of the mountain at Islandwana, and in turn forced the Mission station at Rourkes Drift into a seemingly impossible situation; Beat off the attack.

Luckily, Lt John Chard of the Royal Engineers had been assigned to Rourkes Drift to "Build a Bridge", thus saving him from massacre and lending his wisdom and sharp military mind to the ragged bunch of soldiers at the station.

Lt Gonville Bromhead, superbly played by Michael Caine, epitomised the "Military Families" that had been commanding regiments for Decades during the 18th and 19th Centuries.

The film speaks for itself, culminating in the final, mesmerising, breath-taking, desperate battle to hold fast against a disciplined attack from the ZULU impi.

Strangely, the film makes no mention of Cetsewayo's order that no force should attack any entrenched British position. The Rourkes Drift attack was spearheaded by one of his headstrong sons, eager to prove his courage and leadership skills to his respected warrior father.

With narration from none other than Richard Burton, stirring music, the pre-battle singing at dawn, and the three level firing lines on a "mealy-bag" redoubt, you can't do better than "ZULU".

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English Zulu

Release Date:

10 June 1964 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Zulu

Filming Locations:

Amphitheatre, Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa

Box Office

Budget:

$1,720,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Diamond Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

138 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Mono (35 mm optical prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1