Zulu is a 1964 British epic historical drama film depicting the 1879 Battle of Rorke's Drift between a detachment of the British Army and the Zulu, in the Anglo-Zulu War. The film was directed and co-written by American screenwriter Cy Endfield. He had moved to the United Kingdom in 1951 for work after being blacklisted in Hollywood. It was produced by Stanley Baker and Endfield, with Joseph E. Levine as executive producer. The screenplay was by Endfield and historical writer John Prebble, based on Prebble's 1958 Lilliput article "Slaughter in the Sun".
The film stars Stanley Baker and introduces Michael Caine in his first major role, with a supporting cast that includes Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Nigel Green, Paul Daneman, Glynn Edwards, Ivor Emmanuel, and Patrick Magee. Zulu chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi (a future South African political leader) played Zulu King Cetshwayo kaMpande, his great-grandfather. The opening and closing narration is spoken by Richard Burton.
First shown on the 85th anniversary of the battle, 22 January 1964, at the Plaza Theatre in the West End of London, Zulu received widespread critical acclaim, with praise for its sets, soundtrack, cinematography, action sequences, and the cast's performances, particularly Baker, Booth, Green, and Caine. The film brought Caine international fame. In 2017, a poll of 150 actors, directors, writers, producers, and critics for Time Out magazine ranked it as the 93rd best British film ever."The 100 best British films". Time Out. Retrieved 26 October 2017
Plot
In January 1879, following the defeat of 1,300 British soldiers at Isandlwana, Zulu warriors scavenge the battlefield. At a mass Zulu marriage ceremony witnessed by missionary Otto Witt and his daughter Margareta, Zulu King Cetshwayo is informed of the great victory. Witt and Margareta flee to their missionary station when they realise the Zulus will attack the remote outpost at Rorke's Drift in Natal. A company of the British Army's 24th Regiment of Foot are using the station as a supply depot and hospital for British forces in Zululand.
Receiving news of Isandlwana from Natal Native Contingent Commander Adendorff and warnings that a force of 4,000 Zulus is approaching, Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers assumes command of the station's 150 men, 30 of whom are sick and wounded. He is slightly senior to their direct commander, Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead. With no time to evacuate, Chard decides to stay and fight and fortifies the station with upturned wagons, sacks of mealie, and hardtack crates formed into a defensive perimeter. A contingent of irregular South African cavalry arrives but refuse Chard's pleas to reinforce the station. Enraged by Chard arming the hospital's patients instead of evacuating them, Witt persuades the locals serving in the Natal Native Contingent to desert. Chard orders Witt locked in the chapel's supply room.
The first attack of the Zulu impis is repelled by British fire. Adendorff explains they're probing for weak points. A drunken Witt proclaims the soldiers will all perish in the coming battle and Chard permits Margareta to take him away. The Zulus let them pass. Chard realises the Zulus are aware of the weakly protected northern wall and fears attack from all sides. Under cover fire from Zulus armed with British rifles, waves of Zulu warriors attack the station. The hospital's hay roof is set alight by the Zulus, and Private Henry Hook rallies the patients to repel the Zulus and escape the burning building. Sergeant Robert Maxfield, Hook's mentally broken commanding NCO, is killed as the hospital burns down during the night.
The next morning a formation of Zulus approaches and sings a lament for their dead before launching again into their war chant. The British respond by singing the Welsh song "Men of Harlech". The Zulus launch another assault, threatening to overwhelm the dwindling defenders who fall back to a small redoubt in front of the chapel. They deploy their reserve, form three ranks and fire continuous volleys into the Zulus until they retreat.
Bromhead calls the roll, revealing the cost of the defence. When the Zulus re-form on the Oscarberg, the British prepare for another assault, and are astonished when the massed Zulus instead sing to honour the defenders' bravery. A closing voiceover lists the eleven Victoria Crosses awarded for the battle as Chard plants a Zulu shield in the ground.
Cast
Stanley Baker as Lieutenant John Chard, an officer serving with the Royal Engineers, assigned to build a bridge nearby. He takes charge of the defence of Rorke's Drift by virtue of slight seniority in his commission date. Michael Caine as Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, an upper-class officer who yields to Chard's command. He is inexperienced, arrogant, and dismissive of the Zulu army's capabilities, but slowly comes into his own by following Chard's example and proves to be courageous. Jack Hawkins as Reverend Otto Witt, a Swedish missionary based at Rorke's Drift. Ulla Jacobsson as his daughter Margareta Witt Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi as King Cetshwayo; Cetshwayo was Buthelezi's maternal great-grandfather James Booth as Private Henry Hook, described as "a thief, a coward, and an insubordinate barrack-room lawyer", who has been confined to the hospital after falsely claiming sickness to get excused from his duties. He redeems himself and proves himself to be an excellent soldier in his defence of the hospital. Nigel Green as Colour Sergeant Frank Bourne, a seasoned NCO who plays a key role in organizing and leading the British defence. Paul Daneman as Sergeant Robert Maxfield, Private Hook's bedridden and mentally broken platoon sergeant. Joe Powell as Sergeant Joseph Windridge Ivor Emmanuel as Private Owen, a Welsh baritone and head of the company choir. Glynn Edwards as Corporal William Allen Neil McCarthy as Private Thomas, Owen's best friend who longs to return to his farm in Wales David Kernan as Private Frederick Hitch Gary Bond as Private Cole Peter Gill as Private 612 John Williams, a member of the company choir assigned to the squad defending the hospital. Richard Davies as Private 593 William Jones Denys Graham as Private 716 Robert Jones Patrick Magee as Surgeon-Major James Henry Reynolds Dickie Owen as Corporal Frederick Schiess, a hospitalised Swiss corporal in the Natal Native Contingent who volunteers for Chard's defenders Gert van den Bergh as Lieutenant Gert Adendorff, an Afrikaner officer serving with the Natal Native Contingent and one of the few survivors of the battle at Isandlwana. He advises Chard and fights alongside him Dennis Folbigge as Acting Assistant Commissary James Langley Dalton Larry Taylor as Hughes Kerry Jordan as Louis Byrne, the company cook who is forced to join the defenders despite his pleas of cowardice. Harvey Hall as Sick Man
Production
Cy Endfield was inspired to make the film after reading an article on the Battle of Rorke's Drift by John Prebble. He took it to actor Stanley Baker, with whom he had made several films and who was interested in moving into production. Endfield and Prebble drafted a script, which Baker showed to Joseph E. Levine while making Sodom and Gomorrah (1962) in Italy. Levine agreed to fund the movie, which Baker's company, Diamond Films, produced. It was shot using the Super Technirama 70 cinematographic process, and distributed by Paramount Pictures in all countries excluding the United States, where it was distributed by Embassy Pictures.
Most of Zulu was shot on location in South Africa. The mission depot at Rorke's Drift was recreated beneath the natural Amphitheatre in the Drakensberg Mountains. (This landscape was more precipitous and dramatic than the real Rorke's Drift, which is little more than two small hills). The set for the British field hospital and supply depot was created near the Tugela River with the Amphitheatre in the background. The real location of the battle was 100 kilometres (60 mi) to the northeast, on the Buffalo River near the isolated hill at Isandlwana.
Other scenes were filmed within the national parks of the then Province of Natal. Interiors and all the scenes starring James Booth were completed at Twickenham Film Studios in Middlesex, England. The majority of the Zulu warriors were real Zulus. The 240 Zulu extras who were employed for the battle scenes, were bused in from their tribal homes more than 100 miles away. Around 1,000 additional tribesmen were filmed by the second unit in Zululand. Eighty South African military servicemen were cast as soldiers.
The film was compared by Baker to a Western movie, with the traditional roles of the United States Cavalry and Native Americans taken by the British and the Zulu, respectively. Director Endfield showed a Western to Zulu extras to demonstrate the concept of film acting and how he wanted the warriors to conduct themselves.
It has been rumoured that due to the apartheid laws in South Africa, none of the Zulu extras could be paid for his performance. Endfield was said to have circumvented this restriction by leaving them all the animals, primarily cattle, that were used in the film. These are highly valued in their society. This allegation is incorrect; no such law existed and all the Zulu extras were paid in full. The main body of extras were paid the equivalent of nine shillings per day each, additional extras eight shillings, and the female dancers slightly less.
Michael Caine, who was primarily playing bit parts at this early stage in his career, was originally up for the role of Private Henry Hook, which went to James Booth. According to Caine, he was extremely nervous during his screen test for the part of Bromhead. Director Cy Endfield told him that it was the worst screen test he had ever seen, but they cast Caine in the part anyway because the production was leaving for South Africa shortly and they had not found anyone else for the role. Caine said that he was fortunate that the film was directed by an American (Endfield), because "no English director would've cast me as an officer, I promise you, not one," due to his Cockney roots. Most officers at the time were from upper-class families. Caine later said "My entire movie career is based on the length of the bar at the Prince of Wales Theatre, because I was on my way out [after failing to get the part auditioned for] and it was a very long walk to the door. And I had just got there, when he called out: 'Come back!'
The company was unable to obtain enough historically authentic Martini-Henry rifles for all of the extras, and had to make up the difference with later Lee Enfields. These have a very noticeable moving bolt on the right side, absent on the Martini-Henry. The sidearms used were also visibly later types, World War I-vintage Webley Mk VI revolvers.
The budget of the film has been the subject of some speculation. Press-related figures of $3 million and even $3.5 million were mentioned upon the picture's American release. Joseph E. Levine later revealed that Stanley Baker had approached him with a script and budget in 1962, just after filming Sodom and Gomorrah. Levine agreed to finance the picture up to $2 million. According to the records of the British completion bond company, Film Finance, Ltd., the production eventually finalized its budget at £666,554 (approximately, $1,720,000). This included a contingency amount of £82,241, of which only £34,563 had been used by the time the picture had all but wrapped post-production (Cost Report #15, 18 October 1963). This would have placed the near-final negative cost at £618,876 (approximately $1,600,000).Film Finance, Ltd. (Production Bond Company) Statement of Production Costs #15, week ending, 18 October 1963
Historical accuracy