Zulu

A film about a battle fought in South Africa in 1879. The British army has taken a heavy defeat and the news is spreading. At a small station called Rorke's Drift there are about a hundred and fifty soldiers, most of them sick or storekeepers. The Zulu force coming towards them numbers in the thousands. Two officers have to share command. One is an engineer, the other the lieutenant in charge of the company; there is even an argument between them about seniority. Most of the film is preparation: stacking sacks, building walls, marking fields of fire and waiting. When the fighting starts the narrative proceeds in waves. The film's choice is not to make monsters of the other side. The Zulu force is shown as disciplined and organised, and the opening scene is a Zulu wedding. Michael Caine played his first major role here and his recognition began with it. Stanley Baker and Jack Hawkins are in the cast. Cy Endfield directed. It was shot in the real region and most of the extras came from the local population. One of the classics of its genre for anyone who likes war films and siege stories. For a viewer after historical accuracy, the film alters some details and keeps a heroic register.