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War movies can be a reflection of the sociopolitical interest of the period they were produced in. In the eyes of a movie enthusiast, this genre of films is an interesting one. War genres encompass much more than just the visual depiction of history or action. There’s a movie that depicts reality during a war. Do you tend to become overly patriotic and incensed by the pride of supporting the troops? What about towards the end of a long and “unnecessary” (politely) war, films become dark comedies or scathing satires of the military? In peacetime, a movie could be from the war genre or could be completely different, but is bound to offer commentary about the attitudes of society towards the war, if there was any.
Zulu is one of the latter. It depicts the Battle of Rorke’s Drift in January 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War. An outpost with a mere supply depot, church, and poorly equipped hospital as its centerpiece housed around 150 British soldiers. This outpost only had the bare minimum desperately trying to fend off an assault by four thousand Zulu warriors. If portrayed with just a little bit of accuracy and skill, the drama and action would be superb!
Based solely on the year of production, it would be assumed that the film would be a glorified rendition of the British Empire at its peak. Certainly not Cy Endfield would have had glorious visions of the empire, especially after getting blacklisted. Stanley Baker, a known socialist, had also claimed to have no love for an empire, which means he was cynical over the notion of glorifying the British empire and therefore never cared for the idea.
I am not sure whether this reflects race relations or not. I am not too familiar with Britain during the sixties, but I would imagine they had their share of civil rights problems like the USA. In any case, this movie had its premiere in the UK on the 85th anniversary of the battle, but it was set to be released in the US that summer. If it was “going to be controversial”, note that it would have been something to pay attention to.
The Zulus are treated with great courtesy in the movie which is something that can be said to be true for many documentaries as well. They had to, if for no other reason, Buthelezi, the chief himself agreed to act as King Cetewayo and is to be credited for taking all the resources to cast hundreds of extras in the movie. Even the producers showed respect to the actors. Contrary to popular belief, props were not purchased with the cattle presented as payment to extras. Considering that a lot of the filming was done in Apartheid South Africa not far from the real battle site, there is no doubt that the producers told the government that if they were not permitted to do things their way, they would leave.
(I have come across discussions around criticism of the film’s historical accuracy in various segments. These discussions include the use of the incorrect form of some rifles, to even the portrayal of key figures in history. However, I have yet to come across any discussions regarding the accuracy of the depiction of the mass wedding that happens in the first scene. While it could be assumed that it is perfectly accurate, which I assume is the case due to the participation of the Zulu nation in the film, it appears that no one pays attention to the depiction of Zulu culture. )
Adendorff (Gert Van Den Bergh) And what in the world do you mean by “cowardly blacks?” They did die while supporting you, right? And who the hell do you think is coming to wipe out your little command? The Grenadier Guards?
Surely, the Zulu warriors are trained and skilled, and thus pose a significant threat to Britain. Their attack stems from shouts and hand signals in juxtaposition to the noise of battle. The movements of the troops are united they stealthily emerge from the fields, camouflaged under the hilly, uneven terrain. Considering the British supremacy in arms, it’s quite a threat.
The film falls neatly within the Western genre a disordered fort is besieged by the local tribesmen. You have seen it in various forms before. What makes this one worth watching is primarily the cinematography. The cinematography itself is visually stunning. The blue skies, the red of the British uniforms, the Zulu’s cowhide shields, and the gray cliffs of the Drakensberg Mountains paint a beautiful palette of colors. He also demonstrates how a massed volley can halt an infantry charge. While the movie was advertisement as Michael Caine’s first major role, the reality is that it is Nigel Green as Colour-Sergeant Bourne who mops the floor with Michael Caine. He is the one who takes the orders from Chard and Bromhead and hands them down to the men in that typical stern fatherly voice.
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