Zulu Dawn (1979) book and
war filmWar films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
about the
Battle of IsandlwanaThe Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879 was the opening, major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom...
between
BritishThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom, that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was...
and
ZuluThe Zulu are the largest South African ethnic group of an estimated 10–11 million people who live mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Small numbers also live in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique. Their language, Zulu, is a Bantu language; more specifically, part of the Nguni...
military units in 1879 in
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
. The book was written by
Cy EndfieldCyril Raker Endfield was an American screenwriter, film director, theatre director, author and sometime inventor, based in Britain from 1953.- Biography :...
, who co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Anthony Story. The film was directed by
Douglas HickoxDouglas Hickox was an English film director. Hickox was born in London, where he was educated at Emanuel School. Hickox worked extensively as an assistant director and second unit director throughout the 50's and early 60's, making his first major picture in 1970...
, and has music by
Elmer BernsteinElmer Bernstein was an American film score composer. He was famous for composing music for The Ten Commandments, The Man with the Golden Arm, The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, Meatballs, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Ghostbusters.-Early life:Bernstein was born in New York City, the son of...
.
Zulu Dawn is a
prequelA prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel .-History:Though the word "Prequel" is of...
to
ZuluZulu is a historical war film depicting the Battle of Rorke's Drift between the British Army and the Zulus in January 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War.-Background:...
, released in , which depicts the Battle of
Rorke's DriftThe Battle of Rorke's Drift was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana earlier that morning on 22 January 1879, and continued to the following day, 23 January...
, and was written and co-directed by Cy Enfield.
The film is set in British South Africa, in the province of
NatalThe Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on May 4, 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa...
, in January 1879.
Zulu Dawn (1979) book and
war filmWar films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
about the
Battle of IsandlwanaThe Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879 was the opening, major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom...
between
BritishThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom, that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was...
and
ZuluThe Zulu are the largest South African ethnic group of an estimated 10–11 million people who live mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Small numbers also live in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique. Their language, Zulu, is a Bantu language; more specifically, part of the Nguni...
military units in 1879 in
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
. The book was written by
Cy EndfieldCyril Raker Endfield was an American screenwriter, film director, theatre director, author and sometime inventor, based in Britain from 1953.- Biography :...
, who co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Anthony Story. The film was directed by
Douglas HickoxDouglas Hickox was an English film director. Hickox was born in London, where he was educated at Emanuel School. Hickox worked extensively as an assistant director and second unit director throughout the 50's and early 60's, making his first major picture in 1970...
, and has music by
Elmer BernsteinElmer Bernstein was an American film score composer. He was famous for composing music for The Ten Commandments, The Man with the Golden Arm, The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, Meatballs, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Ghostbusters.-Early life:Bernstein was born in New York City, the son of...
.
Zulu Dawn is a
prequelA prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel .-History:Though the word "Prequel" is of...
to
ZuluZulu is a historical war film depicting the Battle of Rorke's Drift between the British Army and the Zulus in January 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War.-Background:...
, released in , which depicts the Battle of
Rorke's DriftThe Battle of Rorke's Drift was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana earlier that morning on 22 January 1879, and continued to the following day, 23 January...
, and was written and co-directed by Cy Enfield.
Plot
The film is set in British South Africa, in the province of
NatalThe Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on May 4, 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa...
, in January 1879. The first half of the film revolves around the administrators and officials of
Cape ColonyThe Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
, notably the supremely arrogant
Lord ChelmsfordGeneral Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford GCB, GCVO, was a British general.-Early life:Frederic Augustus Thesiger was born 31 May 1827, the son of Frederic Thesiger, a lawyer who later became Lord Chancellor and be created Baron Chelmsford.-Career:He wished to pursue a military...
and the scheming
Sir Henry FrereSir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, 1st Baronet, GCB, GCSI, was a British colonial administrator.-Early life:Born in Clydach , home of the manager of Clydach Ironworks in Brecknockshire, he was the son of Edward Frere and a nephew of John Hookham Frere, of Anti-Jacobin and Aristophanes...
, who both wish to crush the neighbouring
Zulu EmpireThe Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
, which is falsely perceived as a threat to Cape Colony's
emerging industrial economyThe Mineral Revolution is a term used by historians to refer to the rapid industrialisation and economic changes which occurred in South Africa from the 1870s onwards. The Mineral Revolution was largely driven by the need to create a permanent workforce to work in the mining industry, and saw South...
. Eager to crush the Zulus, Bartle Frere issues an impossible
ultimatumAn ultimatum is a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat to be followed through in case of noncompliance. An ultimatum is generally the final demand in a series of requests...
to the Zulu king,
CetshwayoCetshwayo kaMpande was the king of the Zulu nation from 1872 to 1879 and their leader during the Zulu War. His name has also been transliterated as Cetawayo, Cetewayo, Cetywajo and Ketchwayo....
, demanding that he dissolves the Zulu Empire. Cetshwayo refuses, providing Cape Colony with a
pretextA pretext is an excuse to do something or say something. Pretexts may be based on a half-truth or developed in the context of a misleading fabrication. Pretexts have been used to conceal the true purpose or rationale behind actions and words....
to invade
ZululandThe Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
. Despite objections from leading members of Cape Colony's high society and from
Great BritainGreat Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 59.6 million people, it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1000 smaller...
itself, Bartle Frere authorises Lord Chelmsford to lead a British invasion force into Zululand.
The second half of the film focuses on the British invasion of Zululand and the lead-up to the Battle of Isandhlwana. The invading British army, laden down with an immense network of supply wagons, invades Zululand and marches in the direction of Ulundi, the Zulu capital. British forces, eager to fight a large battle in which they can unleash their cutting-edge military technology against the vast Zulu army, become increasingly frustrated as the main Zulu army refuses to attack the British, and fighting is restricted to a few small skirmishes between British and Zulu scouts. Concerned that their supply lines are becoming overstretched and that the main Zulu army is still at large, British troops begin
torturingTorture, according to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, is:In addition to state-sponsored torture, individuals or groups may be motivated to inflict torture on others for similar reasons to those of a state; however, the motive for torture can also be for the sadistic gratification of...
captive Zulu warriors in an effort to learn the location and tactics of the Zulu army. Halfway to Ulundi, Chelmsford halts his army at the base of
Mount IsandhlwanaIsandlwana is an isolated hill in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, southeast of Rorke's Drift and north by northwest of Durban....
, ignoring the advice of
BoerBoer is the Dutch word for farmer which came to denote the descendants of the proto Afrikaans-speaking pastoralists of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
attendants to entrench the camp and laager the supply wagons, leaving the camp dangerously exposed. During the night, Colonel Durnford and an escort of fifty mounted Basutos approach the camp. Lord Chelmsford then orders Durnford to return to his unit, bringing them to the camp immediately to reinforce Colonel Pulleine. Lt. Vereker should join Durnford as
aide-de-campAn aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
.
Reacting to false intelligence, Chelmsford leads half of the British army, including the best
infantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of the Combat Arms they are the backbone of armies...
,
cavalryCavalry were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat. Cavalry were historically the second oldest and most mobile of the combat arms...
and
artilleryArtillery is a military combat Arm that employs weapons capable of discharging large projectiles in combat. They are generally capable of adding considerable fire power to the military capability of an armed force...
units, on a
wild goose chaseA wild-goose chase or wild goose chase may refer to:* A wild-goose chase, a futile search or fruitless errand, a task inordinately complex relative to its outcome...
far from the camp, in pursuit of a phantom Zulu army. On the day of battle, Durnford and his troops are arriving at 11:00 a.m. at the camp at Isandlwana. Meanwhile, the Zulu captives escape their torturers and regroup with the Zulu army, informing them of the British army's direction and strength. After having lunch with Colonel Pulleine and Lt. Vereker, Durnford quickly decides to send Vereker to scout the hills. Durnford then decides to take his own command out from the camp too, and scout the iNyoni heights.
The entire Zulu army is later discovered by men of Lt. Vereker's troop of scouts, who chase a number of Zulu herdsmen, trying to hurry away their cattle, only to discover the main Zulu enemy force of thousands at the bottom of a valley. Lt. Vereker then sends Lt. Raw to warn the camp that it is about to be attacked.
As Zulu impis descend upon the camp, Durnford's cavalry retreat to a
dongaIn South African English, a Donga is a ditch formed by the erosion of soil.They were extensively used by both sides during the Boer Wars as serendipitous defensive positions....
in an effort to hold back the Zulu advance. Forced back, the British take heavy casualties, including the battery of
Congreve rocketThe Congreve Rocket was a British military weapon designed by Sir William Congreve in 1804.The British were greatly impressed by the Mysorean Rocket artillery made from iron tubes used by the armies of Tipu Sultan and his father, Haidar Ali. Tipu Sultan championed the use of mass attacks with...
s, which is overrun by the Zulus. Initially, the British infantry succeed in defending the camp, and Zulu forces retreat under a hail of artillery fire. British units defending the camp are now becoming dangerously spread-out, and are oblivious to Zulu forces moving round the sides of the mountain in an encircling move. As British infantrymen begin to run out of
ammunitionAmmunition, often informally referred to as ammo, is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
and the British cavalry are driven back towards the camp, Zulu warriors charge the British troops
en masse, sustaining horrific casualties, but succeed in breaking the British lines. As British troops break and flee towards the camp, the battle breaks down into hand-to-hand fighting between British soldiers and Zulu warriors, amongst the débris of tents, fallen soldiers and supply wagons. Overwhelmed by the sheer number of Zulu warriors, British soldiers and their African allies are slaughtered in the camp, some being cut down as they attempt to flee back towards Natal. During the last minutes of the battle, the camp's commander, Colonel Pulleine, entrusts the
Union FlagThe Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada...
to two junior officers, Lts. Melvill and Coghill, who attempt to carry it to safety in Natal, passing gruesome scenes as Zulu warriors hunt down British and African infantrymen attempting to flee across the river. While crossing the Buffalo River, the three lieutenants are cut down by Zulus and the Union Flag is captured. In his dying moments, Vereker shoots and kills the Zulu wielding the Colours, and the flag falls gracefully into the river, where it is carried out of reach. In the evening, Chelmsford and the rest of the British army return to Isandhlwana, to be greeted by the sight of their slaughtered comrades, and the news that a mass Zulu army has invaded Natal and lain siege to
Rorke's DriftThe Battle of Rorke's Drift was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana earlier that morning on 22 January 1879, and continued to the following day, 23 January...
. The film ends with Zulu warriors in a
silhouetteA silhouette is a view of an object or scene consisting of the outline and a featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black...
d victory procession, dragging captured British artillery back to Ulundi.
British
- Peter O'Toole
Peter Seamus O'Toole is an actor of stage and screen who achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia. He went on to become a highly-honored film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards...
: Lord ChelmsfordGeneral Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford GCB, GCVO, was a British general.-Early life:Frederic Augustus Thesiger was born 31 May 1827, the son of Frederic Thesiger, a lawyer who later became Lord Chancellor and be created Baron Chelmsford.-Career:He wished to pursue a military...
. The arrogant commander of British forces in South Africa, Chelmsford is eager to advance his military career by crushing neighbouring Zululand, believing that "for the savage as for the child, chastisement is sometimes a blessing". During the invasion, Chelmsford refuses to listen to advice from his British and BoerBoer is the Dutch word for farmer which came to denote the descendants of the proto Afrikaans-speaking pastoralists of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
advisers, and from the comfort of his tent and personal coachA carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, these being litters or wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be...
, authorises his troops to torture Zulu captives. On the day of the battle, Chelmsford commits a cardinal error in splitting his forces. While the troops at Isandlwana fight for their lives, Chelmsford and his equally arrogant officers, a few miles away, enjoy a silver-service luncheonLuncheon, commonly abbreviated to lunch, is a midday meal.In English-speaking countries during the eighteenth century what was originally called "dinner"— a word still sometimes used to mean a noontime meal in the UK, and in parts of Canada and the United States — was moved by stages...
, laughing sardonically at increasingly desperate reports of the battle. Chelmsford is last seen arriving at the site of the battle several hours later, mortified by the defeat of his soldiers, absorbing the news that the victorious Zulu army has invaded Natal.
- Burt Lancaster
Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor and star, noted for his athletic physique, distinct smile and, later, his willingness to play roles that went against his initial "tough guy" image...
: Colonel DurnfordAnthony William Durnford was a career British Army officer who served in the Anglo-Zulu War. Breveted colonel, Durnford is mainly known for his presence at the defeat of the British army by the Zulu at the Battle of Isandlwana.-Background:Durnford was born in to a military family at Manor...
. Commander of a large force of the Natal Native ContingentThe Natal Native Contingent was a large force of black auxiliary soldiers in British South Africa, forming a large portion of the defence forces of the British colony of Natal, and saw action during the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War. The NNC was created in 1878 out of the local black population in order to...
(NNC), Britain's African allies, Durnford is a humane officer who expresses concern for the lives and welfare of his African troops. When war breaks out, Durnford, much to his chagrin, is ordered to remain in Natal and defend the border rather than accompany the invasion force. His troops are ultimately called to reinforce the invasion army, and on the day of battle, Durnford and his African cavalrymen are driven into the camp at Isandlwana. As the British forces break apart, the one-armed Durnford becomes trapped in the camp. Hoping to save his men, Durnford orders his African cavalrymen to retreat. Remaining on foot at the battlefield, Durnford is killed alongside his infantrymen.
- Simon Ward
Simon Ward is an English stage and film actor.-Early life:Simon Ward was born in London, the son of a car dealer. From an early age he wanted to be an actor. He was educated at Alleyn's School, London, the home of the National Youth Theatre, which he joined at age 13 and stayed with for eight...
: Lt. William Vereker. A young officer who has recently attached to Durnford's command, Vereker is a light-hearted cavalry officer eager to see war. Vereker's enthusiasm, though, evaporates as he sees Zulu warriors tortured and slain by British troops. Vereker and his men discover the main Zulu army on the morning of the battle, and as British lines collapse, Vereker accompanies Lts. Melvill and Coghill in an effort to return the Queen's Colors to Natal. Zulu warriors attack and kill Melvill and Coghill, then steal the Union Flag. Enraged at their mockery, Vereker, despite his injuries, shoots the Zulu wielding the Colors, ensuring the flag falls into the Buffalo River, where it is washed away from Zulu forces.
- Denholm Elliott
Denholm Mitchell Elliott, CBE was an English actor of stage and screen, with over 120 major film and TV credits.. Today he is probably most known for his roles in the Indiana Jones movies as Dr. Marcus Brody.-Early life:...
: Colonel PulleineLieutenant-Colonel Henry Burmester Pulleine was an administrator and commander in the British Army in the Cape Frontier and Anglo-Zulu Wars. He held the acting rank of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel....
. A mild-mannered and indecisive man, Pulleine is a military bureaucratA bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can comprise the administration of any organization of any size, though the term usually connotes someone within an institution of a government...
who accompanies the army into Zululand, and finds himself left in command of the camp at Isandlwana after Chelmsford leaves on a sortieSortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
. News of the approaching Zulu army unnerves Pulleine, and his overstretched troops are unable to defend the camp. After having entrusted the Union Flag to Lts. Melvill and Coghill, Pulleine returns to his tent to pen a last letter to his wife. He is discovered by one of the escaped Zulu prisoners and, unwilling to kill the young soldier, the elderly Pulleine allows himself to be killed in his tent.
- James Sebastian Faulkner
James Faulkner is a British actor. Known for his many various appearance on television and in movies.Faulkner made his big screen debut as Josef Strauss in The Great Waltz in 1972...
: Lieutenant MelvillTeignmouth Melvill VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
. An arrogant, conceited and unpleasant man, when a lone Zulu warrior calls from a mountaintop asking why British forces are invading, Melvill shouts back, "we come here by the order of the great Queen Victoria, Queen of all Africa!" During the invasion, Melvill expresses a lack of sympathySympathy is a social affinity in which one person stands with another person, closely understanding his or her feelings. It also can mean being affected by feelings or emotions. Thus the essence of sympathy is that one has a strong concern for the other person...
for African assistants who drown in the river, and encourages the torture of Zulu prisoners. Towards the end of the battle, Melvill carries the Union Flag back towards Natal, ignoring British infantrymen being killed as they flee towards the river. Melvill reaches the river border between Zululand and Natal, but is lynched by Zulu warriors while defending the flag.
- Christopher Cazenove
Christopher Cazenove is a British cinema, television and stage actor.He often portrays British aristocrats, and first made his name in the early 1970s drama series, The Regiment. Other notable roles include Charlie Tyrrell in the UK series The Duchess of Duke Street and Ben Carrington in the US...
: Lieutenant CoghillNevill Josiah Aylmer Coghill VC was born in Drumcondra, Dublin, and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Family:Coghill was the eldest son of Sir John...
. A polite and educated young officer, Lieutenant Coghill is temporarily attached to Colonel Pulleine's staff, due to an injured leg which requires him to ride on horseback. Coghill has a close friendship with Lt. Melvill, and during the invasion he expresses dissatisfaction at Chelmsford's strategy. Towards the end of the battle, Coghill accompanies Melvill in his attempt to gallop the Union Flag back towards Natal. When Melvill nearly drowns while trying to cross the Buffalo River, Coghill turns to help him, and is ambushed by Zulu warriors. Coghill attempts to defend himself with his revolver, but is killed.
- Bob Hoskins
Robert William "Bob" Hoskins, Jr. is an English actor, known for playing Cockney rough diamonds, psychopaths and gangsters, and for his performances in family films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit , Hook , and Super Mario Bros. .-Early life:Hoskins was born in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England,...
: Colour-Sergeant-Major Williams. The loud, aggressive Williams, a high-ranking NCONon-commissioned officer , abbreviated to NCO or Non-com , is a term in many armed forces indicating leadership ranks less senior than commissioned officers...
, is viewed by his soldiers with a mixture of fear and respect, but displays genuine concern for his troops. During the battle, Williams loses many of his infantrymen during hand-to-hand fighting, and is injured while defending a group of unarmed artillerymen. Williams is stabbed in the back while attempting to save the life of one of his young soldiers, and having killed several Zulu soldiers with his bayonetA bayonet is a knife-, dagger-, sword-, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle barrel or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear. It is a close quarter battle combat or last-resort weapon.-History: The origins of the bayonet are...
, dies at the hands of a large garrison of Zulus.
- Peter Vaughan
Peter Vaughan is an English character actor, known for many supporting roles in a variety of British film and television productions...
: Quartermaster Sergeant-Major Bloomfield. An elderly and jovial sergeant, Bloomfield, who claims (somewhat dubiously) to have joined the army during the Napoleonic WarsThe Napoleonic Wars were a series of conflicts declared against Napoleon's French Empire and changing sets of European allies by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionized European armies and played...
some sixty years earlier, is a military administrator responsible for overseeing the invasion force's supply network. Bloomfield takes Boy Pullen, a young soldier, under his wing, but his compassion and concern does not extend to the NNC's black soldiers, who he sees as little more than savage animals. During the battle, Bloomfield refuses to dispense ammunition to troops from other units, contributing to chronic ammunition shortages that oblige British troops to retreat. Bloomfield is injured when his ammunition wagon explodes, and is killed when a Zulu warrior impales him from behind.
- Michael Jayston
Michael Jayston is an English actor.-Early life:He attended the Becket Grammar School in West Bridgford. He worked briefly as a trainee accountant at the offices of the National Coal Board before obtaining a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to train as an actor...
: Colonel Crealock. An officer of the Royal ArtilleryThe Royal Artillery is the common name for the Royal Regiment of Artillery, an arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
and lickspittle to his commander, Colonel Crealock acts as Lord Chelmsford's secretary, constantly expressing his agreement with Chelmsford's decisions. He accompanies Chelmsford's expedition away from Isandhlwana, and is seen idly sketching the landscape while the battle rages a few miles away. When questioned by Newman on the logic of splitting the British army, Russell acidly replies that the Zulus' primitive weaponry does not pose any real threat. When Lieutenant Harford relays news from Isandhlwana with an urgent request for reinforcements, Crealock lectures Harford on military etiquette, and does nothing to facilitate the request. Crealock is last seen with Chelmsford after returning to the devastated camp, bringing news of an ongoing battle at Rorke's DriftThe Battle of Rorke's Drift was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana earlier that morning on 22 January 1879, and continued to the following day, 23 January...
and a Zulu invasion of Natal.
- Ronald Pickup
-Biography:Pickup was born in Chester, England, the son of Daisy and Eric Pickup, who was a lecturer. Pickup was educated at The King's School, Chester, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and became an Associate Member of RADA.His television work began with an episode during...
: Lieutenant Harford. A well-meaning officer of the NNC, Harford distinguishes himself from his colleagues through his concern for his African soldiers, and is appalled at British soldiers' lack of interest in the lives of their black workers, and at Chelmsford's casual attitude to the torture of Zulu captives. On the day of the battle, Harford accompanies Chelmsford's column. During the early stages of the battle, a rider, dispatched by Colonel Pulleine to catch up with Chelmsford's army, brings an urgent request for reinforcements. His message is ignored, and Harford is denied permission to return to Isandhlwana. He is last seen in the evening, weeping as he walks through the countless bodies of young soldiers.
- Ronald Lacey
Ronald Lacey was an English actor.-Career:Lacey attended Harrow Weald Grammar School and after a brief stint of national service and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art he began his acting career in 1961 in a TV play The Secret Agent. His first notable performance was at The Royal Court...
: Norris Newman. A war correspondentA war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
for The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Colonel Arthur B. Sleigh in June 1855 as the Daily Telegraph and Courier...
, Newman accompanies the army into Zululand to report on the war. Newman is deeply critical of Chelmsford, frequently points out his tactical errors, and makes no effort to conceal his contempt for the general. Newman appears to have much more background knowledge on the Zulus than the officers, and frequently expresses sympathy for Zulus who stand little chance against British weaponry. Newman accompanies Chelmsford's expedition and so avoids the battle, and is last seen with Chelmsford, staring at the devastation of the battlefield.
- John Mills
Sir John Mills, CBE was an English actor, who made more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades.-Life and career:...
: Sir Henry Bartle FrereSir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, 1st Baronet, GCB, GCSI, was a British colonial administrator.-Early life:Born in Clydach , home of the manager of Clydach Ironworks in Brecknockshire, he was the son of Edward Frere and a nephew of John Hookham Frere, of Anti-Jacobin and Aristophanes...
. The British High CommissionerHigh Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
for South Africa who provokes the war by issuing King Cetshwayo with an impossible ultimatum. Viewing the Zulus as savage barbarians, Bartle Frere believes that the war will provide "a final solutionThe Final Solution was Nazi Germany's plan and execution of the systematic genocide of European Jews during World War II, resulting in the final, most deadly phase of the Holocaust...
to the Zulu question." Frere is last seen on the night of the British invasion, and does not appear again in the film.
Zulu
- Simon Sabela: King Cetshwayo
Cetshwayo kaMpande was the king of the Zulu nation from 1872 to 1879 and their leader during the Zulu War. His name has also been transliterated as Cetawayo, Cetewayo, Cetywajo and Ketchwayo....
. King of Zululand, Cetshwayo is depicted as a peaceful and effective ruler, eager to avoid war but unwilling to compromise Zululand's security by agreeing to Bartle Frere's ultimatum. Cetshwayo is concerned that mobilising his armies will leave a chronic labour shortage, and is eager to defeat the British army in time for his soldiers to return and gather the harvestIn agriculture, the harvest is the processes of gathering mature crops from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. The harvest marks the end of the growing season, or the growing cycle for a particular crop, and this is the...
. Cetshwayo is last seen in his kraalKraal is an Afrikaans and South African English word for an enclosure for cattle or other livestock, located within an African homestead or village surrounded by a palisade, mud wall, or other fencing, roughly circular in form.In the Dutch language a kraal is a term derived from the Portuguese...
at Ulundi, reluctantly announcing a state of war between Zululand and Cape Colony.
- Ken Gampu
Ken Gampu was a South African actor.Before he began his career, Gampu was a physical training instructor, salesman, interpreter and police officer. His first acting job was in Athol Fugard's play, No Good Friday . His big break came in in the 1965 film Dingaka by Jamie Uys...
: Mantshonga. A Zulu regarded as a traitor by Cetshwayo because of his support for a rival claimant to the Zulu throne, Mantshonga delivered the British ultimatum to Cetshwayo and returned his response.
- Abe Temba: Uhama. A leading general in the Zulu army, Uhama masterminds various schemes to confuse British forces, using scouts to gain intelligence on the British army, and small raiding parties to confuse their scouts on the whereabouts of Zulu impis. Uhama realises he must overwhelm the British while they are exposed and vulnerable; and that an open battle would result in a crushing Zulu defeat. He keeps his impis hidden, allowing the invaders to progress deep into Zululand, waiting for them to commit an error that will give the impis the opportunity to overwhelm the British before they have time to commit their technology to the battle. While chasing a Boer scout, Uhama instructs three of his warriors to allow themselves to be captured by the British, who eventually escape and advise Uhama on British weaknesses. In contrast to the British commanders, Uhama displays immense bravery, and is last seen leading his warriors into the débâcle of the British camp, where he is shot and presumably killed.
- Gilbert Tiabane: Bayele. A young warrior in the Zulu army, Bayele leads several scouting missions to glean intelligence on British forces. Under orders from Uhama, Bayele allows himself to be captured by cavalrymen of the NNC, and with two other warriors, is taken to the camp at Isandhlwana. While lashed to wagon wheels, Bayele and his two comrades are tortured but only reveal false information. Bayele later uses a distraction in the camp to kill the guard, releases his two comrades, and the three escape to rejoin the Zulu army. Bayele takes part in the assault on the camp, and by chance finds himself face-to-face with Colonel Pulleine in the command tent. Pulleine, recognising Bayele as the tortured prisoner, is unable to shoot Bayele, and Bayele seizes the opportunity to kill him.
Historical accuracy
The film generally avoids historical inaccuracies and is fairly true to the events of January 22, 1879. The costumes of the British soldiers are reasonably accurate, and feature the soldiers staining their
pith helmetThe pith helmet is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of cork or pith The pith helmet (also known as the safari helmet, sun helmet, topee, sola topee, salacot or topi) is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of cork or pith The pith helmet (also known as the safari helmet, sun helmet,...
s with
teaTea is the agricultural product of the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the Camellia sinensis plant, prepared and cured by various methods...
to reduce the shimmering glare; a practice popular among British soldiers on tropical service, and unlike the film
ZuluZulu is a historical war film depicting the Battle of Rorke's Drift between the British Army and the Zulus in January 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War.-Background:...
, which inaccurately depicted shining white helmets. The uniforms of the NNC are also accurate replicas, as are the costumes worn by members of the Royal Artillery and irregular cavalry units, such as the Natal Mounted Police. One notable inaccuracy in the film is that the rifles carried by British infantrymen are not
Martini-HenryThe Martini-Henry was a breech-loading lever-actuated rifle adopted by the British, combining an action worked on by Friedrich von Martini , with the rifled barrel designed by Scotsman Alexander Henry. It first entered service in 1871 replacing the Snider-Enfield, and variants were used throughout...
s as at the actual battle, but cavalry
carbineA carbine is a firearm similar to a rifle or musket. Many carbines, especially modern designs, were developed from rifles, being essentially shortened versions of full rifles firing the same ammunition, although often at a lower velocity...
s. Colonel Durnford is shown using a
WebleyThe Webley Revolver was, in various marks, the standard issue service pistol for the armed forces of the United Kingdom, the British Empire, and the Commonwealth from 1887 until 1963.The Webley is a top-break revolver with automatic extraction; breaking the revolver open for reloading also...
Mk VI .455 revolver which was not introduced until 1915 (36 years after the events depicted in the film), so the appearance in the film is an anachronism. However, the British officer of the time was allowed to use any sort of sidearm he wished, as long as it fired .455 ammunition. Officers often privately purchased Webley top-break revolvers (in 1879 not yet officially adopted for service) somewhat similar in appearance to the Mk VI Webley. These
Webley models had been put on the market during the 1870s - such as the Webley-Green army model 1879 or the Webley-Pryse model. So Durnford's Webley model Mk VI was not yet developed when the film was set, but the design is typical of Webley revolvers of the period and can be seen as an example of artistic licence.
Several events portrayed in the film are erroneous. These include:
- Scenes early in the battle which depict British infantrymen clustered into tightly-packed firing lines. Recent research has revealed that British soldiers were very thinly-spread, with a gap of two or three metre
The metre or meter is the basic unit of length in the International System of Units . Historically, the metre was defined by the French Academy of Sciences as the length between two marks on a platinum-iridium bar, which was designed to represent one ten-millionth of the distance from the Equator...
s between each soldier.
- The issue of ammunition shortage is now held to be inaccurate (see Battle of Isandlwana
The Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879 was the opening, major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom...
). According to the testimony of British and Zulu survivors after the war, the pace of fire did not slacken due to ammunition shortages, but due to rifles becoming overheated or jamming, and their firers retreating into the camp.
- The film portrays the artillery units being overwhelmed inside the camp; in reality, the field gun
A field gun is an artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march and when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances...
s were attached to their limberLimber may refer to:*Limbers and caissons , a 2-way cart used to support artilery*Limber Pine, a species of pine tree found in the Western United States and Canada*Limber Perez, a Honduran football player...
s and attempted to escape the camp, and almost reached the Natal border before being caught by Zulu soldiers.
- Lt. Melville is shown commanding a company of the 24th, this is erroneous. Lt. Melville was the Adjutant and as such would not have commanded a company on the firing line.
- The scene depicting Lts. Melvill and Coghill's escape with the Union Flag is inaccurate. In the film, Lt. Melvill carries the Union Flag unfurled, whereas in reality the Union Flag of the 24th Regiment was furled up inside its leather case. Also it is unlikely that Melvill and Coghill rode together from the battlefield, instead they only met at the river itself. In addition, the scene in which Lt. Vereker shoots dead a Zulu warrior in order to save the flag from Zulu capture is entirely fictional; in reality, Melvill was too exhausted to hold onto the heavy flag while trying to swim the river, and it slipped from his grip. It was later recovered, so probably was never touched by a Zulu.
- The film does not portray the solar eclipse
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth so that the Sun is fully or partially covered. This can only happen during a new moon, when the Sun and Moon are in conjunction as seen from the Earth. At least two and up to five solar eclipses can occur each year on Earth,...
which occurred at 2:37 PM, near the end of the battle, interpreted by the Zulus as an omenAn omen is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change. Omens may be considered "good" or "bad", but the term is more often used in a foreboding sense, as with the word "ominous".-In ancient Rome:Ancient Roman religion employed two distinct types of...
of their impending victory.
- During the battle, a large group of British and African soldiers led by Captain Younghusband rallied near the foot of the mountain, succeeding in holding off Zulu attacks for some time. When the soldiers finally ran out of ammunition Captain Younghusband went down the line and shook the hand of every man. They then executed a bayonet
A bayonet is a knife-, dagger-, sword-, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle barrel or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear. It is a close quarter battle combat or last-resort weapon.-History: The origins of the bayonet are...
charge against Zulu warriors, led by a group of infantry officers wielding their swords. Zulu accounts state that the Zulus respected these soldiers' bravery, and having killed them, accorded them ceremonial honours usually reserved for fallen Zulu warriors. This event is not portrayed in the film.
- The film does not depict an event which occurred in the evening, when a large Zulu impi heading in the direction of Rorke's Drift passed within shooting range of Chelmsford's force returning to Isandhlwana. The two forces, wary of each other, shadowed one another for some time without making any attacks, and finally broke off after around an hour.
- The rank and file soldiers' uniforms were made of a very poor quality thin cloth (presumably because of the weather) which was far too bright a red. The helmets were obviously moulded plastic with the tan effect flaking off in places.
- During the shot when the camera looks down the firing line, on the line "Front rank, present...FIRE!", as British soldiers bring carbines to shoulders to unleash the first volley at the Zulus, it is clear that one of the soldiers is wearing a wristwatch, or bracelet, which soldiers would not have been wearing in the Victorian period.
- The real Lt. William Vereker was an officer in Zikalhi's Horse at Isandhlwana. However he was in no way connected to the escape of Melvill and Coghill. The third officer with Melvill and Coghill was in fact a man named Higginson who escaped the battle, apparently deserting his brother officers. In reality Vereker's act of bravery on the battlefield was to surrender his horse to a native trooper in the knowledge that he had no chance of escape on foot, an act attributed to Colonel Durnford in the film.
- The trailer at the end of the film shows an out-of-context quotation from the British statesman, Disraeli, which would lead the uninformed viewer to believe that the Zulus overthrew the British Empire. The quote actually refers to the slaughter of the last lineal male descendant of Napoleon I in this same war, who was killed on an ill-conceived scouting mission unrelated to the Battle of Isandhlwana.
Reception
Despite having a large budget and being designed to complement the hugely successful film
ZuluZulu is a historical war film depicting the Battle of Rorke's Drift between the British Army and the Zulus in January 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War.-Background:...
, the film was not well received and did not fare particularly well at the box office. Although the film is weighted more towards the British in terms of screen time, its sympathies lie with the Zulus and an anti-imperial polemic, which may have confused audiences as to who the film's heroes were. Other films about military defeats, such as
Tora! Tora! Tora!Tora! Tora! Tora! is a 1970 American-Japanese film that dramatizes the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, to the extent these facts were known at the time of production....
and
A Bridge Too Far, have also tended to be unsuccessful at the box office. However, it seems to have a
cult followingA cult following is used to refer to a small or large group of fans that are either somewhat or highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture.-Cult media:...
since an excerpt of the film's score by Elmer Bernstein will appear in
Quentin TarantinoQuentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s he was an independent filmmaker whose films used nonlinear storylines and aestheticization of violence...
's
Inglourious Basterds.