Zulu (1964)

Director:

Cy Endfield

Writers:

John Prebble (screenplay) and
Cy Endfield (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 June 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Dwarfing The Mightiest! Towering Over The Greatest!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Zulu | Battle | Warrior | British Army | Soldier

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Stanley Baker	...	Lieutenant John Chard R.E.
Jack Hawkins	...	Otto Witt
Ulla Jacobsson	...	Margareta Witt
James Booth	...	Private Henry Hook
Michael Caine	...	Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead
Nigel Green	...	Colour-Sergeant Bourne
Ivor Emmanuel	...	Private Owen
Paul Daneman	...	Sergeant Maxfield
Glynn Edwards	...	Corporal Allen
Neil McCarthy	...	Private Thomas
David Kernan	...	Private Hitch
Gary Bond	...	Private Cole
Peter Gill	...	Private 612 Williams
Tom Gerrard	...	Lance / Corporal
Patrick Magee	...	Surgeon Reynolds
Richard Davies	...	Private 593 Jones
Denys Graham	...	Private 716 Jones
Dafydd Havard	...	Gunner Howarth
Dickie Owen	...	Corporal Schiess
Larry Taylor	...	Hughes
Joe Powell	...	Sergeant Windridge
John Sullivan	...	Stephenson
Harvey Hall	...	Sick Man
Gert Van den Bergh	...	Adendorff
Dennis Folbigge	...	Commissary Dalton
Kerry Jordan	...	Company Cook
Ronald Hill	...	Bugler
Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi	...	Cetewayo (as Chief Buthelezi)
Daniel Tshabalala	...	Jacob
Ephraim Mbhele	...	Red Garters
Simon Sabela	...	Dance Leader
Richard Burton	...	Narrator (voice)

Directed by
Cy Endfield

Writing credits
John Prebble		(screenplay) and
Cy Endfield		(screenplay)
John Prebble		(suggested by an article written by)

Produced by
Stanley Baker	....	producer
Cy Endfield	....	producer
Basil Keys	....	associate producer
Joseph E. Levine	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Stephen Dade		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Jympson

Art Direction by
Ernest Archer

Makeup Department
Charles E. Parker	....	makeup designer (as Charles Parker)

Production Management
John D. Merriman	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bert Batt	....	assistant director
Robert Porter	....	second unit director (as Bob Porter)

Art Department
Dick Frift	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Rusty Coppleman	....	sound editor
Claude Hitchcock	....	sound recordist
J.B. Smith	....	sound recordist

Stunts
John Sullivan	....	stunt director
Joe Powell	....	stunt arranger (uncredited)
Joe Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Sullivan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Taylor	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robin Webb	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dudley Lovell	....	camera operator
Brian Ellis	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Arthur Newman	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Jennifer Thompson	....	assistant editor
Alan Strachan	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Bobby Graham	....	musician: drums (uncredited)
Sidney Margo	....	music contractor (uncredited)

Other crew
Ian Fawn-Meade	....	assistant to producers
Joseph E. Levine	....	presenter
Douglas Rankin	....	production consultant
Muirne Van Wyk	....	continuity (as Muirne Mathieson)
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Anne Nickson	....	on-set nurse (uncredited)

Thanks
Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi	....	thanks (as Chief Buthelezi of Mahlabatini)
Cyprian Paramount Chief of the Zulus	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Diamond Films

Distributors

• Paramount British Pictures (1964) (UK) (theatrical)
• Embassy Pictures Corporation (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pioneer (1997) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Diamond Entertainment Group (DEG) (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Platinum Disc (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Front Row Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• GoodTimes Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Troma Team Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Allied Artists Classic Library (198?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1969) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Belle & Blade Studios (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (199?) (Australia) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Criterion Collection, The (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Roan Group, The (????) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Officers and Men of 'A' Company of the 5th South African Infantry Battalion, The  the producers of this film are grateful to
• Natal Parks Game and Fish Preservation Board  the producers of this film are grateful to
• National Screen Service  titles

Also Known As:

The Battle of Rorke's Drift (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

138 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Zulu

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | New Zealand:PG | Australia:M (alternate rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Finland:K-8 | Singapore:PG (DVD rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1989) | UK:U (original rating) | USA:Unrated | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Drakensburg Mountains, South Africa

Company:

Diamond Films

Trivia:

Stanley Baker owned John Chard's Victoria Cross (and other medals) from 1972 until his death in 1976. Originally thought to be what is known as a "cast copy", the Victoria Cross was later proven, after a series of tests, to be the original. Unfortunately, Baker died never knowing he had the real VC.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the opening dance sequence, a messenger approaches where the Chief and Witt sit. Shadows extend from from the Chief and Witt toward the messenger. When the messenger actually gets to the Chief, no shadows are present. Also, in these same cuts, the area where Chief and Witt sit seems to shift from ground level to raised.

Quotes:

Bromhead: You mean your only plan is to stand behind a few feet of mealie bags and wait for the attack?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Chained Girls (1965)

Simply an Incredible Film

When one sees this film you know great pains were taken in the making of this masterpiece -- of all of the films that I have seen I found this one to be one of the classics that sets a standard for film. Great effort was put into the historical tale-telling. From political and social commentary to great action sequences Zulu is one of the more complete films that you will ever see, having something for everyone.

I enjoyed the human aspect of different men, coming together under duress to fight bravely in the face of overwhelming odds; it shows normal men coming together and accomplishing something great in the face of opposition and all the human story that goes along with it. A must-see for anyone who enjoys action & war films.