Zulu ***** (1964, Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Michael Caine, James Booth, Nigel Green, Ulla Jacobsson) – Classic Movie Review 2,373

Cy Endfield’s thrillingly staged 1964 real-life historical action adventure movie Zulu is a much-loved, bona fide British classic of the era. Michael Caine is cast against type as an offhand aristocratic officer in the film that launched him as a star.

Director Cy Endfield’s thrilling, excitingly staged 1964 real-life historical action adventure movie Zulu is a much-loved, bona fide British classic of the era. As co-producer, co-screen-writer and cinematographer as well as director, this is very much Cy Endfield’s lovingly created tour de force and his finest hour in the movies.

Endfield’s and John Prebble’s screenplay is based on his article that tells the now famous patriotic story of a small handful of plucky Brits defending their African mission against vast numbers of mighty of Zulu warriors at Rorke’s Drift in 1879.

Saluting bravery but resisting flag-waving clichés, screenwriter Prebble and director Endfield create an intelligent personal drama in the first half of the movie and devotes the entire second half to a heart-stopping battle staged on a grand scale.

As so often, the impressive massed ranks of British Equity are thankfully up to the occasion. Performances of an admirably high standard come from co-producer Stanley Baker (Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers), Jack Hawkins (the Reverend Otto Witt), James Booth (Private Henry Hook), Nigel Green (Colour Sergeant Frank Bourne), singer Ivor Emmanuel (Private Owen) and (in the film that launched him) Michael Caine cast against type as an offhand aristocratic officer, Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead.

Richard Burton narrates the story in which the two very different lieutenants, Chard and Bromhead, find their 140-man contingent in Natal is isolated by the destruction of the main British Army column. The two clash over how to prepare for the attack of around 4,000 Zulu warriors expected within hours. With nearly a third of the men in the infirmary, the Welsh company battle to survive.

Also in the cast are Ulla Jacobsson (as Margareta Witt), 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, Patrick Magee, Richard Davies, Denys Graham, Dafydd Hacard, Dickie Owen, Larry Taylor, Joe Powell, John Sullivan, Harvey Hall, Gert Van de Bergh, Dennis Folbigge, Kerry Jordan and Ronald Hill.

There is also a fine score by John Barry to note, as well as Stephen Dade’s cinematography and Ernest Archer’s production designs.

A sequel, Zulu Dawn, directed by Douglas Hickox, followed belatedly in 1979 with Burt Lancaster, Denholm Elliott, Peter O’Toole, John Mills, Simon Ward, Nigel Davenport and Michael Jayston. Endfield co-wrote the screenplay, though he was originally set to direct that one too.

Glynn Edwards (1931–2018).

Loveable character actor Glynn Edwards died on 23 May 2018, aged 87. He was best known as Dave ‘the barman’ Harris, the owner of the Winchester Club in TV’s Minder (1979-1994). He played breakdown truck crewman in A Prize of Arms, the police station sergeant in The Ipcress File, Squad Chief in Robbery, Sergeant Allan in The Blood Beast Terror, Albert Swift in Get Carter (19721), Hare in Burke & Hare (1972), and Mr Cherry Owen in Under Milk Wood (1972) and lodger Cooper in Rising Damp (1980).

David Kernan died on 26 December 2023, aged 85. Boxing Day. His X account revealed: ‘It is with the heaviest of hearts to announce that dear David has passed away peacefully. In this time of such sadness, we shall think of the wonderful man he was, and the truly fantastic career that he had on stage, and on screen. God Bless.’

He appeared in a number of films, including Zulu, Carry on Abroad and Up the Chastity Belt. On TV he had notable guest roles in two episodes of The Avengers, and appeared in Up Pompeii.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2,373

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com