Zulu Dawn ** (1979, Peter O’Toole, Burt Lancaster, John Mills, Simon Ward, Denholm Elliott, Michael Jayston, Ronald Pickup, Bob Hoskins, Ronald Lacey, Freddie Jones) – Classic Movie Review 8697

A fine cast is generally reliable if not particularly well used in director Douglas Hickox’s 1979 Zulu Dawn, a prequel to the 1964 Zulu, which focuses on the stubborn British commanders who lead their troops into a hideous defeat at The Battle of Isandlwana (or Isandhlwana) on 22 January 1879.

It was the first major battle in the Anglo–Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. The Zulus overcame the British, killing more than 1,300 troops, including all on the forward firing line. The Zulu army, equipped mainly with assegai iron spears and cow-hide shields, suffered up to 2,500 losses.

Zulu Dawn is a good-looking movie and the battle scenes have the whiff of reality, but it is too long and lacks narrative drive.

It does have the attraction of a distinguished cast on its plus side. Burt Lancaster, Denholm Elliott, Peter O’Toole, John Mills, Simon Ward, Nigel Davenport, Michael Jayston, Freddie Jones, Ronald Lacey, Christopher Cazenove, Ronald Pickup, Anna Calder-Marshall, Bob Hoskins, Peter Vaughan, James Faulkner  and Nicholas Clay. Also in the cast are Simon Sabela as King Cetshwayo. King of Zululand, Ken Gampu as Mantshonga, Abe Temba as  leading general Uhama and Gilbert Tiabane as Bayele, the son of King Cetshwayo, as well as David Bradley, Paul Copley, Donald Pickering, Phil Daniels, Ian Yule, Peter J. Elliott, Brian O’Shaughnessy and Vivienne Drummond.

The original story writer and main scriptwriter is Zulu’s director, Endfield, who was originally set to direct this one too. It is based on his book. Anthony Storey co-writes the screenplay. The score is composed by Elmer Bernstein.

It runs 117 minutes but the US version is only 98 minutes.

John Hurt was cast in a lead role but was refused entry to South Africa, perhaps because South African Intelligence confused him with another actor, John Hurd.

There was a row when it was discovered the Zulu extras were being paid $2.70 a day but the dog was being paid $4.50 a day.

The Lamitas Property Investment Corporation raised about £5 million for the film. More than 100 creditors in South Africa claimed they were owed money.

Zulu depicts the Battle of Rorke’s Drift, which took place later the same day.

Freddie Jones (1927–2019).

RIP Freddie Jones (1927–2019), who plays Bishop Colenso.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8697

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