Zulu (1964) is a war movie that is
surprisingly good in spite of its subject matter. Based on the true story of
150 British soldiers who had to hold off a force of 4000 Zulu warriors, it
sometimes feels like a Monty Python sketch given how many of the soldiers keep
their upper lip so stiff you would think they just graduated from gentlemen’s
school. However, this is also an old-school epic shot on a grand scale with
thousands of extras, it has great performances, and a surprising amount of
nuance. Equally noteworthy, this is the first major role of Sir Michael Caine,
demonstrating in almost every frame he has the makings of a movie star.
With a 139-minute running time, this is yet another
perfect movie for anyone confined to their home and with limited outdoor
activities available. If you are also limited on your budget, it is streaming for
free on Tubi minus a few 30-second commercial breaks. Plus, if you are tired of
staring at the same walls of your apartment and winter weather is getting to
you, most of the movie is set during the daytime in the gorgeous plains of
South Africa. If cinemas are closed in your area, this is a great escapism
option.
Directed by Cy Enfield, Zulu is set in 1879
after British forces were overwhelmed by native Zulu warriors. This is not
their story, but the story of a small contingent that is using a missionary station
as a hospital and supply depot. These are not the best of the best of the British
army. Many are inexperienced, some are cynical about being in Africa in the
first place, and some are sick in the hospital. Their leader Lieutenant John Chard
(Stanley Baker, who at times reminded me of a young John Cleese) is an army engineer
who is only in the area to build a bridge. Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead (Michael
Caine) on the other hand has the army in his blood given that members of his
family tree have fought at Trafalgar and even in Quebec with Wolf. However, Chard
has a few months seniority over Bromhead so the engineer is in charge of defending
the station against an army that has 3850 more soldiers.
Setting aside for a minute the problematic setting of
colonialism and the fact the British had no business being in Africa in the
first place, this is quite the war story. This is an outnumbered group trying to
defend a small location against a large army with limited resources. The
concept is so ripe for drama and action set pieces that decades later it
influenced Peter Jackson’s The Two Towers for the Battle of Helm’s Deep.
Frank Miller’s 300, which as the title says depicts 300 Spartan soldiers
facing off against an immense Persian army, also owes quite a lot to Zulu.
Everyone loves to root for the underdog, so most audience
would feel inclined to feel sympathy for the British despite the fact the Zulus
are not wrong to want them out of their native land. What surprised me is the
amount of respect the filmmakers showed in their portrayal of the Zulus. Before
the fighting begins some of the British refer to them simply as savages, but others
point out these are strong and smart warriors that should not be underestimated.
Their leader King Cetshwayo (Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a real-life tribal
leader and politician) is a tactical adversary who begins the battle by testing
the British defences with a small number of warriors instead of sending
everything he has all at once. This is also a merciful man, since when two
civilians leave the station the Zulu warriors are told to stand down because
they pose no threat.
One thing that disappointed me is the violence, or rather
the lack of the effect of violence. During this battle that runs for almost an
entire day, a night and early morning, soldiers are shot, stabbed, and
skewered. You would think blood would cover the ground and limbs would be
flying in the air, but instead there are barely any bullet holes in the bodies
and when people get stabbed the actors look like they just fall to the ground
for a nap. I know it would take decades for war violence to be more accurately
portrayed in movies like Saving Private Ryan, but the sterility of the
battle scenes often reminded me this is just a movie with extras pretending to
be wounded.
In this respect Zulu is clearly dated and I don’t expect anyone nowadays is itching to make a movie glorifying British soldiers at the height of colonialism. However, you have to give the film credit for its ambition in shooting such a large-scale battle and for portraying the Zulus as worthy opponents. This is also a must-see for any Michael Caine fan, who begins as cocky and confident but is eventually sickened and exhausted by his experience. A great beginning to a great career.
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