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Zulu by Cy Endfield
Zulu, the 1964 film directed by Cy Endfield, is an action-based fictional account of a battle between British soldiers and Zulu warriors in South Africa in the late 1890s. The British soldiers, enormously outnumbered by over 4000 Zulu warriors, are stationed at Rourke’s Drift. Company B was arrived because the Zulus were defying the British Governor of South Africa. Lieutenants Bromhead (Michael Caine) and Chard (Stanley Baker) lead the soldiers into battle. Endfield portrayed the event in a realistic manner; however, I feel that he did not accurately portray the Zulu side of the story. The film does not demonstrate the invasion of British forces into the African colonies. This imperialistic nation appears and destroys the way of life for the Zulu natives. This historical war movie shows the British forces overcoming the odds and defeating the Zulus.
The movie begins with a tribal routine dance and chant by the Zulus. Reverend (Jack Hawkins) and Margareta Witt (Ulla Jacobsson) are watching. Another onlooker tells them that the Zulus plan to attack the British because of a previous battle in which Zulus were killed. The Reverend and Margareta set off to inform the British Company B. They arrive at Rourke’s Drift to learn that Bromhead and Chard have already been informed and are starting preparations. Margareta wants to evacuate the sick and wounded, but her efforts are futile. Reverend Witt encourages the soldiers to turn to prayer in times like this – his encouragement gets him locked in a shed for a good while. The British soldiers of Company B intended to see this battle through, despite the obvious lack of manpower.
Initially, Lieutenant Bromhead and Lieutenant Chard argue over who is higher
and should command the soldiers. Chard is an engineer sent there to construct a bridge. Bromhead has closer contact with the men. Once an informant arrives to say that the Zulus are closing in, he also says that Chard is Bromhead’s senior and will be in command. Chard instructs the soldiers to prevail in the face of danger. Company B may have been outnumbered, but they possessed advanced weaponry that the Zulus did not. A few members of the tribe had guns, which were taken from fallen soldiers of a previous battle, but that was not enough. Many Zulu tribe members died before reaching the British soldiers, but others infiltrated the makeshift hospital, which caught fire. There were casualties on the British side, from knife wounds and spears, but they proved to be victorious in the end.
Imperialism, defined by Duiker in Twentieth Century World History, is “the efforts of capitalist states in the West to seize markets, cheap raw materials, and lucrative sources for the investment of capital in the countries beyond Western civilization.” In the movie the battle, which lasts throughout the night, demonstrates more than just the British determination and courage. This fight illustrates that the Zulus were not going to merely give up their [next page]