Californian Reacts | "Zulu" 1964 Movie - Final Battle Including "Men of Harlech" Song

[@californianreacts]

Two things, quite embarrassing, 😅 1) I had no idea Michael Caine was in Zulu. 2) According to Wikipedia, "The Zulus did not sing a song saluting fellow warriors, and departed at the approach of the British relief column. This inaccuracy has been praised for showing the Zulus in a positive light and for treating them and the British as equals, but it has also been criticized as undermining any anti-imperial message of the film." Is this true?

[@Shoomer1988]

I read a book a bout the Anglo-Zulu War a long time ago, sadly I forget the title. But the book did say much in the film was inaccurate or at least exaggerated. Still a great film though.

[@californianreacts]

@@Shoomer1988 Never knew there was a prequal to Zulu, I'll have to check it out! Absolutely interested in this time of history. Thank you for bringing this up, Shoomer :)

[@ken-u3n]

It's a movie, nothing more. It's designed to entertain people in cinemas, and, like all war movies, there is a certain amount of historical licence in it. It should be enjoyed for what it is - an entertaining movie, not a documentary.

[@johnwilletts3984]

The main Zulu army had just killed 1000 Brits. Those that attacked the Drift had missed the battle and so were keen to fight. Zulu’s having killed an enemy were allowed to marry and enjoyed a lot of status. However the Drift was on the British side of the boarder and the Zulu King had given orders that they should not cross. So those attacking the Drift were disobeying orders. Once they released that they could not defeat the soldiers manning the Drift, they left. When I was there in the 1980s there was a small British cemetery and two mass graves of Zulus. The whole site was dedicated to the brave Zulus who fell that day. After the Zulu army had been defeated later in the War, Britain took over their lands and the Zulu King visited Britain and Tea with Queen Victoria. Many fought for Britain in later wars.

[@paulh2486]

There was no message intended at the time. The movie is entirely meant an entertaining war movie that showed a very interesting battle (that the British won). Any anti-imperialistic messages are entirely those of any modern observer. It should be noted that the Zulus were themselves a militaristic and imperialistic people, but they met someone better at that game. Its hard to quantify but in the British 'ethos' the Zulus are remembered as a powerful and brave warrior people, I'd suggest that any added innacuracies in this movie are mainly in there to emphasise this point

[@tatankha1]

Could not be prouder of my great grandfathers brother who fought and died and is buried at Rorke's drift. Pvt J Scanlan rest easy.

[@racheldicker5611]

Wow, that's something to be proud of

[@jonathanbacon916]

God bless him. A hero!

[@vascocourtney]

My great grandfather's brother was there also but fortunately came home. Pvt George Davies 25B/470, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Regt (2nd Warwickshire)

[@tobytaylor2154]

My great grandfather was serving in India and Afghanistan at this time.

[@hexoslaya3696]

You must be much older than me. My great grandfather was a runner in world war 1 and a commando in world war 2

[@kimarnill7648]

I’m a proud Welsh woman and Brit and I absolutely love this movie.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇬🇧

[@samuel10125]

in this movie the regiment is called the South Wales Borderers, but the unit was not in fact called that until two years after the battle, although the regiment had been based at Brecon in South Wales since 1873). While most of the men of the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot (1/24) were recruited from the industrial towns and agricultural classes of England, principally from Birmingham and adjacent southwest counties, only 10 soldiers of the 1/24 that fought in the battle were Welsh. Many of the soldiers of the junior battalion, the 2/24, were Welshmen.

[@davebrown9707]

Makes me so proud of wales from and British Englishman.

[@davebrown9707]

@@samuel10125 so?

[@julianrichards6125]

My father, who was from Newport, Monmouthshire, was in the Territorial South Wales Borderers before the outbreak of WW2. He joined up (actually in armoured reconnaissance) as a teenager as soon as war was declared. As a result he had (and I have) a close interest in what was the South Wales Borderers. He took me to see Zulu when it first came out... and Ihave loved it ever since.

[@davebrown9707]

@@paultaylor9498 wrong comment. It was a border regiment made up of both English and Welsh soldiers

[@macnadoodle]

Two things you might not know: This was Michael Caine's first major movie, and he had only returned a few years earlier from active service against the Chinese in Korea having had a vicious encounter with a scouting party one night. He played Lt Bromhead. Stanley Baker, the other senior officer, Lt Chard (in point of fact on the day was an engineer, and only assumed overall command due to seniority), was playing the smaller part of the bad guy Naval Lieutenant in the Cruel Sea, the biggest hit of 1956. The Lead role in that film - Captain Ericsson - was played by Jack Hawkins, who by now was suffering from throat cancer, and carried that far smaller role as the terrified pastor in this film.

[@decam5329]

"Why us?" "Because we're here lad, and there's nobody else."

[@chrismatthew8812]

One of the greatest war films ever made. This is just an epic film that could never be remade. The story (despite any historical changes) is just fantastic, the action scenes are first class, and all of the acting - including Michael Caine in his first major film - is great. I watch this at least once per year.

[@petrinadendy6395]

Bit of back story. The Zulus agreed to take part in this film only after Stanley Baker met with them and assured them they would be portrayed with respect.

[@rachelhenderson2688]

That's what makes it such a great film! Their respect for each other as warriors.

[@Brian-om2hh]

That is absolutely correct. This movie could not have been made without the co-operation of the Zulus themselves......

[@robertknight2556]

Baker, an actor, sat down with 'the Zulus' (one, a dozen, an impi?) to assure them? The whole of the film depended on his assurance? Excuse me, but where do you get this horseshit?

[@nj1647]

Because Stanley Baker was the producer of the film Zulu, so it was his job and a brilliant job he made of it too.

[@kevingray3550]

@@rachelhenderson2688 Well not quite. The Zulu warriors horribly mutilated many of the bodies of the British dead at Islawanda and a few of the troops who were isolated during the fighting at Rorkes Drift. In their turn the British bayoneted to death all of the Zulu wounded who were left on the battlefield at Rorkes Drift. These wars were very brutal and bloody

[@johnadams-wp2yb]

11 VC's awarded after this battle. The highest award for bravery. And the most VC's awarded for a single action.

[@derianjones1730]

I served with The 1st BN Royal Regiment of Wales for 10 years, which is an amalgamation of the South Wales Borderers depicted here. We as a Regiment watched this movie every year on Rorkes Drift Day.

[@clintskinner1508]

Actually the 24th Foot didn't become the South Wales Borderers till 2 years later.

[@desthomas8747]

Sorry it was not a Welsh Regiment and they did not sing that song.

[@johnchristmas7522]

A friend of mine, now deceased was the sound editor on this film (Rusty Coppleman) and he said they tried hard to make as accurate as possible. The Zulu's were the cream of African fighters, commanded respect from other tribes without ever fighting. This sound on this film is brilliant (yes he was my friend) compared to todays wham bang-a joy to LISTEN to. Dont forget that 11 VC's were awarded for this fight at Rorke's Rift- it just shows the calibre and bravery of these British Soldiers.

[@nigelp4328]

I first saw this film at the cinema as a child and almost 60 years later it's still a favourite. Even more impressive because it is based on a true story. Great reaction, thanks👍

[@dentray]

Me too! not sure they would allow small kids to watch this type of film these days! I was only 4 lol and it scared the SHT out of me the screen was so big and sound huge!

[@The.Android]

I've only seen this film a few hundred times. Epic battle. Epic film. Epic music score by John Barry. Pre-emptive like, obviously.

[@californianreacts]

Fantastic film! I'll have to watch it in full again. I've only seen it once (in full) myself many years back when I was younger and it left an impression on me to this day.

[@Invictus357]

ZULU was used as a number of training films for recruits in the Australian army many years ago. I was such a recruit in 1978. It was teaching us discipline, and training “win” battles. A well aimed shot from the shoulder win’s battles.

[@octaviussludberry9016]

Against opposition with no guns? The Aussie army were showing fictitious accounts of a skirmish from 99 years ago, to train their soldiers? PMSL Though it obviously worked on your Ashes teams. 🤨

[@briancarr34]

Same for me in '77. It was used for discipline as well as leadership.

[@Frediiiie3]

I saw it when I was drafted in 1969. Keswick barracks Adelaide.

[@59jalex]

​@@octaviussludberry9016 Not true. The Zulus took many rifles and ammunition from the dead at Isandlwana and used them at Rorke's Drift. I'm not sure why you have this chip on your shoulder about the Aussies? I'm a Brit, and my mates who worked with the Aussie forces speak highly of them.

[@jacktattis]

@@octaviussludberry9016 Nothing fictitious about it BUM

[@nicksykes4575]

Interesting fact, Colour Sergent Frank Bourne, depicted here as a grizzled old soldier, by Nigel Green, was actually one of the youngest men there. He was the last British survivor, and passed away on the day Nazi Germany surrendered, May 8th 1945. Also, this wasn't the Zulus land, they'd taken it from another tribe, so really, they had no more claim to it than Britain did.

[@greygreen5610]

he passed away on the 9th of may the day after, he was 24 at the time and only 5' 3" he ended up rising up through the ranks to a lieutenant colonel. here is a link to him. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoC0e35rnbqib7c

[@pemonline3395]

We don't know if the Zulu owned it in past times, but we do know that the British didn't.

[@stevetheduck1425]

@@pemonline3395 We didn't then, and didn't claim it after Ulundi, and we still don't. This was all South Africa (then the Cape Colony, IIRC).

[@europa8292]

@@pemonline3395 the Zulu tribe isn’t from that area of South Africa, neither side had any claim to the land there

[@Matthew-qc1xz]

How you gonna say Africans had no claim to African land or even that the British had equal claim. Its sad honestly and to think how mad people got when Africans didn't show reverence for your late Queen! Your mentality is still the same!

[@noismill]

One of the greatest movies we’ve seen. Thank you for this.

[@scotthooton7478]

the filming of the high veldt is simply stunning - the defensive holding of Roark's Drift was heroic, obviously following the British defeat at the battle of Isandlwana (which makes the battle of the Little Big Horne look like a spat at kids garden party)

[@Rabmac1UK]

The filming of the High Veldt is indeed impressive, however the Massive Semicircular indentation in the mountains is actually called 'The Amphitheatre' which was chosen for Cinematic reasons. It is nowhere even Close to where Rorke's Drift actually is situated, but is a part of the Northern Drakensberg Mountains

[@alistairclifton1286]

Rorke's Drift is nowhere the highveld.

[@scotthooton7478]

@@alistairclifton1286 that's entirely correct, correspondingly the film "Zulu" was shot nowhere near Rorke's Drift

[@thedisabledwelshman9266]

one of the best war movies ever made in my opinion.

[@californianreacts]

A wonderful movie indeed! Left a long living impression on me as a kid. Love it.

[@tonygriffin_]

If you ever visit Brecon in Wales, have a pint in The Blue Boar pub, where there are many mementoes of Rorke's Drift - shields, assegai spears and some of the medals won that day (there were 11 Victoria Crosses won, the most given for one battle ever!)

[@californianreacts]

If I searched up the correct place, looks very warm and cozy with great food and drinks as well! Burgundy-ish interior?

[@joncullen5382]

Oh I've visited Brecon many times over (that cattle grid ) but never the pubs 😉

[@desthomas8747]

It was not a Welsh Regiment and they did not sing that song.

[@tonygriffin_]

@@desthomas8747 I never said it was or that they sang anything. Why are you telling me? Probably making a comment to the reactor will be better if it's him you want to tell this to.

[@windsorSJ]

Zulu is definitely in my top 5 greatest movies of all. I can't remember how many times I've seen it. My dad took me to see it at the local fleapit when it was released, it's stuck with me ever since. It made a big impression on me.

[@SIRDKA]

Same here 👍

[@johnwilletts3984]

Although British, between 1981 and 1984 I lived and worked in the nearby town of Newcastle Natal. Zulu friends loved to recreate this battle. Just like in the movie they would sing, then stamp their feet. A shout of ‘Zulu’ would ripple down the line and then they would charge holding broom handles. We the white men would stand in ranks. The object of the game was to face the charge without taking a step back - None of us able to do it. The movie does have a few differences with actual history. Perhaps the most notable is that the Brits were mostly English with only a handful of Welsh. The regiment did not become the South Wales Boarders until after the battle.

[@slim56100]

Newcastle natal? Wow Geordie Zulus.

[@tobytaylor2154]

Even though I'm a born and bred cockney and have no influence of taffery in me, this still makes my hair on the back of my neck stand up. Meanwhile, the conversation between chard and bromhead regarding who was in command was already had before that day, colour sergeant Bourne was early 20s not middle aged like in the film (the bbc interviewed him and there is an audio copy). Private hook was not a rogue and a villain, so much so his relatives walked out of the Premier in disgust, he held that hospital for approximately 3hrs whilst they evacuated the wounded, even when the zulus were grabbing at the barrel of his rifle he stood his ground.

[@gooner_duke2756]

This film has created a bit of a myth when it comes to the 'welsh' part. At the time it was the 24th foot/2nd Warwickshire's. The majority of who fought at Rourke's drift were actually Englishmen, including many Londoners !

[@johnadams-wp2yb]

Us Cock n Knees always get depicted like that.

[@tobytaylor2154]

@@johnadams-wp2yb well it does mean untrustworthy lol

[@johnadams-wp2yb]

@@tobytaylor2154 Cheeky sod.

[@welshpete12]

@@gooner_duke2756 no. that is not correct !

[@paulinejackson8105]

A truly fantastic movie, one i never get tired of no matter how often i watch it .

[@johnfernleigh1352]

Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded for the defence at Rorke's Drift. The VC is the highest award for bravery in the UK, probably in the world. Extraordinary.

[@tooyoungtobeold8756]

Some believe politics played a part in all these VC's, to downplay the disaster at Isandlwana.

[@zedeyejoe]

And British generals felt that the troops were trapped, with no way to get out. So they did not display extraordinary courage.

[@samphillips2360]

I love Richard Burtons narration at films end naming all the recipients of the Victoria Cross

[@markfrance2778]

The vcs were to cover up the previous defeat

[@paulgumbley4868]

That maybe, but show some respect ffs, the were brave men. 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@JumboSeventyNine]

Stanley Baker who played Lt Chard bought his campaign medals and a replica of his VC at auction in the 1970s. In 1996, 20 years after Bakers death it was discovered the replica was actually the real VC once thought lost.

[@stumccabe]

Over 40 years ago I watched a Zulu war dance in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. They were all massive muscled guys dressed exactly as in this film. Their singing/chanting was magnificently menacing and part of the dance involved stomping on the hard dry soil - I swear you could not only hear it, but feel it. They beat their cow hide shields with their assegai. The whole dance was the most intimidating display I've ever seen - and they were doing it for entertainment - the real thing must have been terrifying.

[@ixopo6715]

We went on holiday to KwaZulu-Natal many times from our home in East London. Intimidation is part of war, but I just cannot imagine the fear of the British when they first saw and heard these fine, tall and athletic warriors and in such vast numbers. I believe the scene when they were acknowledging us (I am English, but grew up in SA) as equally brave, was for pure dramatic effect, although 11 VC’s were won at Rorke’s Drift.

[@jacktattis]

It is like the Haka when the Kiwis do it aggressively

[@flash_b_3602]

One of my favourite films. I watch it every year. An amazing account of bravery. Those VC’s were earned. A fantastic film with an epic cast. Richard Burtons narration adds even more class.

[@jeffgraham6387]

They weren't muskets, they were Martini Henry rifles, single shot cartridges. To this day this engagement is still the highest number of VC's awarded, and we don't exactly hand out VC's lightly. Unfortunately a few hours earlier the main column of British troops were wiped out at Isendhwana, one of our greatest defeats caused mainly by the incompetence of Lord Chelmsford who later by using contacts at Horse Guards managed to avoid the scandal...he had sympathy from Queen Victoria which helped, but it was the beginning of stopping bought commisions based on 'birth' rather than competence.

[@assa92004]

You beat me to it.. :)

[@bobthebomb1596]

I remember attending the Lewis bonfire celebrations a few years back when a troop of Zulu dancers joined the Borough society march (Borough have a section that dresses in Zulu costume while others wear colonial uniform). Borough had just finished their Cenotaph ceremony when the Zulus arrived at the top of the hill and one of the "Colonials" and the Zulu troop leader greeted each other with a hug. Brought tears to my eyes.

[@Andrew-uq4zo]

Awesome film respect to us brits holding out with grit and determination like us brits do respect to all men on that day 🇬🇧

[@tmac160]

Ivor Emmanuel was a fine Welsh singer. With a name like Gonville Bromhead how could he not be famous? Michael Caine's character had a great career in the military and was awarded the Victoria Cross. A true great and only 33 at the Battle of Islandlwana.

[@skipper409]

This action actually took place before the regiment was re designated as “the South Wales Borderers”. At the time of Rourke’s Drift, it was an English county regiment - so no “Men of Harlech” happened, unfortunately

[@dib000]

With 32 known (probably many more) Welsh men on the battlefield that day it certainly could have happened.

[@johnboland6509]

You jealous plonker,they were welsh.

[@stevetheduck1425]

@@dib000 Many more Londoners than Welshmen, and also quite a few Somerset men, so any song they might have sung could have been almost anything. - and those British uniforms are from nearly twenty years later, as well.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Steve The Duck They should have sung Knees Up Mother Brown.

[@robertcannings4284]

South Warickshire Regiment,who later amalgamated with another regiment to become the Welsh Border Regiment. A lot of historical inacurateses in the film. Still a good film.

[@deandavies9576]

I bloody love my country❤

[@WillsChild]

If you are Welsh fair enough.

[@JJ-of1ir]

Loved this! thank you. Ten years later the Zulu's and the British fought together.

[@hazelmeldrum5860]

This was a well-produced film reflective of its time, There are lots of KZbin on the actual battle of Rorke's drift, The actors chosen did not reflect the real personalities, and the hospital scenes were filmed in London they were not predominately a Welsh regiment at the time. and nobody sang. But it was a Great film and for sentimental reasons it is one of my favourites.

[@fossy4321]

Any scene with colour sergeant Bourne in it is well worth re-watching!

[@maureenmclelland]

I'm from Yorkshire England. There are no better singers then the Welsh . Very brave heroic people . I love this song plus the Welsh national anthem to . Even though part of the United Kingdom. Its a devolved country has its own government and Parliament. To decide on issues concerning the Welsh themselves. But also comes under the British government for major issues

[@rickb.4168]

there were only approx 14 Welshman at Rourke's Drift.

[@maureenmclelland]

​​​@@rickb.4168o cares they fought bravely all of them . Br there Welsh English or Dutch boers. If I remember my history from school . That battle has the more Victoria Crosses won .which is the highest medal awarded for bravery on the battlefields. Its equivalent if not higher then the Medal of Honour . American service personnel can win for bra wry on the battlefields. The youngest VC holder living is Johnason Beerharry Who won it in the second Iraq war . I believe he was in his 20s and was very badly injured when he won the VC .A very elite group but sadly most have passed away . As in their late 90s now

[@shoutinghorse]

Little bit of trivia for you here. At the beginning of the movie we see the Zulu's in camp with the king Cetshwayo kaMpande. The man playing the part is his own great grandson Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. In 1994 Buthelezi became South African Minister of Home Affairs in Nelson Mandela's government.

[@grahamrock3942]

Sir...A VERY PROUD GREAT GRANDSON of Private John William Fielding VC...well documented, well received, and even a Wetherspoons Public House named in his memory, (in Cwm Bran, South Wales), my dear Mum, OLIVE, just passed away at the age of 95. John fought side by side with Private Hook in the Hospital...also receiving a VC for Valor. The "Fielding" family name follows on through my Cousins, Peter and Colin...and now their extended offspring. And for ME....I had the profound privilege of shaking hands with Zulu KING GOODWILL ZWELITHINI at a Pageant held at Brecon Barracks on the 21st July 2019, never to be forgotten. STAY SAFE...Regards G.A.R.

[@Tonyblack261]

During the period of the muzzle loading flintlock musket, the British soldier was trained to reload and fire approximately three shots a minute - much faster than any other army of the time. So volley fire was very important, as the muskets weren't particular accurate - though a curtain of lead was pretty terrifying. By the stage of the Zulu Wars, the Brits were using the Martini Henry rifle, that was far more accurate, but could only shoot one bullet at a time, requiring the old tactic of Volley Fire to reload. The rate of fire was much higher, but gave the Brits a false sense of power when it came to overwhelming odds of armies equipped with leather shields and wooden spears. The Zulus had trained from very young to be fearsome fighters and would generally fight as long as they lived. The Zulus in this film had just previously come from butchering a much larger British unit, where the Zulu forces were completely underestimated.

[@grahamtravers4522]

The Zulus were underestimated, mainly because their method of warfare was different to other tribes in South Africa. The British forces had recently fought some of those other tribes, who used guerilla tactics for the most part, and had to be rounded up by multiple columns of troops. Consequently, they were expecting a similar approach from the Zulus, but their type of warfare involved a stand-up, knockdown fight.

[@adamdorey4208]

The Zulus that attacked Rourke's Drift hadn't taken part in the battle of Islandlwhana, they wanted some glory so marched on the Drift.

[@garymoore2535]

Wrong on almost every account 🙈

[@zen4men]

@@adamdorey4208 Correct!

[@zedeyejoe]

@@adamdorey4208 And against the Zulu kings orders, not to attack Natal.

[@daveofyorkshire301]

Have you seen Zulu Dawn? _it deals with the battle and massacre at Isandlwana that took place earlier in the day, 22 January 1879, before the attack on Rorke's Drift that features in the 1964 classic_

[@californianreacts]

I have not seen Zulu Dawn although I have heard of it. If I can find where it's streaming I'll give it a watch.

[@BettyBettyBoBetty]

I gave this movie to my late Uncle many years ago - according to my Aunt, he had watched it 26 times before he passed.

[@robash3399]

It wasn't just Welsh Troops, it was Royal Engineers, Royal Warwickshires etc etc. Every single one of them a hero that showed the back bone of the British fighting man... Lest we forget. Oh, yes, the Zukus had rifles to, it was like shooting fish in a barrel for them even though they were not trained with the rifles.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

Indeed, I remember seeing Zulu whilst at Senior School in South Africa. The movie was very good, ideal for a young teen boy, but was an historical travesty, of course. We had an entire history lesson dedicated to it at my Cape Town school. My roomie, of Welsh heritage, pointed out that "Men of Harlech" or Rhyfelgyrch Gwyr Harlech, would have been sung in Welsh by the soldiers, of course, if it had been sung at all. The Welsh words were only written in 1860, so were not all that popular by the time of the Zulu Wars. More likely would be that the men might have chanted the tune. Of course, it was included in the movie because the song refers to another defence of a siege, at Harlech in the 1460s. It was a nice bit of artistic license.

[@patrickkelly7085]

The soldiers would not have known the words to the fantastic Welsh song because the vast majority were English

[@robertkane3161]

Private Hitch VC is buried in my local cemetery in Chiswick west London , he has a monument which was erected by public subscription.

[@nez9751]

I remember my dad loving this film and it always seemed to be repeated on tv every Sunday when I was growing up. The minty python send up of it the meaning of life.

[@chrissmith-wq6gr]

Don't know how many times I've seen this movie over the years, can recite most of it word for word. It is a true 'classic' movie, probably the best ever, IMHO.

[@jasontopliss963]

It's a brill film and always get goosebumps when they start singing men of harlech

[@nigelpilgrim4232]

The actual singing in the real battle never happened ! & the regiment that fought was 24th foot 2nd battalion Warwickshire regiment .

[@debrawebster1356]

This is the best part of the film

[@peterayling4801]

The truth behind the Zulu retreat was because their scouts had seen the British relief column approaching and they knew that they were in great danger. This however takes nothing away from the courage of the defenders of Rorkes Drift who held out against 4000 + Zulus. More Victoria Crosses were awarded for that one action than ever before or since.

[@larryross5665]

Excellent, and thanks for putting it on large screen( makes all the difference }👍

[@californianreacts]

Yes, absolutely! I'd prefer to have myself/reaction on a smaller screen instead of so many who have a tiny screen to react to anything. For this movie especially!

[@larryross5665]

@@californianreacts

[@paulgreen3361]

I went swimming one day in the nineties and I decided to go into the jacuzzi and this bloke next to me was talking to a guy near him and I was blown away with his story. He was a great great grand son of one of these officers that was fighting the Zulu’s that day. And he was asked to go to Africa to make a documentary about this war. When he was in Africa he met the great great grandson of the Zulu King. Anyway a couple of months later I saw the documentary on TV and you would be shock how small the area that those remaining British soldiers were in, it was so small and nearly a hundred soldiers was quashed so tight, the space was a lot smaller than you see on TV. If you can find that documentary it’s well worth watching.

[@alphaomega7191]

I always loved that the historical inaccuracies are often really bad in the film but that doesn't stop it being great - I'll list 5 that are very funny. 1) Hook was a career soldier and a tee-totaller - he would very likely have been appalled by his portrayal in the film. 2) Bromhead was in charge of Rorke's Drift not because he was some inexperienced fop but because he had been an artillery officer and an explosion had rendered him effectively deaf. People found him annoying because of that and they had left him behind in an out of the way backwater because talking to him was difficult. It would of been a very different film with a slightly confused Michael Caine going "What" whenever someone asked him something. 3) Bourne who is portrayed as an older man was in his early 20's (somebody else mentioned that below) 4) Dalton who is portrayed as somewhat ineffectual in the film was in fact the most experienced soldier there and won the VC because it was his ideas on how to set up the defences that kept them alive. In the film they have Chard come up with the plans but Chard was actually more of a road/bridge engineer than an expert on defensive structures but he was smart enough to listen to the 46 year old who had more than 25 years of military experience 5) Of the 122 soldiers only 32 of soldiers were Welsh with 49 being English ,16 Irish, 1 Scot and 3 from elsewhere - 21 are of unknown background but are likely to mainly have been English.

[@SIRDKA]

Its just an incredible film. My dad took me to see it when I was only about 7. What an impression it left, I felt I'd been through the battle! Have watched it many times since, including with my son who loved it.

[@Mike-James]

i was 21 (70s now) when I first watched this, the sound, the screen was massive, so impressive never forget Zulu.

[@judithhope8970]

Saw it in the sixties at the cinema. It's still heart grabbing. Good reaction.

[@tonywilkinson6895]

Please don’t forget that they had given us a bad body blow earlier . I hope all soldiers rest in peace from both sides.🌹🌹

[@alistairclifton1286]

Battle of Isandlwana

[@solomonstemplers]

Just in case you did'nt know this movie is a cultural icon in my generation at least. yeh sure there's a fair bit of artistic license but even so the makers did a grand job of depicting the zulu and they're fight and culture. Absolute respect to those brave zulu who fought magnificently and of course those british and (welsh) who defended there post without hesitation. in Hine sight they were not defending the post but they're very lives. "And a bayonet sir with some guts behind it" Fact some of the VC winners sold they're medals sometime after leaving the military due to poverty.

[@shaunwild8797]

Have I ever seen this movie?. Only about two hundred times. lol.

[@terenceballands3321]

My all time favourite movie!

[@B-A-L]

'Don't go chucking bloody spears at me!'

[@tcborg]

Great video feller. My all time fave movie. i was in army back in the day as an 18 year old, and as part of our training we were taken to an army museum where we were shown all the original medals including all those Victoria Cross medals won at Yorkes Drift.

[@tcborg]

Rorkes..yea.. was a bit quick on key board..hic!

[@corringhamdepot4434]

I remember watching Zulu when it first came out in the cinema in 1964. We used to play "Zulu", running around the school playing fields. Since then, I have watched it so many times on the TV, that I can say most of the lines before the actor does. It has never dated. Stankey Baker was supposed to be the "star", as Michael Caine was relatively unknown at the time. Nearly all of his movie appearances before Zulu were "uncredited".

[@alistairclifton1286]

Grew up and spent half of my life in SA, was privileged to have visited Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana more than once. Very eerie, has left more than a lasting impression on me.

[@remittanceman4685]

The two impis that were at Rorkes Drift were there because they were already in disgrace with the Zulu king. They'd arrived late at the muster of the Zulu Army. Because of that the king didn't allow them to take part in the Battle of Isandlwana thus earning glory, honour and loot from the British camp. Instead he sent them to keep patch on the mission station at the frontier. However the king gave strict instructions that the impose were not to cross the border and attack the mission station. His entire strategy depended on not being seen as the aggressor in the hope other European powers would pressure Britain to leave Zululand alone. This was obviously not pleasing to the men or commanders of the impis as it earned them no glory no honour and no loot so they decided to attack anyway hoping the king would be pleased once they presented him with a great victory. Sadly they miscalculated as Zulu experience and military doctrine had never been designed to deal with fortified positions and Rorkes Drift was fortified. Chard was an engineer and he'd built the mealie bag wall on top of a six foot high rock ledge. The buildings were also solid and had been well fortified, The defenders also had plenty of ammunition as the place was a logistics depot. Thus the first attacks failed and the Zulu indunas were in a quandary. They were already in the king's bad books, now they had disobeyed him again and failed upsetting his entire strategy. They went into a kind of mental paralysis and just kept attacking across the only viable route to the post into the teeth of heavy disciplined fire. Finally a relief column hove into view and although it was still some distance away the Zulus realised they had to retreat or be caught by a combined arms force including artillery and cavalry equipped with lances which they neither had nor could defend against.

[@johngrimshaw3965]

A Magnicent film with the best movie soundtrack ever.

[@AS-jj2bx]

Makes you proud to be welsh.small nation the welsh but u wont get a prouder nation.respect to the welsh guards

[@trevorhart545]

ZULU I saw this with my lovely 12 year old Auntie ,same age as my older brother, but you had to be 12 to take in us children. Loved the South Glamorgan's, I am from Yorkshire, not Welsh. My SINGING would have caused every ZULU to RUN away for Hundreds of Miles BUT the Brits would also have run away even further, well my family and neighbours do.

[@davesadler2890]

So many inaccuracies in the film, yet it is still one of my all time favourite war films... it certainly fixed firmly in my young head that I was going to be a soldier. (Joined the army in 1972)... years later, whilst still serving I was in South Africa and had the chance to visit Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana and did a battlefield tour there... it had always been an ambition of mine to one day stand on the ground of that mission station, (which is now a museum, or was then) and to see the actual lie of the ground, plus the marked off areas of the perimeter and the final redoubt, the film doesn't do it justice... being there gave me goose bumps and I'll never forget it.

[@robertlisternicholls]

Well presented. This was a great film with so many memorable scenes.

[@David-i4r1i]

One thing to remember above all else, it was a Welsh Regiment .

[@Muckylittleme]

Even the Zulu's had honour in those days. Now none of us have it.

[@xhogun8578]

Men of Harlech is an emotional song for me as it is the one song I remember my father singing to us when we were children. On long car journeys we would have a sing a long and that was always the song he would sing. Sometimes he'd sign the fun alternative words, which as young children we found funny.

[@patrickholt2270]

That rock face in the background is the Drakonsberg, the southern edge of the Great Escarpment, a sloping plateau, that gradually declines back to ground level far to the north. It's just one of many dramatic vistas in South Africa, not the least of which is Table Mountain that stands immediately behind Cape Town. It wasn't just their cattle and their pastureland that the Zulu soldiers were fighting for. And they were soldiers, not just "warriors", because they were long service professionals in a highly disciplined, skillfully officered professional army. It included most of the manhood of the nation, since King Shaka's system enrolled them as boys for national service in European terms, and they fought with the men of their own age in Impis created each year from the boys who had come of age that year. It's volley fire, which was developed for maximising the effectiveness of muskets, yes, but those aren't muskets. They're able to fire that often because they are breech loading single shot Martini-Henry rifles, using full metal jacket ammunition, the last generation of rifles before bolt-action rifles came in. They fired .45 calibre bullets, which gave them hellish recoil for soldiers to absorb, but then the wounds they inflicted were appalling. For whatever reason, the European armies never adopted lever-action rifles as a way of having multiple bullets in the rifle and a repeating action prior to the bolt-actions developed in the late 1890s, although Russia did buy a lot of lever-action repeaters from Winchester early in WW1 because they had a shortage of bolt-action Moisin-Nagants due to how underdeveloped Russia was prior to the Soviet modernisation.

[@longbiowsix]

The British Army volley fire shown at the end, was a practiced and drilled method of laying down devastating number of bullets on an enemy with single fire rifle, at the time it was the Martini Henry. Interesting fact, shields and assegai and other memorabilia collected at Rorkes Drift after the battle are on public display at the regimental museum in Brecon, South Wales UK.

[@JustinClover-uz4ne]

At 3:56 there is a subtle yet brilliant shot where Chard sees a soldier giving in to fear, looks around at his men before approaching the sergeant. This is military leadership at it's best - he ignores his own feelings because he knows that if the men's spirits drop it's all over.

[@richarddavies4322]

Always goosebumps…. Those Zulus were something else ❤

[@stephenmarchant296]

The South Wales Borderers museum in Brecon displays Zulu shields taken from the field, plus several of the 11 VCs awarded that day

[@californianreacts]

That's amazing! Would like to see those some day. Fantastic movie, good histories all around.

[@michaeljones3694]

one of my favourite films - probably my favourite.

[@alunchurcher7060]

The greatest war film that's based on a real battle of all time, This shows discipline and training can help win the day especially when added with courage, pride, and a determination to do ones best against overwhelming odds.

[@Kiz552]

There are two movies about the Zulu war, the other one being the Battle of Isandlwana. Not too Fare from where I live is Litchfield cathedral, there's a section dedicated to the Zulu war. Happy Days from England.

[@robertstack6844]

once a year, every year, i make time for this film.

[@malbruni6075]

Same for roman soldiers at the battle of Watlington Street. 80000 celts died against just 400 Romans..seutionus paulinius vs Queen boudica. Their formation same but no rifles of course

[@adespade119]

I seem to remember reading that the leader of this Zulu contingent was disobeying strict orders not to attack Rorkes drift, I wonder if part of the decision to leave was because to take the mission would cost too many of his warriors, and he'd be in even more trouble, even if he won.It's fascinating to read up on the lives of those who were there.

[@chrisholland7367]

Apparently the Zulu unit that attacked Rorkes Drift was held in reserve at islandwana. They did disobey a direct order from their king not to engage the British as the British at Rorkes Drift had properly defended the position, unlike their comrades at islandwana only a few hours before this engagement took place.

[@markscouler2534]

It's because rorkes drift was in Natal, not zulu land, and the king didn't want to be seen as aggressors

[@barrycopas1671]

I believe it was the King's brother in charge of that attack.

[@terrythomas8482]

One of the first ever "true" surround sound movie my parents went to see it at Leicester square Odeon the night after the royal premier, dad said there was a speaker at either end of every row of seats in the auditorium he said the beating of the spears on the shields was amazing. I was lucky enough to visit Rorke's Drift while working in South Africa in the early 90's & the place is still littered with Martini-Henry rifle cartridges from the battle.

[@aussiedownunder4186]

I saw this film at the theatre with my dad when it first came out in the 60’s. Portrayal of Private Booth was so inaccurate his descendants walked out of the theatre . There are many inaccuracies in the film. The Zulus left because Lord Chelmsford was approaching with the rest of host Regiment. Plus Pastor Witt and his daughter were never at Rorkes Drift during the Battle. Apart from that Stanley Baker has made a remarkable film that will never be dated. A must also is Zulu Dawn made in 1979 a 100 year anniversary if the battle at Isandalwana!! Starring Peter O’Toole John Mills Burt Lancaster and many other stars.

[@trigger399]

I think you meant private Hook.

[@Steve-ys1ig]

There was no message intended by the film at the time apart from the general war is bad message. It was meant to entertain like all films - it is modern day viewers who attach the anti-imperial view. Indeed at the time the majority of people were brought up to be proud of our history. What amazes me about this modern day view is that they gloss over or deliberately forget the fact that the Zulus were very aggressive imperialists themselves. They had conquered all of their neighbouring tribes and were extremely proud of being a warrior nation. They spent years fighting the Boers (who had been in the area before the Zulus expanded there) before the British got involved. Unfortunately, for them, when they met the British they met someone who was more powerful - a clash was inevitable eventually especially when the mineral resources in the area were taken into account.

[@johnpage4581]

Superb film ,so affected me in later years went to visit all the battlefields in Zululand.

[@MelanieMaguire]

Utterly brilliant film. I saw it when I was young at the cinema. The suspense, tension and fear are palpable and the sense of impending doom had me crying! Not suitable for young children!!! But now one of my all time favourite films.

[@NettyP-v9e]

Great movie!! Poetic licence ws used re some of the characters re: henry hall!! My father was in the navy visiting south africa with the Queen. The zulus were used in the film. They had respect for the brits. I salute all the men who fought there!!👏👏🙏

[@maureenjones7222]

Brilliant film. x

[@lynnjones2505]

More victoria crosses were won that day than in the history of battles and warfare x

[@mossyman65]

My all time favourite movie I have lost count of the number of times I have watched it

[@lynnjones2505]

It was an english battalion not a welsh one at Rourke's drift ....just a little fact , yet still a wonderful movie with a great score .

[@trytellingthetruth.2068]

What I find amazing is, there are people able to watch this on KZbin, only because their ancestors that fought in this battle, survived and lived to see another day.

[@davidsewellclarke4997]

The Royal Engineers are the Oldest Corps in the British Army serving King and Queen since 1066 , they are commonly known as the Sappers , Saps French word being dug in defence of their area also for tunnelling under the enemies fortifications to weaken their structure and collapse the walls . Only Corps to have 9 grenade flashes on their lapels. This was my late Fathers favourite film as he was also a Sapper Major retd . The Commander of Rorkes Drift was a Sapper Lt Chard sent to build a bridge he was Commissioned before Lt Bromhead thats how he ends up being Commander of Rorkes Drift.

[@johnwelsh6065]

I saw it at 10 years old, in 1964. It's been my favourite film ever since.

[@mikelheron20]

I love the way he's picked out the two things that never actually happened in the battle.

[@soultraveller5027]

Sir Michael cane depicted a British officer in this film in actual real-life he saw action in the Korean war and was posted along the frontline where he and his reigment the 2st Fusiliers came under a masive Chinese sttack, he describes in detail in a radio blog on utube

[@cpt.8778]

im a proud englishman and this movie is fantastic and portrays both the brave british and zulu , our glory time ,

[@robertkane3649]

These epics were great, no expense spared, and no CGI!

[@gillianlawrence2684]

My grandad fought in the Boar war in s africa At Lyons Neck and Tamborskloof. I have his service medals.