Zulu (1964) -

is a landmark British war epic that dramatizes the Battle of Rorke's Drift in 1879, where a small detachment of roughly 150 British soldiers successfully defended a mission station against approximately 4,000 Zulu warriors. Key Aspects of the Film

: The Zulu warriors in the film were portrayed by hundreds of real Zulus, and King Cetshwayo was played by his real-life great-grandson, Mangosuthu Buthelezi , a future South African political leader. Zulu (1964)

: Stanley Baker , who also co-produced, stars as the stoic Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers. is a landmark British war epic that dramatizes

: Though depicting events at Rorke's Drift, the movie was filmed on location in the more visually dramatic Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa. : Though depicting events at Rorke's Drift, the

: Directed by Cy Endfield , an American screenwriter who had been blacklisted in Hollywood and moved to the UK to work.

: The film famously launched the career of Michael Caine , who was cast against his Cockney roots as the aristocratic Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead.

: While praised for its respectful portrayal of the Zulu warriors as a disciplined and honorable force, the film takes significant liberties with characterization. For example, Private Henry Hook is depicted as a drunken rogue who finds redemption, whereas the real Hook was a teetotaler and a model soldier.