Drums Across the Valley!

Rating: 9/10 (17 December 2019)

I recently had the opportunity of seeing a restored version of Cy Endfield's epic tale of The Battle of Rorke's Drift and just have to say at the outset, that it looks magnificent. If ever a film was highlighted to depict it's locations to optimal advantage, Zulu would be up near the top of the list. Largely filmed by cinematographer Stephen Dade in the nearby Drakensberg Mountains, the scenery is never less than spectacular, whilst the sets faithfully recreate the small settlement of Rorke's Drift.
The other beauty of this film and arguably the reason Zulu is still so highly regarded 55 years after its initial release is its intelligent screenplay. Though clearly taking a British perspective of the battle, it is careful to never disrespect the Zulu culture. From the extended first act mass weddings to the extensive detailing of the Zulu battle strategies, the film takes a fairly even-handed approach to to the concept of colonial imperialism, neither condoning it, nor denying the ambitions of the British power intruding into a foreign land.
As is usual in historical depictions of past events, liberties are taken to increase the dramatic impact of scenes. But in Zulu, these are relatively minor. Ironically one of the more obvious examples, is that the British body count onscreen is clearly far nigher than it was during the actual battle, when remarkably only 15 were killed.
Stanley Baker and Michael Caine are both excellent as the junior officers leading the defence, again renewing a collaboration begun in a similar themed movie from the previous decade called A Hill in Korea. Baker, who also co-produced the film obviously knew pretty early on, that he was on to something good. It's pity that his premature death stopped him from pursuing the sequel, which later turned into the inferior prequel Zulu Dawn. One can't help feeling that if Baker had had the opportunity to produce, it would have been a much better production. Nigel Green as the phlegmatically patient and calm Colour sergeant Frank Bourne is also outstanding, but I do wonder, as apparently Jack Hawkins did himself, why so much onscreen time, for relatively little outcome is devoted to the drunken Reverend Witt. It just seems distracting to focus so much on a (likely) fictional, unsympathetic character, who disappears into the dust prior to the main battle beginning.
The second half of Zulu is dedicated to the battle and again one has to be impressed in the manner in which the action, pretty much parallels what occurred in real life. Both sides are seen to be highly disciplined in their actions, with the point being made, as many military historians have concluded, that the British prevailed, in what became and is depicted, as desperate hand to hand combat, through the deadly use of their bayoneted rifles. The long percussive Zulu War chant heralding the onset of the Zulu attack still has the power to provoke a foreboding sense of dread, even for one who has seen the film many times.
Sad that due to the Apartheid and strict censorship laws instituted in South Africa during the 60's, many of the Zulu actors were never able to see the production, their participation was so fundamental too. One hopes that many were later able to do so, after the dismantling of Apartheid in the early 1990's.