A great film

Rating: Null/10 (1 February 2001)

Zulu is definately one of the best war films made in the 1960's. A brave film that shows courage , adventure and humanity. The acting is superb , from all quarters. Stanley Baker and Michael Caine are brilliant as officers from two very different social backgrounds. Also commentators have noted that Pte Hook in reality was a teetotaler not the malingering barrack-room lawyer that James Booth portrayed. What is lost on the historical purists , is that the writer John Prebble was an ex-communist and was brave enough to point out, not only the class divisions of 19th century Britain , but the point would not be lost on an audience in 1960's Britain. Everyone I know who has seen the film , recalls a memorable line. My own favourite is at the end , when Lt Chard points out to Colour Sergeant Bourne that it was not a miracle that saved them and proceeds to point out the effectiveness of a box chamber rifle , but Bourne then replys , "and a bayonet sir , with some guts behind it". Lt Chard walks away with a knowing smile. Naturally enough , Zulu will always be classed as a War film , but the social commentary was not lost on me. Pte Hook is the prime example and the character portrayed by James Booth is a curt reminder , that it was the poor , socially excluded and criminals that made up the British Army at that time , the Empire and Good Old Days that some quarters of Britains elite today still hanker and sentimentalise about should be reminded of that fact.
Zulu is definately in my own top ten films , but the damage done by the film , is that only a very few war films can be placed as better or on par with the film. All Quiet On The Western Front (1930) set the complete overall standard , the great war films(not a list in preferance) however , are ,Saving Private Ryan , Schindlers List , Come and See , Stalingrad , Paths of Glory , Thin Red Line and A Bridge Too Far. The worst or should I say the opportunities missed are Anzio , Battle of Midway and Bridge at Remagen. The only films I can think of that was just simply standard , was Battle of the Bulge , Kelly's Heroes and Gettysburg. I just hope my comments on Zulu helps the historical purists to put things into its proper perspective.