Best British War Films – Zulu

Apologies to the makers of Saving Private Ryan, Das Boot, Cross of Iron and countless other great war films but this one is for the Brits only. Stiff upper lips, gritty realism and tally ho’s all round.

Film Description
One of the last of the classic-era widescreen epics, Zulu was also one of the last war movies to celebrate the virtues of the famous British stiff upper lip. At Rorke’s Drift in 1879 a handful of British soldiers, hopelessly outnumbered by 4,000 Zulu warriors, fought one of the most celebrated defensive actions in military history. Zulu tells the story on an epic scale, bringing to life the heroism, courage, loyalty and sacrifice of those desperate hours. This is truly cast-of-thousands filmmaking, with vast action wonderfully captured in widescreen Technirama. John Barry, who also scored Goldfinger in the same year, provides a telling musical accompaniment.

Best Bits
Far too many to list. Forget the numerous and glaring historical innacuracies there are some great quotes and for anyone from the UK required Christmas viewing, shortly after the Great Escape.

Lieutenant John Chard: The army doesn’t like more than one disaster in a day.
Bromhead: Looks bad in the newspapers and upsets civilians at their breakfast.

Colour Sergeant Bourne: A prayer’s as good as bayonet on a day like this.

Pte. Thomas Cole: Why is it us? Why us?
Colour Sergeant Bourne: Because we’re here, lad. Nobody else. Just us.

Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: Sixty! We dropped at least 60, wouldn’t you say?
Adendorff: That leaves only 3,940.

Colour Sergeant Bourne: It’s a miracle.
Lieutenant John Chard: If it’s a miracle, Colour Sergeant, it’s a short chamber Boxer Henry point 45 caliber miracle.
Colour Sergeant Bourne: And a bayonet, sir, with some guts behind.

Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: Now there’s a bitter pill. Our own damned rifles!

Bromhead: I’ll tell my man to clean your kit.
Lieutenant John Chard: Don’t bother!
Bromhead: No bother… I’m not offering to clean it myself! Still, a chap ought to look smart in front of the men, don’t you think? Well chin-chin… do carry on with your mud pies.

and many more…

The final battle scene including a great rendition of Men of Harlech