User Reviews

This well-intentioned prequel to the superior ZULU is an unfairly maligned movie that almost died on its box-office release. This is a real shame, because in many instances it resembles the genre of the 'epic' movie, with magnificent African location photography and culminating in one of the most ferocious, frightening, and unstoppable battle sequences put on film. The first hour or so is a little slow, as there are many characters to be introduced, although as is almost always the case with these 'all star' productions, most of the big names have very little to do.

Still, bit players like Bob Hoskins and Denholm Elliott put in small performances (the former as comic relief, the latter quite poignant) whilst the heavy stuff is left to the likes of Lancaster (as an Irish hero) and O'Toole (as a leader, making the same mistakes as he does in TROY). In addition, a literate script helps the viewer in understanding the principles behind the battle and the reasons that it turned into a massacre for the British (underestimating the enemy and poor supplies are the biggest issues here). In all a very good movie, well directed by Douglas Hickox and a fine portrayal of a historical event.

Released in a badly cut version in 1979 just before the resurgent interest in Burt Lancaster for his performance in "Atlantic City and Peter O'Toole for "Stunt Man", this fine historical epic died an ignominious death at the box office, on the second half of a double bill with the horror film "Silent Scream". It was originally planned by Cy Endfield as a companion film to his 1964 classic, "Zulu". That film opened with a voice over of Richard Burton speaking Lord Chelmsford's communication to Prime Minister Disraeli detailing the massacre that befell a British column of about 1,800 British Infantrymen and native contingents at the hands of Zulu warriors at Isandlwana on January 22, 1879. This disaster left the 155 men at the mission post at Rorke's Drift to fend for themselves against several thousand Zulu warriors headed their way. "Zulu Dawn" chronicles the chain of events that led up to the British debacle at Isandlwana, the worst defeat ever suffered by a professional army at the hands of native forces in history.

Director Douglas Hickox keeps the film moving along and the film is an excellent example of adapting historical events to the needs of cinematic form and drama. In a little less than two hours the causes for the war as well as the roots of the disaster are laid out in clear, if simplified terms. The arrogance of the British Empire as personified by Sir Henry Bartle Frere, (John Mills in another stiff upper lip performance) and his chief lieutenant, Frederick Theisger, Lord Chelmsford, (Peter O'Toole, nicely understated and subdued) are in the filmmaker's view clearly responsible for a war that need never have been fought at all. The film also makes clear that Sir Henry initiated the conflict without the knowledge let alone consent of the British Government. But the arrogance and sense of entitlement that blinds Sir Henry to dealing with the Zulu in a just and legal manner affects all the participants involved, from the highest government official to the lowest private. It is the mistaken belief that technology, (exemplified here by rockets, cannons and rifles) somehow gives nations the right to take by force whatever they want. Handing Chelmsford his orders, Sir Henry asks, "Does this cover, Frederick what we both know to be right?" "Most excellently, Sir Henry." He replies. It is as if they both need spoken confirmation that the crime they are about to commit is in fact justified.

This English disdain is not just reserved for the Zulu, but for fellow countrymen as well. After Col. Hamilton-Brown, robustly played by Nigel Davenport refuses his table in order to be with his men still on the march, Chelmsford contemptuously warns his aide-de-camp, Lt. Hartford, sensitively played by Ronald Pickup to, "Learn nothing from that Irishman, except how not to behave." But his real distaste is reserved for Col. Anthony Durnford, a rough-hewn Irishman who has a way with the native troops. With his understanding of the Zulu warrior and his knowledge of the topography, Durnford would obviously be of great use in the coming campaign, but almost immediately there is tension between the two men. And with Burt Lancaster as Durnford it is easy to see why Chelmsford might feel threatened. Even with the use of only one arm, he is a natural leader of men, intelligent and charismatic and unlike Chelmsford he respects the Zulu. It is one of Lancaster's sage portrayals and this time he sports an Irish accent. Dialects were never one of his strong points and this one doesn't completely convince, but it is consistent and it underscores Durnford's isolation among the English who make up most of Chelmsford's staff. More importantly, even at 65, Lancaster has a bravado and dash which makes it understandable how he might warm the heart of beautiful young woman. Fanny Colenso so loved the older Durnford that she went on a one woman crusade to clear his name when the official inquiry into the disaster attempted to shift the blame for it onto him.

A great cast is well used in many telling vignettes. Denholm Elliot as the gentle Col. Pulliene has a moving death scene. Simon Ward as William Vereker represents what is best of the British aristocracy abroad and he quickly becomes disenchanted with the war, ("A very dirty business, indeed.") Michael Jayston as Col. Crealock, Chelmsford's secretary catches all the charm and tact needed for that difficult position. Freddie Jones and Anna Calder-Marshall as Bishop Colenso and his daughter Fanny, having lived among the Zulu are righteously indignant at the prospect of war. Ronald Lacey as Correspondent Norris Newman delights in skewering the official lies about the war. Peter Vaughn as Quartermaster Bloomfield, whose obsession in accounting for every cartridge and shell would have such horrific consequences is marvelous. Simon Sabela makes a very impressive King Cetshwayo in one of the opening sequences to the film and Bob Hoskins as tough Sergeant Major Williams is a lot of fun. With great battle scenes and a rousing score by Elmer Bernstein, "Zulu Dawn" is a worthy companion to "Zulu".

It is frustrating to see so many reviews here that insist on going beyond a review of the movie to comment on history as portrayed therein. Nearly everything I've read in a survey of the reviews here is rubbish. I've studied the battle for years, and have been to the battle site.

The movie is excellent, and it is superficially accurate with respect to the battle, but much is left out, and still more is injected that doesn't belong.

First of all, there is an anti-war sentiment throughout the movie that seems to be pinging off the end of Vietnam. Newman Noggs for instance appears doggedly anti-war in spite of the fact that the real Newman was completely pro-war and rather blood thirsty.

The conclusion is made much too strongly that tight control of ammunition led to the disaster, although it was an issue. One Lt. of the 24th took a box of ammo only to have Bloomfield shout at him not to. The Lt responded, "you don't want a bloody requisition now do you?"

However, the real slowdown in ammunition came because the troops were all spread out up to a quarter mile away from the camp! You have to see the hugeness of the battlefield and how incredibly spread out the troops were.

Then try carrying an 80 pound box of ammo a quarter of a mile during a pitched battle! They were too far away to keep supplied, and by the time Pulleine figured it out and sounded retreat was it was too late.

They were mostly cut up trying to get back to the camp.

The movie blames Chelmsford, which is fair enough. He was arrogant. By the way, he didn't just split his command in two, he split it in 7 parts! However, ISandlwana should have been able to defend itself if look-out watches had been properly kept, and the troops arrayed nearer camp. Col Pulleine was an administrator and had never been in a battle.

He was caught flat footed, spread out, and was cut up piece-meal, although according to the Zulus it was still a close call...for a time the British were winning, but they couldn't hold.

Notice BTW in the movie, the man Chelmsford sends with a spyglass to observe ISandlwana comes back and says, "The tents have not been struck.". Any British commander knows what that means. If battle is coming you strike the tents immediately, first so that the men can see clearly behind them as well as in front, second so that if battle enters the camp they won't be tripping over guy wires, and finally so that anyone outside of the camp will see tents struck and understand that battle is at hand. This Pulleine failed to do.

Durnford by the way is held completely blameless. Its true that Chelmsford and others tried to blame things on him at the time. His orders were misplaced, and they weren't found until the 1950's, and even then they weren't readable. It wasn't until the 90's that new forensic techniques allowed them to be read. He had been ordered by Chelmsford from Rorke's Drift to the East end of the battle plain (ISandlwana being on the West end). When Durnford passed through the camp, he knew Pulleine had been specifically given command, and that he altogether wasn't to take charge, but to keep moving through. Instead, he stayed to help Pulleine.

So you see, although the movie is essentially accurate, some of the conclusions you draw from a 100 minute film don't necessarily give a clear notion of what, where, and why, even though I do think the movie is excellent.

Finally, for those of you wondering, Verriker was never in the fight to save the colors. He was killed elsewhere. The colors were dropped in a gully, and recovered some months later downstream from the bodies of Coghill and Melville. The person who Verriker was essentially portraying, was Lt Higginson, but he actually did survive and is the reason why we know exactly what happened in the fight to save the colors.

I recommend this movie strongly, but if you want the real history, look further.

One thing not to do in a movie is ignore a warning from Burt Lancaster. He's better than Cassandra. He predicts God's wrath in ELMER GANTRY, rain in RAINMAKER, misery in SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS: and it is delivered. Here Peter O'Toole fails to heed his advice on the white man's burden and as a result spoils his tea.

Big budget, great cast, absolutely brilliant compositional photography; but dull, in the way that only an English filmmaker can dull up high adventure. Stunning when you think about it, since this empire gave us Kipling and Stevenson and Haggard, and later Noel Coward (IN WHICH WE SERVE) and Hitchcock (NORTH BY NORTHWEST) and John Irvin (DOGS OF WAR) and Stephen Frears (THE HIT, DANGEROUS LIASONS, you name it); but it also gave us Lean (Lawrence of Ad Nausea) and Thompson (save us from GUNS OF NAVARONE) and all those mediocre 60s Bond directors, and this guy Hickox.

This movie seems better if you view it as a series of lovely paintings, like THE DUELISTS or BARRY LYNDON or HEAVEN'S GATE. DP Ousama Rawi and second unit director/DP Peter MacDonald enjoy the landscape of moving things, and are neither of them afraid to move the camera. Both favor a wide lens, vast perspectives reminiscent of nineteenth century landscape oils, but equally influenced by the high meridian of the Eastern traditions. The percentage of striking, well-orchestrated images is among the highest in any movie.

But these images are in aid of nothing because the movie has no heart. It's hard to care about characters who only mouth politics and jargon. Cy Endfield, who did such a wonderful job sustaining suspense and class commentary in ZULU, gets partial writing credit here but unfortunately was not allowed to helm. The relationships are thin, the characters familiar, the situations explored at travelogue depth. And the pace, while not exactly leaden, is no quick-step.

An old fashioned adventure, but not in a good John Boorman-Ronald Neame-Guy Hamilton way. More in a bad Andrew MacLaglen-Jack Smight-Anthony Asquith way. In fact, some of the best realizations of British Empire romance have come from Americans: Huston's MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, Stevens' GUNGA DIN, Rafelson's MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON.