LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Zulu (1964): Michael Caine
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In January 1879, during the Boer War, at Isandhlwana in South Africa, over one thousand British troops are annihilated by King Cetshwayo's Zulu army. Standing between the four thousand Zulus and victory is the mission station at Rorke's Drift and about one hundred and forty British soldiers, some of whom are wounded. Commanding the military operation is the young Lieutenant John Chard (Stanley Baker... co-producer of the film) with Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead (Michael Caine, in his first major film role). Against the unimaginable odds, the British troops - the B Company of the 24th Regiment of Foot, South Wales Borderers - manage, with exceptional courage and stoicism, to hold off the Zulu attacks until morning. The valour of the men defending Rourke's Drift resulted in the awarding of eleven Victoria Crosses. The roll of honour is recited by Richard Burton at the film's end.
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Based on a real-life battle, Zulu follows a group of British soldiers (led by Michael Caine, in his first starring role) stationed in South Africa who must defend their tiny outpost against an attack by an overwhelming force of Zulu warriors. Outnumbered 40 to 1, the stoic British soldiers are still ready to fight to the finish. Richard Burton narrates this epic war film shot on location in Natal.
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Zulu (1964, Diamond Films) the movie introduces Michael Caine as Lt. Gonville Bromhead with Richard Burton as the narrator at the beginning & ending of the movie --- Outnumbered British soldiers battle Zulu warriors at Rourke's Drift. 4000 Zulu warriors advance on a British outpost guarded by 139 Welsh infantry men. Based on a true story of the battle which lasted 12 hours. Unfortunately, they have the Swedish missionary as a craven coward bending Scripture to support his depravity who, later, becomes drunk to cope with his cowardice. This is blatantly untrue as the real missionary in this situation was a very chivalrous Christian man seeing his duty to his fellow Christians and stays to help fight. Today, by and large, the Zulu nation are Christian and the humanist Mandella's biggest nightmare.
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Like so many imperial conflicts of the period, the Zulu War was not initiated from London. Instead, Benjamin Disraeli's government - preoccupied with the Russian threat to Constantinople and Afghanistan - made every effort to avoid a fight. "We cannot now have a Zulu war, in addition to other greater and too possible troubles", wrote Sir Michael Hicks Beach, the colonial secretary, in November 1878.
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Based on an actual historic event, this is the story of a group of British soldiers stationed in Africa who are forced to defend their tiny outpost against an attack by powerful Zulu warriors. They are outnumbered 40-1 but are still ready to fight to the finish. Michael Caine is outstanding in Cy Endfield's powerful drama. Narrated by Richard Burton.
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What comes across from watching this documentary is that ZULU is Stanley Baker's film. He was the star and producer. Without Stanley there would have been no Michael Caine. Without Stanley there would have been no ZULU.
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Michael Caine