Zulu Dawn (1979) on Netflix
PG19791h 57mAdventureDramaHistory
British officials in the Cape Colony provoke war with the Zulu Empire, sure their rifles will beat spears. Lord Chelmsford leads an invasion toward Ulundi, but the Zulus avoid pitched battle.
- Netflix3.5/5
- IMDb6.7/108,433 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes50%
Trailer
Plot summary
In 1879, the British Cape Colony's administrators want to remove the Zulu Empire as an obstacle to their economy. They send King Cetshwayo an ultimatum demanding he disband his military; he refuses, giving them a reason to invade. Lord Chelmsford commands the expeditionary force and marches toward the Zulu capital, Ulundi. The Zulus decline a pitched battle, so the British grow frustrated. At the base of Mount Isandlwana, Chelmsford ignores advice from Boer attendants to fortify the camp. He then takes half his force to chase reports of a Zulu army elsewhere. Reinforcements under Colonel Durnford arrive. A few skirmishes occur with indecisive results.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Zulu Dawn (1979)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- The producers hired Elmer Bernstein, composer of The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape and To Kill a Mockingbird, and he was paid the highest fee of his career. Only after the score had been recorded at Abbey Road Studios and the film shown at Cannes did it come out that they had mistakenly thought they were hiring Leonard Bernstein.
- Actor John Hurt was cast in a lead role but was refused entry into South Africa; it was thought South African intelligence had confused him with actor John Heard, who had actually been arrested at an anti-apartheid march.
- Composer Mike Batt had signed and been paid the first third of his fee when the producers changed their minds and wanted a "name" to help with the film's promotion. Devastated, Batt refused to accept the rest of the "pay or play" fee he was owed under the signed agreement.
- Co-producers James Faulkner and Barrie Saint Clair claimed they were owed £100,000 in deferred fees and sought an injunction to block screenings of Zulu Dawn until they were paid, while more than 100 South African creditors said they were owed £250,000 and forced the local production company into liquidation.
- Zulu Dawn's budget was initially set at $6.5 million but kept increasing, and the film ultimately cost $11.75 million, despite coming in only two days over schedule.
