Zulu Dawn 1979

type: Movie

language: English

duration: 113 min

genre: adventure

theme: war

director: Douglas Hickox

Score: 5 / 10

Zulu Dawn is a 1979 American adventure war film about the historical Battle of Isandlwana between British and Zulu forces in 1879 in South Africa. The screenplay was by Cy Endfield, from his book, and Anthony Storey. The film was directed by Douglas Hickox. The score was composed by Elmer Bernstein.

Plot

In the Cape Colony in January 1879, British Army officer Lord Chelmsford plots with diplomat Sir Henry Bartle Frere to annex the neighbouring Zulu Empire, which they perceive as a threat to the Cape Colony's emerging industrial economy. Frere issues an ultimatum to the Zulu king, Cetshwayo, demanding that he dissolve the Zulu military; an indignant Cetshwayo rebuffs the demand, providing Lord Chelmsford and Frere with a casus belli against the Zulus. Despite objections from prominent individuals in the Cape Colony and Great Britain, Frere authorises Lord Chelmsford to command a British expeditionary force to invade the Zulu Empire.

Cast

More details

author	Cy Endfield
contentLocation	South Africa
director	Douglas Hickox
editor	Malcolm Cooke
genre	adventure historical
keywords	adopt anglo-zulu war anthony durnford army officer attack attacked rorke's drift battle of rorke's drift boer british army british soldier buffalo river cape colony capture casus belli cetshwayo charge colonel durnford colour emerging industrial economy even expeditionary force expeditionary warfare fabian strategy flee great britain henry bartle frere invade the zulu empire isandlwana kill laager last stand massed infantry charge mineral revolution mount isandlwana pitched battle reconnaissance river scout sir henry bartle frere skirmish skirmisher trap ulundi united kingdom of great britain and ireland wild goose chase wound zulu empire zulu kingdom
musicBy	Elmer Bernstein
producer	James Sebastian Faulkner
publisher	American Cinema Releasing
recordedAt	South Africa
theme	prequel war