Although Caine has been a household name for many many years, this was his first role and he certainly looks young in this!! He is the Officer in charge at Rorkes Drift, and portrays the typical English gentry type of that era. For the first few scenes I feel that he almost tries too hard to mould himself into that stereo-typical image. His undoubted talent shines through as the movie progresses and the inter-action between himself and the other Officer played by Stanley Baker himself is superb.

Baker is magnificient, and displays some of his gritty down-to-earth characterisations prevalent in some of his earlier movies, such as Hard Drivers. The initial dislike between his character and Bromhead is plain to see as they are from different worlds and it is fascinating to see the mutual respect forming between the two as the scenes progress. Chard actually takes command as he has a few months seniority over Bromhead and the sniping between the two has almost a comic aspect. Baker is in control, but when his hands start to tremble as he tries to load his pistol, the look of self-loathing on his face is brilliant.

Otto Witt - Jack Hawkins. He plays a cameo performance as the Swedish missionary but I found his role a little annoying and lack lustre up until his departure from the mission. Steaming drunk, he shounts from the back of his carriage before the main battle, "Can't you see, you're all going to die". It doesn't look much in print but the anguish and contortions on his face as he pleads with the soldiers is truly memorable.

Adendorff - Gert Van de Burgh. From the Natal Mounted Police and is the local contact. He hates the Zulu's but also you can sense in his exchanges with Bromhead that he hates the British being there as well. He explains the Zulu's strategies and my favourite part with him is where the soldiers are both physically and mentally exhausted when the Zulu's start chanting again. Bromhead shouts, "Come on, what are you waiting for?". Adendorff laughs somewhat hysterically and says "They're not taunting you, they're saluting you, saluting fellow braves".

There are a few well known faces, Glynn Edwards for one, you may remember him as the pub owner in Minder. There are so many wonderful individual performances from each and every actor that I could go on for ever. The quivering top lip of Colour Sergeant Bourne as he reads out the role call, with so many dead, leaves a lump in the throat. They were his boys.

They are many, many scenes to keep you captivated, such as the soldiers at the final dedoubt, firing in lines, with Caine shouting, covered in grime, "Front rank, fire, reload. " The hand to hand fighting has been very well done when you consider the sheer number of actors and extras involved.

The music was composed by John Barry and complements the film perfectly - it is very stirring yet almost military with strong drums and heavy beats. It is heard sporadically throughout the movie, and in my mind I've yet to come across another score that adds so much to the effect of a film.

Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded for bravery at Rorkes Drift - the most in any one single engagement. It was a massive task indeed to try to re-create the events of those two days but Endfield and Baker have succeeded in a way that I would not have thought possible. Truly a magnificent film that I've watched time and time again, and will continue to do so as it does not dull with repeated viewing.

Apart from the film, that has the usual subtitles and a whole host of other language options, it has the added bonus of a Theatrical Trailer, a commentary provided by Sheldon Hall, a film historian, and Robert Porter (2nd Unit Director). Finally it has The Making of Zula and Role of Honour containing an interview with Stanley Baker's wife that I found interesting and clips from the film itself.