The 'best British war film' of all time is 'historical masterpiece' and streaming for free

An epic 138-minute-long war film has been voted the "best British war film" of all time, and it is streaming free on two platforms. Think Defence gave Zulu the honour, a film that fans hail for its historical accuracy.

Zulu is a 1964 British epic historical drama film that follows the 1879 Battle of Rorke's Drift between a detachment of the British Army and the Zulu, during the Anglo-Zulu War. The film stars Stanley Baker and introduces Michael Caine in his first major role, with a supporting cast including Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Nigel Green, Paul Daneman, Glynn Edwards, Ivor Emmanuel, and Patrick Magee. Zulu chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi (a future South African political leader) played Zulu King Cetshwayo kaMpande, his great-grandfather. Richard Burton provided narration for the opening and closing sections of the film.

The film's synopsis reads: "In 1879, the Zulu nation hands colonial British forces a resounding defeat in battle. A nearby regiment of the British Army takes over a station run by a missionary (Jack Hawkins) and his daughter (Ulla Jacobsson) as a supply depot and hospital under the command of Lieutenant John Chard (Stanley Baker) and his subordinate Gonville Bromhead (Michael Caine). Unable to abandon their wounded soldiers even in dire circumstances, the regiment defend their station against the Zulu warriors."

The film was directed and co-written by American screenwriter Cy Endfield, who had moved to the United Kingdom in 1951 for work after being blacklisted in Hollywood. It was produced by Stanley Baker and Endfield, alongside Joseph E. Levine as executive producer. The screenplay was by Endfield and historical writer John Prebble, and based on Prebble's 1958 Lilliput article "Slaughter in the Sun".

Zulu has an impressive 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. One fan described it as a "historical masterpiece", adding "historical masterpiece that tires to be authentic and doesn't try to be biased when it comes to warfare. It simply shows soldiers trying to survive it is a movie for anybody who is interested in the past with an unbiased view."

Another viewer hailed Caine's performance, stating: "This is my favorite movie of all time. And "Introducing Michael Caine"! Fantastic recreation of an historical event. Natal Province is beautifully filmed. Anti-colonial and even anti-war, dare I say. But fantastic action and character development. Men behaving well under unbearable strain, for a change..."

"One of the best films ever made," added a third.

Zulu is available to stream for free on Plex and ITVX.