On Saturday 26 February, a new exhibition dedicated to the film Zulu opens at Firing Line: Cardiff Castle Museum of the Welsh Soldier.
The film was first released in 1964, was produced by Joseph E. Levine, directed by Cy Endfield and starred Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson and Michael Caine. It tells the story of the heroic defence of Rorke’s Drift by a Welsh regiment against an onslaught of thousands of Zulu warriors – a battle in which the most ever Victoria Crosses in British military history were awarded to a regiment in a single conflict.
The exhibition will include many rare items, seen in public for the first time, including an extremely rare set of storyboard sketches, script, unpublished photographs taken by the director on the set in Natal, South Africa, Chief Cetewayo’s shield and assegais used in the production, as well as other props, costume, production notes, posters and images from around the world, original shooting schedule, studio contracts, censorship notes and much more.
Henry Coleman, the exhibition organiser, explained: “Contributions to the exhibition have come from cast, crew and private collectors, all of whom have been extremely generous in providing not only original material but also many rare and unique items.
The storyboards were rediscovered in Natal in 2009 – prior to this we didn’t think they even existed.”
Councillor Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture said: “The regiment portrayed in the film Zulu became the South Wales Borderers, then the Royal Welsh. It is this regiment and 1st The Queens’ Dragoon Guards that the Firing Line Museum represents and examples of the Victoria Crosses awarded are on display here. The Council is therefore delighted to see the exhibition on display at such an appropriate venue before it travels to South Africa later this year.”
Christopher Dale, Director of Firing Line added: “The exhibition debunks some of the myths the film portrays about the battle. Whilst the film is a stylised portrayal of the defence of Rorke’s Drift it does capture the essence of the bravery of the troops so overwhelmingly outnumbered.”
The exhibition will be on display for Cardiff Castle visitors in the Firing Line Museum until 26 June 2011.
