ZULU was released 61 years ago today. Acclaimed as one of the great war movies and the film that catapulted the career of Michael Caine, the making of story is as epic as Rorke’s Drift… 1/35 - ThreadSky

alltherightmovies.com • 35 days ago

ZULU was released 61 years ago today. Acclaimed as one of the great war movies and the film that catapulted the career of Michael Caine, the making of story is as epic as Rorke’s Drift…

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alltherightmovies.com•35 days ago

In the early 1960s, experienced Hollywood writer-director Cy Endfield was looking for ideas for his next film. Coming across an article on The Battle of Rorke’s Drift by historian John Prebble, an inspired Endfield took it to his longtime collaborator, actor Stanley Baker.

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alltherightmovies.com•35 days ago

Suitably impressed, Baker agreed to come on board and Endfield and Prebble wrote a screenplay. Baker pitched the script to famed producer and movie financier Joseph E. Levine’s Embassy Pictures. Baker later said Levine had offered to back any project Baker wanted to do.

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alltherightmovies.com•35 days ago

When Levine asked what it was called, and Baker replied "Zulu", Levine reportedly said "'Zulu'! I like that title. I will back you." Levine agreed to fund Baker’s Diamond Films to produce, and the project moved into pre-production with Paramount Pictures.

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alltherightmovies.com•35 days ago

Stanley Baker had already starred in Hollywood classics so came in to play veteran officer Lieutenant John Chard. For the remainder of the cast, Endfield was keen on the idea of casting relative unknowns.

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alltherightmovies.com•35 days ago

28-year-old Michael Caine auditioned to play Pvt. Henry Hook, losing out to James Booth. Caine then auditioned for Lt. Gonville Bromhead, testing opposite Baker. Caine was wracked with nerves and Endfield later called it the worst screen test he had ever seen.

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alltherightmovies.com•35 days ago

A few months later, Caine was at a party and chatting to Joseph E. Levine. Levine said the actor who won the part of Bromhead was very ill and, if Caine could leave for filming in South Africa the next day, he had the part. Caine went straight home and packed his bags.

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