A Very Zulu Christmas

[OverKnight]

InsaneApache- wasnt there another more modern movie about the boer war? or rorkes drift? I forgot the name. It came out a couple years ago, I think part of the name was "feather"...

Is this what you're thinking of?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0240510/

Right continent, but more northern, it's set in Sudan.

It looked interesting when it came out, but not enough for me to go see it.

[econ21]

Right continent, but more northern, it's set in Sudan.

It looked interesting when it came out, but not enough for me to go see it.

It was so-so. A typical modern day Hollywood take on the subject - full of individual heroics, angst, anti-Imperialism and other fluff with no regard for realism or history. IIRC, they portray the Battle of Abu Klea as a great British defeat, when in fact it was a 15 minute victory, albeit of note because a square was breached.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Abu_Klea

It can't be compared to Zulu or Zulu Dawn, which were exceptionally faithful to the history.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

It was so-so. A typical modern day Hollywood take on the subject - full of individual heroics, angst, anti-Imperialism and other fluff with no regard for realism or history. IIRC, they portray the Battle of Abu Klea as a great British defeat, when in fact it was a 15 minute victory, albeit of note because a square was breached.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Abu_Klea

It can't be compared to Zulu or Zulu Dawn, which were exceptionally faithful to the history.

Yes, breached squares are very bad, they show poor dicipline. Very embaressing in the officers club.

Anyway, Zulu, yes. Brilliant.

[econ21]

Yes, breached squares are very bad, they show poor dicipline.

It's an interesting issue. A square is vulnerable at the corners, so they evolved to putting field pieces there to bolster the weak point. Sadly, at Abu Klea, the field piece jammed and the Mahdi's men bravely took advantage of that.

Wikipedia has a nice detail - when the Sudanese got into the interior of the square, they could not make progress because they were blocked by the mass of transport camels sheltering there. Someone should tell Mithrandir.

[TinCow]

I am happy to report that I will be watching Zulu this very afternoon. To ensure that it done in the proper manner, I will have with me a cup of tea, a bag of (imported) Twiglets, and a stiff upper lip.

Tally Ho Ho Ho!

[Gregoshi]

Zulu is one of only a few movies I will stop what I'm doing and sit down and watch it if I see it is on. I just never grow tired of it.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

It's an interesting issue. A square is vulnerable at the corners, so they evolved to putting field pieces there to bolster the weak point. Sadly, at Abu Klea, the field piece jammed and the Mahdi's men bravely took advantage of that.

Wikipedia has a nice detail - when the Sudanese got into the interior of the square, they could not make progress because they were blocked by the mass of transport camels sheltering there. Someone should tell Mithrandir.

Hmmm, sounds like a defence against falling dicipline. The rear two ranks should shoot anything coming at them and from a corner twice as many muskets are available.

[Gregoshi]

Hmmm, sounds like a defence against falling dicipline. The rear two ranks should shoot anything coming at them and from a corner twice as many muskets are available.

But the men were cornered...

[InsaneApache]

and they had Martinis.

[Gregoshi]

and they had Martinis.

I don't care how they were dressed.

[English assassin]

Since we are talking about the famous breaking of the square, it seems like an apposite moment for some Kipling.

WE’VE fought with many men acrost the seas,
An’ some of ’em was brave an’ some was not:
The Paythan an’ the Zulu an’ Burmese;
But the Fuzzy was the finest o’ the lot.
We never got a ha’porth’s change of ’im:
’E squatted in the scrub an’ ’ocked our ’orses,
’E cut our sentries up at Suakim,
An’ ’e played the cat an’ banjo with our forces.
So ’ere’s to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your ’ome in the Soudan;
You’re a pore benighted ’eathen but a first-class fightin’ man;
We gives you your certificate, an’ if you want it signed
We’ll come an’ ’ave a romp with you whenever you’re inclined.

We took our chanst among the Khyber ’ills,
The Boers knocked us silly at a mile,
The Burman give us Irriwaddy chills,
An’ a Zulu impi dished us up in style:
But all we ever got from such as they
Was pop to what the Fuzzy made us swaller;
We ’eld our bloomin’ own, the papers say,
But man for man the Fuzzy knocked us ’oller.
Then ’ere’s to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, an’ the missis and the kid;
Our orders was to break you, an’ of course we went an’ did.
We sloshed you with Martinis, an’ it wasn’t ’ardly fair;
But for all the odds agin’ you, Fuzzy-Wuz, you broke the square.

’E ’asn’t got no papers of ’is own,
’E ’asn’t got no medals nor rewards,
So we must certify the skill ’e’s shown
In usin’ of ’is long two-’anded swords:
When ’e’s ’oppin’ in an’ out among the bush
With ’is coffin-’eaded shield an’ shovel-spear,
An ’appy day with Fuzzy on the rush
Will last an ’ealthy Tommy for a year.
So ’ere’s to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, an’ your friends which are no more,
If we ’adn’t lost some messmates we would ’elp you to deplore;
But give an’ take’s the gospel, an’ we’ll call the bargain fair,
For if you ’ave lost more than us, you crumpled up the square!

’E rushes at the smoke when we let drive,
An’, before we know, ’e’s ’ackin’ at our ’ead;
’E’s all ’ot sand an’ ginger when alive,
An’ ’e’s generally shammin’ when ’e’s dead.
’E’s a daisy, ’e’s a ducky, ’e’s a lamb!
’E’s a injia-rubber idiot on the spree,
’E’s the on’y thing that doesn’t give a damn
For a Regiment o’ British Infantree!
So ’ere’s to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your ’ome in the Soudan;
You’re a pore benighted ’eathen but a first-class fightin’ man;
An’ ’ere’s to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, with your ’ayrick ’ead of ’air—
You big black boundin’ beggar—for you broke a British square!

[Vladimir]

Do you have an English translation? My French is horrible.