Richard Attenborough

Jack Hawkins

Flora Robson

John Leyton

Mia Farrow

Cecil Parker

Errol John

Graham Stark

Earl Cameron

Percy Herbert

David Lodge

Bernard Horsfall

John Meillon

Horace James

Patrick Holt

Alan Browning

Richard Bidlake

Joe Layode

Ric Hutton

Thomas Baptiste

John Ashley Hamilton

Louis Mahoney

Bloke Modisane

Benny Nightingale

Frank Singuineau

John Guillermin

Barbara Ritchie

John McCorry

John Addison

Diana Hawkins

Robert Holles

Leo Marks

Marshall Pugh

C.M. Pennington-Richards

George H. Brown

Douglas Slocombe

Max Benedict

Stuart Lyons

Maurice Carter

Stuart Freeborn

David W. Orton

Don Deacon

Drama

Guns at Batasi

20th Century Fox

George H. Brown Productions

United Kingdom

After watching ZULU for the umpteenth time I was in the mood for another tale of British soldiers under siege in a foreign land and stumbled across a recommendation for GUNS AT BATASI, a B&W film I had not previously heard of.

Pinewood studios fills in for an unnamed African nation recently granted independence by Britain. A British military presence remains at the base for the 2nd Battalion African Rifles at Batasi, commanded by Colonel Deal (Jack Hawkins ZULU). The Brits are to provide training and assistance to the new government. During an up swell of protests breaking out, military command of the base is transferred to the Africans, led by Captain Abraham (Earl Cameron REVELATION). However, many of the African soldiers, led by Lieut. Boniface (Errol John SHEENA), are sympathetic to the protesters and stage a coup at the military base in the name of the populist rebels. Abraham is taken captive.

Unaware of the events taking place outside the Sergeants' mess, Regimental Sergeant Major Lauderdale (Richard Attenborough) prepares the mess and readies the NCOs for a visit by the British MP Miss Barker-Wise (Flora Robson BLACK NARCISSUS). Lauderdale is a throw back to another era, one when the British empire was ascending rather than declining. He is a man of rules and regulations, with a neatly twirled mustache and spotless uniform who will regale anyone about the glory days of serving in India. His by the book routine and attitude are tested when a private Wilkes (John Leyton SCHIZO) and the pretty U.N. worker Karen Eriksson (Mia Farrow ROSEMARY'S BABY) arrive at the mess unable to leave the country due to the airport being closed down. Matters are greatly complicated when the coup leader Boniface orders his men to surround the mess. Lauderdale takes the action as a personal affront and mounts a defense to maintain what little is left of the Empire.

Based on the novel THE SIEGE OF BATTERSEA by Robert Holles, this John Guillermin (KING KONG) film is not an action adventure like ZULU as I was expecting. There is little in the way of fighting, it's a political drama and character study. The cast does an exceptional job with the NCOs played by a solid group of English and Australian actors including Bernard Horsfall (BRAVEHEART), David Lodge (EDGE OF SANITY), Percy Herbert (ISLAND OF THE BURNING DAMNED) and John Meillon (WALKABOUT). But it is Attenborough's performance as the too tight, not all what he seems at first Sergeant that makes this film. Not once did I see the actor, it was always the character. A brilliant performance by a man who will probably be best remembered from JURASSIC PARK instead of this film or his equally riveting performance in SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON and many other films.

English

Guns at Batasi ≣ 1964 ≣ Trailer

Guns at Batasi (1964) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]