Michael Caine calls claim Zulu could inspire far-right extremism "bulls**t"
The film was flagged as potentially dangerous in a recent report.
Veteran actor Sir Michael Caine has given a firm response to a report that named his 1964 war film Zulu as one of several works that could incite far-right extremism.
The film depicts the Battle of Rorke's Drift, a real engagement in the Anglo-Zulu War, which took place in January 1879, which saw 150 British Army soldiers considerably outnumbered by a force of thousands of Zulu warriors.
Nevertheless, they were able to successfully defend a mission station, with Caine playing Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, one of several defenders to later be awarded a prestigious Victoria Cross.
A recent counter-terrorism report by the Prevent scheme claimed that Zulu – along with a number of other works including The Bridge on the River Kwai and the BBC's House of Cards – could possibly inspire believers in extreme far-right ideology.
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Caine took issue with the statement, telling The Spectator in no uncertain terms: “That is the biggest load of bulls**t I have ever heard."
In a wide-ranging discussion on the actor's career as he approaches his 90th birthday, Caine mentioned that he enjoys looking back on the films that made him a household name, adding that he has no regrets about his professional choices.
"There are no films I wish I hadn’t made. I got paid for all of them," he explained, crediting Zulu for allowing him to leave behind a career on the stage and pursue screen work full-time.
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The Spectator article notes that he had nothing more to add on the topic of Zulu being flagged as potentially dangerous.
Caine's comments follow screenwriter Andrew Davies speaking out on the original UK version of House of Cards being included in the same report.
He said (via the Daily Mail) that the choice of films and programmes "almost seems like a joke".
Davies added: "House of Cards was actually a satirical view of right-wing politics. This list includes more or less the entire classical canon of literature and some of the very best British television programmes ever made."
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
