Guns at Batasi

11/16/19641h 43m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ Outnumbered A Hundred to One - Yet Fighting Like a Thousand Heroes in a Hell Spot Called Batasi! ~

Overview:

An anachronistic martinet RSM on a remote Colonial African army caught in a local coup d'etat must use his experience to defend those in his care.

Director:

John Guillermin

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

army
africa
british empire

Cast

Richard Attenborough

~ as ~

Regimental Sgt. Major Lauderdale

Jack Hawkins

~ as ~

Colonel Deal

Flora Robson

~ as ~

Miss Barker-Wise

John Leyton

~ as ~

Private Wilkes

Mia Farrow

~ as ~

Karen Eriksson

Cecil Parker

~ as ~

Fletcher

Errol John

~ as ~

Boniface

Graham Stark

~ as ~

Dodger

Earl Cameron

~ as ~

Captain Abraham

Percy Herbert

~ as ~

Parkin

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

TheVidiot
Written 3 year(s) ago
7
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.