Guns at Batasi

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

1964 1h 43m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 33

DramaWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

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

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Cast

Richard Attenborough
Regimental Sgt. Major Lauderdale
Jack Hawkins
Colonel Deal
Flora Robson
Miss Barker-Wise
John Leyton
Private Wilkes
Mia Farrow
Karen Eriksson
Cecil Parker
Fletcher
Errol John
Boniface
Graham Stark
Dodger

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Guillermin
Writers: Robert Holles, C.M. Pennington-Richards, Leo Marks
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

62 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Guillermin, shot by Douglas Slocombe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Addison. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Max Benedict shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Richard Attenborough and Jack Hawkins and Flora Robson carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Outnumbered A Hundred to One - Yet Fighting Like a Thousand Heroes in a Hell Spot Called Batasi!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0058166 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 33 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Guillermin directs. Douglas Slocombe behind the camera. John Addison scores. Max Benedict cuts. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

162 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by John Guillermin, shot by Douglas Slocombe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by John Addison. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Max Benedict shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Richard Attenborough and Jack Hawkins and Flora Robson carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Outnumbered A Hundred to One - Yet Fighting Like a Thousand Heroes in a Hell Spot Called Batasi!".
7IMDB entry: tt0058166 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 33 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Douglas Slocombe
Original score: John Addison
Editing: Max Benedict
Makeup / hair: Barbara Ritchie
Runtime: 103 min · 1h 43m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Guns at Batasi (1964)

Also by

John Guillermin

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Community reviews

What people are saying

TheVidiot2022-05-17
★ 7/10
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.

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