the film was compared by baker to a western movie, with the traditional roles of the united states cavalry and native americans taken by the british and the zulus respectively. director endfield showed a western to zulu extras to demonstrate the concept of film acting and how he wanted the warriors to conduct themselves. it has been rumoured that due to the apartheid laws in south africa, none of the zulu extras could be paid for their performance and that, consequently, endfield circumvented this restriction by leaving them all the animals, primarily cattle, used in the film. this allegation is incorrect, as all of the zulu extras were paid in full – the main body of extras were paid the equivalent of nine shillings per day each, additional extras eight shillings, and the female dancers slightly less.