in 1879, a communiqué from lord chelmsford to the secretary of state for war in london (voice-over narration by richard burton) details the crushing defeat of a british force at the hands of the zulus at the battle of isandlwana. in the aftermath of the battle, the victorious zulus walk amongst the scattered bodies of dead british soldiers and gather their rifles. at a mass zulu marriage ceremony witnessed by missionary otto witt (jack hawkins) and his daughter (ulla jacobsson), zulu king cetewayo (chief mangosuthu buthelezi) is also informed of the great victory.