the film was directed by american screenwriter cy endfield and produced by stanley baker and endfield, with joseph e. levine as executive producer. the screenplay is by john prebble and endfield, based on an article by prebble, a historical writer. the film stars stanley baker and introduces michael caine, in his first major role, with a supporting cast that includes jack hawkins, ulla jacobsson, james booth, nigel green, paul daneman, glynn edwards, ivor emmanuel and patrick magee. future south african political leader mangosuthu buthelezi played zulu king cetshwayo kampande, his great-grandfather. the opening and closing narration is spoken by richard burton.