There's a Zulu On My Stoep
There's a Zulu On My Stoep, known as Yankee Zulu outside South Africa, is a 1993 South African comedy film by the comedy filmmaker Gray Hofmeyr starring Leon Schuster and John Matshikiza. It has received considerable popularity and a cult status in South Africa and Eastern Europe.
| There's a Zulu On My Stoep | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Gray Hofmeyr |
| Written by | Leon Schuster Gray Hofmeyr |
| Starring | Leon Schuster John Matshikiza Wilson Dunster Terri Treas Michelle Barnes Peter Hugo |
Release date | 1993 |
| Country | South Africa |
| Language | English |
Plot
In Apartheid South Africa, white boy Rhino Labuschagne and Zulu Mashebela were best friends until Rhino, pressured by his American girlfriend, Rowena, shoots a can off Zulu's head, abruptly ending their friendship. 25 years later, Zulu has become a car thief in New York, picking up an American accent but not forgetting his roots as "the champion mud slinger of the world". The prison's warden gets Zulu deported back to Africa by the Threatened Immigrants Right-wing Defence, or TIRD.
TIRD is a fascist organization run by a German named Gen. "Diehard" who is now dating the glamorous Rowena. Rhino has become a game farmer with a black daughter named Tinkie. Rhino is losing money due to his ex-wife Rowena's divorce settlement. Diehard personally transports Zulu, who easily escapes with Diehard's winning lottery ticket. Zulu by chance reunites with Rhino and they head to Sun City and split the jackpot fifty-fifty. In Sun City, Tinkie befriends Prince William, son of Prince Charles of the United Kingdom. Rhino manages to win R500 000. They are then relentlessly pursued by Diehard and Rowena, but get a make-up artist, Antonio to make Zulu into a white, neo-Nazi TIRD, Baron von Mauchausen-Klarks, and Rhino into a black manservant named Moses. Zulu cannot resist going to Rowena's TIRD party in order to pickpocket.
At the party, Diehard and Rowena recognize them after some slapstick antics, but Zulu sets off Diehard's intricate security system. They try to flee but are captured by Rowena. Zulu gives Rowena one half of the jackpot cheque, but Rhino has given the other to Tinkie, who has fled. The duo are imprisoned and they settle their differences by re-enacting the tincan incident, only vice versa. Diehard and Rowena take the two to a cliff called "Crocodile Gorge" and put them on a plank supported by an elephant.
Tinkie and Prince William use booby traps to defeat Rowena and severely injure Diehard. Rhino reveals to Zulu that he is Tinkie's biological father from Thandi, Zulu's late childhood friend. Rhino then tells Zulu that he legally adopted Tinkie after Thandi died. The two talk the elephant into setting them free. The psychotic Diehard tries to execute Tinkie on a cliff, but Zulu uses his mud throwing skill to knock-out Diehard, sending him plunging off the cliff to his apparent death.
Zulu, Rhino and Tinkie then reunite while William heads off back to his father. In an epilogue, Diehard is seen climbing out of a river muttering "they do not call me 'Diehard' for nothing!". His elephant then sits on him apparently squashing him to death.
Cast
- Leon Schuster as Rhino Labuschagne
- John Matshikiza as Zulu Mashabela
- Wilson Dunster as Gen. "Diehard"
- Terri Treas as Rowena Labuschagne
- Michelle Bowes as Tienkie Labuschagne
- Peter Hugo as Prince Charles
- Skye Svorinic as Prince William
- Ruan Mandelstam as Young Rhino
- Bobo Seritsani as Young Zulu
- Marie Van Deventer as Young Rowena
- Sue Pam-Grant as Brigette
- Lillian Dube as Rosie