Having been doing this movie review thing for nearly four full years now (FYI the standard gift for a 5th anniversary is wood – start shopping now for January), I sometimes feel as though I am running out of films I really like. It is much more fun for all seven of my regular readers (readership numbers approximate) to read positive things about films, but sometimes you just have to discuss a movie you do not really love. The good news this month is that we can do both. And the perfect film to discuss is Lawrence of Arabia (1962, dir. David Lean).
As the title implies, Lawrence of Arabia tells the story of T. E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), a British soldier known more for insubordination than anything else. Lawrence is sent to aid Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness) in a Turkish revolution. In doing so, Lawrence learns some cultural differences which lead him to let that insubordinate side of him flow again in his advice to Faisal and his allies, which helps increase his stature in Arabia but raises questions of his ultimate loyalty within the British ranks. What follows is his balance of the two cultures in which he feels some sense of belonging and who are the actual good guys in this fight.
Before going any further, let me unequivocally state that Lawrence of Arabia is not just a good film – it is a great film. By any metric (winning 7 Oscars including Best Picture, being named to countless greatest films of all time lists, etc.) and by most critical reviews, it stands the test of time and towers over other films as an epic tale of stunning visuals and a larger-than-life individual. However, as my initial post (linked below if you are curious) details – I differentiate best from favorite. As the relatively high rating (71 overall) implies, it is a great film, but I do not enjoy it very much at all.
It is sometimes hard to quantify why a great film is not one I enjoy (and vice versa). In this case, perhaps I saw it before I was ready to appreciate it. Whatever age I was – definitely in my teens – I came away with two thoughts: that movie was way too long, and I am thirsty. (After all, most of it takes place in the desert.) Clearly, such reductive reviewing is not fun to read, so instead I can focus on the legacy of David Lean – who has three films routinely rated among the best ever in this film, The Bridge on the River Kwai (#27 on my list), and Doctor Zhivago (#268).
Lean is known for creating memorable shots with beautiful cinematography and building a film up to one stunning piece of action. He does that remarkably here, winning an Oscar himself for direction but also overseeing the Academy’s preferred Cinematography, Art Direction, and Film Editing. O’Toole established himself as a star here, earning the first of his eight Oscar nominations across 45 years – a stunning example of star power and longevity. The supporting performances are roundly magnificent – led most notably by Guinness and Omar Sharif as an amalgamation of several Arab leaders who served with Lawrence.
So if you have a lot of time on your hands (the film at a tight 227 minutes) and are old enough to appreciate the spectacle of a story that more or less happened (historical accuracy was not a priority in the 1960’s), then give Lawrence a shot. Just make sure you have a beverage handy.
FUN FACT – The film was banned in many Arab countries due to concerns of misrepresentation of the many Arab characters. Omar Sharif arranged for President Nasser of Egypt to see a private showing of the film, prompting him to allow the release in Egypt – where the film became a huge box office hit.
Just Watch says that Lawrence of Arabia is currently streaming on Max. It is also available for rent/purchase on Apple TV and Amazon Prime.
As a reminder, here is the original post that details the scores and weighting system.