lawrence

Few directors, if any, of the modern cinema have been able to accomplish what David Lean did in
the deserts of Egypt in the early sixties when he filmed what is arguably the greatest cinematic epic
ever constructed, "Lawrence of Arabia." The entire production was a battle of wills between
director Lean and the elements themselves.

Sandstorms abounded in the deserts outside of Cairo, the film literally melted in the cameras at
times, and when a take was ruined, the act of having to sweep away all the fresh footprints for
miles on all sides to restore the “virgin sand” for the next take was grueling. However, David Lean
survived it all with the fervor of a zealot and created a film that has stood the test of time. With
dynamic performances from Peter O’Toole (as Lawrence), Omar Sharif, Anthony Quinn, and
Claude Raines, the story of Lawrence comes to life with boundless energy, passion, and grandeur.

The story, for the three of you out there who may have not seen the film, is simply (and yet not so
simply) the story of T.E. Lawrence. A British officer in Cairo during World War I, Lawrence is sent
on a mission into the deserts of Arabia to find one Prince Feisal. His journey becomes much more
as he braves harsh deserts, militant Turks, and the instability of the Arab tribes. What started as a
search and find task quickly becomes an organized guerrilla campaign against the Turkish army
and Lawrence’s obsession with uniting the tribes of Arabia.

The film is an oddly prophetic look at the future of our relationship with the Middle East and the
reasons behind many of the inter-Arabic conflicts today. No one in “Lawrence of Arabia” becomes
a hero, no race or religion comes out superior to another. The film will stand the test of time for
that very fact while scores of others will and have fallen into obscurity (e.g., “Birth of a Nation”).

Put simply, “Lawrence of Arabia” is brilliant and it is a miracle that it was ever made. Nothing of its
ilk will ever be accomplished again without the digital trickery at our disposal today. That is the film’
s prime mastery, the fact that every shot and scene is one hundred percent real, without any
optical effects or digital illusions.

Much of the film’s grandeur and tone is in the jaw-dropping vistas of the landscapes. David Lean’s
treatment of “trek scenes” with the heroic wide shots of the desert and Middle Eastern cities have
been copied by filmmakers ever since.

O’Toole is at the top of his game, and he was robbed of his Oscar nomination for this role. Sharif,
Quinn, and Alec Guinness add an incredible amount of depth to Lean’s dramatic palette. All of the
performances are astounding and border on mythic in scale.

"Lawrence of Arabia" is an unsurpassed adventure that quests through dangerous landscapes
with a sense of heroism and nobility. If you have not seen this film, I highly encourage you to go
rent it and see it immediately. You will not be able to take your eyes off this masterpiece. It is truly
one of the few perfect films.