| The
Review: |
Lawrence of Arabia is a film that
must be seen at least once on the biggest screen possible
to completely appreciate . Some of David Lean's and Freddie
Young's compositions are diminished even on a DVD as good
as this one. A long extended sequence occurring in the dessert
in the theater is a magnificent, exciting, exhilarating, and
unforgettable experience, yet when viewed at home the same
sequence might be seen as slow, and its beauty and excitement
diminished.. The visual impact of a wind flowing, swirling
and twisting across the baked sands of the desert, cannot
be captured by mere words. Add Maurice Jarre's memorable,
rousing orchestral score which mixes Middle Eastern elements
into the music and the scene is elevated to an even higher
impossible to describe plateau .
Lawrence of Arabia is a film whose
epic grandeur is not dated or campy and does not function
merely as a visceral roller coaster ride to please the audience--
but rather the grandeur is just one element of a complex,
layered and richly emotional cinematic masterpiece. The time
is World War 1 and the British government must stop the Turks
from gaining control of the Suez canal. The British believed
the nomadic Bedouin tribes in the region could not possibly
defend themselves or the Suez Canal against the Turks because
they were fragmented and fought with old fashioned weaponry.
They also could not be completely trusted. T.E. Lawrence (Peter
O'Toole) however believed if the Bedouin tribes could be united,
a great country with a powerful army might emerge as a result.
His knowledge however was being squandered as his military
assignment was in map-making.
This changes when Dryden (Claude
Rains), persuades Gen. Murray (Donald Wolfit) that Lawrence's
knowledge of Arab tribes should be put to use within the British
Arab Bureau. Lawrence however is terrible at playing politics,
which gets him the appointment he actually wants... a mission
to find Prince Feisel (Alec Guinness) . But Feisel is part
of the Bedouin and they are nomads who travel throughout the
large Arabian dessert. Lawrence teams up with a native guide,
learns how to ride a camel and is off to find Feisel. Lawrence,
however quickly finds himself immersed in a land of ancient
tribal feuds. His guide is an enemy of Sherif Ali Ibn El Kharish
(Omar Shariff in his first starring role). Lawrence then stumbles
across the rigid brit Col Harry Brighton who orders Lawrence
to keep quiet. Prince Feisel is not happy. The turks have
defeated his men, they have powerful guns and can bomb Feisel's
men ( who are used to fighting hand to hand and with swords)
with bi-planes. Lawrence finds himself teamed with Sherif
Ali on a suicide mission to over-throw a Turkish held port
in Aqaba.
The film is complex as several
characters motives must be understood and manipulated by a
central character, Lawrence, who remains enigmatic. Lawrence,
is brash and egotistical, but is not a man of known or deep
character. His morals and ethics seem to be in a state of
flux. As he progresses through the film he is forced to do
things that he does not understand, that are brutal beyond
what he believed he was capable of, and which emotionally
cripple and change him forever.
This is not a film that has been
overly simplified. This is an epic, but not one packed with
action. It's also a tragedy of sorts which does not end with
a victory but shows the effects or lack of effect that small
victories can have on the fate of all involved in the conflict.
As Lawrence changes, makes compromises, takes risks, makes
questionable choices, we wind up caring for this man-even
though we know little about who he really might be. We do
understand the emotional and physical pain he endures on his
quest.
The film is based on T. E. Lawrence's
own heroic, autobiographical account of his Arabian adventure,
published in "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" (originally called
Revolt in the Desert) as interpreted by first time screenwriter
Robert Bolt working with an originally uncredited blacklisted
writer Michael Wilson and director David Lean. The film originally
222 minutes long, was subsequently cut to 187 minutes and
then magnificently restored to 217 minutes in 1989 by a team
assembled by Robert Harris. Peter O'Toole in his first role
creates a character based on a real life enigma who was often
an unknown in real life even to those who knew him best. Sharif
brings a real humanity and warmth to his role, and in small
roles Anthony Quinn is mostly deliciously over-the top as
Auda Abu Tayi the somewhat hostile leader of the Howeitat.
Jack Hawkins as General Allenby sees Lawence's potential and
barely hesitates to ruthlessly make use of it. Jose Ferrer
is Turkish Bey, a sadistic torturer who gains a respect for
Lawrence as he forever changes the young idealist and Arthur
Kennedy is reporter Jackson Bentley, who creates a war-time
hero of Lawrence. Alec Guinness as Prince Feisal perfectly
portrays the once proud nomadic monarch, now suffering for
his people envisioning a bleak future. His initial meeting
with O'Toole's Lawrence is a brilliantly constructed scene.
Although his military superior considers him a disloyal "traitor,"
young Lawrence sympathizes with Feisal's views and is allowed
to speak his personal opinions in "Feisal's tent . Lawrence
tells Feisal the following: " The desert is an ocean in which
no oar is dipped. And on this ocean, the Bedouin go where
they please and strike where they please. This is the way
the Bedouin has always fought. You are famed throughout the
world for fighting in this way and this is the way you should
fight now." Which leads to this exchange. . . Feisal: Colonel
Brighton means to put my men under European officers, does
he not? Lawrence: In effect my lord, yes. Feisal: And I must
do it because the Turks have European guns. But I fear to
do it. Upon my soul I do. The English have a great hunger
for desolate places. I fear they hunger for Arabia. Lawrence:
Then you must deny it to them. Feisal: You are an Englishman.
Are you not loyal to England? Lawrence: To England, and to
other things. Feisal: To England and Arabia both? And is that
possible? (He walks up close and looks into Lawrence's eyes.)
I think you are another of these desert-loving English...No
Arab loves the desert. We love water and green trees, there
is nothing in the desert. No man needs nothing. Or is it that
you think we are something you can play with because we are
a little people? A silly people, greedy, barbarous, and cruel?
What do you know, Lieutenant. In the Arab city of Cordova,there
were two miles of public lighting in the streets when London
was a village... Lawrence: Yes, you were great. Feisal: ..nine
centuries ago... Lawrence: Time to be great again, my Lord.
Feisal: ...which is why my father made this war upon the Turks.
My father, Mr. Lawrence, not the English. Now my father is
old. And I, I long for the vanished gardens of Cordova. However,
before the gardens must come fighting. To be great again,
it seems that we need the English or... Lawrence: ...or?...
Feisal: ...what no man can provide, Mr. Lawrence. We need
a miracle!
We follow Lawrence's footprints
on the wind sweeping sand of the desert as he wanders through
the night and into the morning light, he contemplates whether
he will be the miraculous savior of the Arabs. I can not imagine
a scene like this appearing in a film made today. A scene
that offers a complexity of issues, traditions, politics and
nuances. It is punctuated not with an argument, not with a
guns a-blazin' and not with a quick cut to a riveting action
scene but to a scene where Lawrence walks into the desert.
The audience is allowed to contemplate and think about what
has just been transpired. Michael Wilson and Robert Bolt have
written several memorable masterful scenes throughout the
film.
Director Lean oversees brilliant
performances which encompass a wide variety of styles and
they work in compliment and contrast to one another seamlessly.
This is as vibrant and passionate a film as you'll likely
ever encounter. James Cameron with his crowd pleasing Titanic
barely hinted at the type of grandeur and sweep Lean accomplished
with Lawrence-a film which refused to cater to audience expectations.
As the film becomes darker and more enigmatic in its final
hour, the audience comes to realize this film is much more
authentic and emotionally truthful than any other high profile
Hollywood epic of its era. Visually and emotionally the film
is the equal to Dreyers' Passion of Joan of Arc and Orson
Welles' Citizen Kane.
JUST FOR FUN: See if you can spot
David Lean (on a motorcyle), and screenwriter Robert Bolt
as an officer smoking a pipe looking at Lawrence.
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