Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
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A sprawling epic follows the life and experiences of T. E. Lawrence during the First World War in the Ottoman provinces.
The story
During the First World War, Lawrence is a misfit lieutenant in the British Army, notable for his effrontery and education. He is sent to meet with Colonel Harry Brighton, who advises Prince Feisal in his revolt against the Turks. Lawrence becomes involved in the Arab National Council and leads various military actions, including the attack on the port of Aqaba. Amidst the tensions between the British and the Arabs, Lawrence must navigate his identity and his divided allegiances while attempting to secure an independent future for his comrades in the desert.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
T. E. Lawrence, a misfit lieutenant in the British Army, is tasked with assisting Prince Feisal's revolt against the Turks during World War I. The film follows his military campaigns in the Ottoman provinces of Hejaz and Syria, specifically his strategic attacks on Aqaba and Damascus. Lawrence navigates complex relationships with figures like the warrior Sherif Ali and the local leader Auda Abu Tayi, while dealing with the conflicting interests of the British government. He becomes a celebrated figure in the American media, even as he faces the harsh realities of war and the complexities of the Sykes-Picot Agreement. After the successful capture of Damascus, Lawrence faces the reality of the political fallout, where the dream of an independent Arab state is compromised by British interests. The film concludes with Lawrence's return to the British Army, leaving behind the desert and his role in the Arab revolt.
- First release year
- 1962
- Runtime (minutes)
- 222
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David Lean
- Writers
- Robert Bolt · screenplay; Michael Wilson · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Peter O'Toole · T. E. Lawrence; Alec Guinness · Prince Faisal; Jack Hawkins · General Edmund Allenby; Anthony Quinn · Auda Abu Tayi; Omar Sharif · Sherif Ali ibn el Kharish; Anthony Quayle · Colonel Harry Brighton; Claude Rains · Mr Dryden; Arthur Kennedy · Jackson Bentley
- Genres
- biographical drama; epic; war
- Themes
- identity; war; allegiance
- Tone and mood
- epic; dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; war; historical
- Source material / true-story basis
- T. E. Lawrence and his 1926 book Seven Pillars of Wisdom (also known as Revolt in the Desert)
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- Widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, it received critical acclaim for its scale, performances, and cinematography, and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 93% · scale: 100% · review count: 132
- Awards and nominations
- Oscar · Best Picture · win; Oscar · Best Director · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Drama · win
- Production trivia
- It is the longest film to win a Best Picture Oscar.; The film features no female speaking roles.; The score was composed by Maurice Jarre in just six weeks.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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