Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Lawrence of Arabia is a British epic biopic movie debuted in 1962. Despite a running time of four hours, minimal dialogue, sparse action and no women, it manages to remain in the AFI’s top ten. This is somewhat understandable for no reason other than the spectacular shots of the desert and multimillion dollar images. Without any previous knowledge of T.E. Lawrence, it was interesting to watch the story with an appreciation that a British man actually did this.

            One of the most memorable scenes in the movie was toward the beginning when Lawrence notices a man had fallen off his camel. Despite warnings that it was a suicide mission, he sets off to help the man, as if to prove that “nothing is written.” It seems hopeless, the desert is portrayed as it is: unforgiving and brutal. Watching these men on camels cross the desert gives me a familiar hopeless feeling. Watching films that include wide shots of the ocean, or the film Gravity which takes place in outer space. It makes humans seem so small and powerless. When the dot of a person emerges, it’s a miracle.

            Peter O’Toole did a fabulous job portraying T.E. Lawrence. He was perfectly eccentric and strange. He developed nicely with the story line to match the man’s maturity. At the start of the movie, he was just a goofy guy following orders. But once he was in the desert, he became a new man. We watched as he began to lose himself. Killing became easier for him. The desert swallowed him whole.

            It was a shame that I did not see the film on the big screen and I think this negatively affected my view of it. To be able to fully appreciate the beautiful cinematography, I needed to feel submerged in the desert. Watching it on a television didn’t produce this feeling.  I would definitely recommend watching this movie on the big screen.

            However, while I can appreciate the beauty factor, I cannot fathom why this qualifies it for the top ten. It should be talked about and praised for its stunning scenes. But knowing that the AFI lists this in the top ten makes me understand the list differently. Lawrence of Arabia is an experience not quite matched by any other movie. The four hours really makes it feel like you’re on the journey along with the Arabs. Historical and beautiful, it truly is the “epic of all epics.”