My Thoughts on the Film, Lawrence of Arabia (1962), 3/29/2026…

There is a reason why Lawrence of Arabia (1962) is on my Top Ten Films Of All Time List. Hands down, it’s a masterpiece in filmmaking. The last time I viewed LOA was more than ten years ago, most likely when I purchased the DVD.

T.E. Lawrence himself was an enigma of a person. Not soldier material at all, he joined the British Army because, according to Google, “(of) his profound knowledge of the Middle East, Arab culture, and Arabic language, gained from pre-war archaeology in the region.” My guess is that it was British Army Intelligence that ultimately recruited him. Therefore, I still question Lawrence’s motivations; perhaps I’ll read up on him.

Peter O’Toole’s (My Favorite Year) outstanding performance of this icon was unquestionably human, presenting a bungling, doubtful, compassionate person, most definitely a fish-out-of-water. Death and killing severely affected him, especially when circumstances deemed such acts necessary—these events indeed took place during WWI. He questioned himself at every turn, but his actions and forbearance rendered him a leader of an incredibly tribal people. (If only such a person could rise up today).

Supporting performances were excellent as well. Omar Sharif (Dr. Zhivago), Alec Guinness (Star Wars: A New Hope), Anthony Quinn (Zorba the Greek), Jack Hawkins (Ben-Hur), and even José Ferrer (The Caine Mutiny)—who only had minutes of screen time—presented characters who were flawed but nonetheless driven.

Under David Lean’s (Bridge Over River Kwai) direction, the desert presented brutality and peace, and the characters were extensions of this conceit. Freddie Young’s (The Man In The Iron Mask) cinematography provided lingering and tracking shots that further extended the harshness and purity of the desert settings.

I will watch this film again and again. I highly, highly recommend it.