Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Note:       This review contains spoilers!

            All screen shots are the sole property of Columbia Tristar.

Director – David Lean

Starring – Peter O’Toole, Omar Sharif, Alec Guinness

Running time – 218 minutes

Distinctions – IMDB’s Top 250: No. 28, AFI’s Top 100: No. 5, Best Picture Oscar 1963

Sometimes it is difficult to find three great scenes in a great movie. On other occasions one is spoilt for choice and struggles to narrow the selection down to just three. Lawrence of Arabia is an example of the latter. Over to The Guru...

Synopsis

Lawrence of Arabia is the true story of TE Lawrence (Peter O’ Toole), a British officer during World War I. The movie is based on his book, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, detailing his time in Arabia. At the time of World War I, the Turkish Empire controlled Arabia. Lawrence played an important part in the Arabian revolt against Turkish rule.

The movie begins with Lawrence in Cairo. He is soon sent to join the Arab army under Prince Faisel (Alec Guinness) on a fact-finding mission. However, he exceeds his mandate and leads a daring raid on the strategic town of Aqaba. The Arab revolt then starts to gain momentum and eventually capture Damascus. Lawrence attempts to retain control over Damascus for the Arabs but tribal squabbles make effective administration of the city impossible.

Disillusioned and riddled with guilt for the blood he has spilled, he returns to England.

Great Scene 1 : “He was nothing. The well is everything.” (Disc 1 – 00:25:35 to 00:33:28)

While travelling to Prince Faisel, Lawrence and his guide stop at a well. After a while, the guide notices something in the distance. At first all we can see is dust on the horizon beyond a mirage. A figure magnificently clad in black and riding a camel emerges from the dust. He slowly draws nearer. The guide eventually recognises the stranger and grabs the pistol that Lawrence had given him earlier. He raises the gun to shoot but is shot first by the stranger. The stranger introduces himself to Lawrence as Sharif Ali (Omar Sharif) of the Harif.

Sharif Ali’s entrance could well be the greatest in cinema history. David Lean showed incredible nerve in holding the shot for so long. To us (and surely Lawrence!) it takes a virtual eternity for the distant figure to become recognisable. During this time, questions are racing through the viewer’s head: Who is this man? What does he want? Is he friend or foe? In fact, it is surprising to learn that Lean considered making the entrance scene even longer.

In this entrance, Sharif Ali is elevated, even before we officially meet him, from a man to an almost mythical figure.

Sharif Ali’s killing of the guide shocks Lawrence. This scene illustrates that, as indicated in Cairo, Lawrence doesn’t fit in to the British army culture, he is not yet able to find a home amongst the Arabs either. The extent to which he grows to become “almost an Arab” (according to Prince Faisel in a later scene) stands in contrast to this early encounter with the Arabs.

This scene also serves to show us the high level of tribal rivalry and mistrust within the Arab world at the time. This tribalism will later scupper Lawrence’s hopes for an independent Arabia.

Great Scene 2 : “Nothing is written.” (Disc 1 – 01:10:10 to 01:15:53)

While crossing the Nafud Desert, one of Lawrence’s men, Gasim, falls off his camel. The rest of the group only notice this the following morning just as they are about to complete their journey across the desert. Sharif Ali insists that the group cannot risk going back to save Gasim as they are in desperate need of water. The Arabs feel that “it is written” that Gasim’s dies and no action they can take can save him. Lawrence insists on turning back to search for Gasim and is accused of arrogance and blasphemy by Sharif Ali.

The first shot of this scene is similar to the famous transition in Cairo where Lawrence blows out a match and Lean immediately cuts to a desert sunrise. Lawrence’s last words prior to the cut are “It’s going to be fun.” The first shot of this scene is also a desert sunrise and also shot from a low angle. But this is probably not what Lawrence had in mind when he said it was going to be fun!

The scene consists mainly of cuts between Gasim, walking across the Nafud and one of Lawrence’s loyal servants who is waiting for him at the edge of the Nafud. We don’t see Lawrence at all and so start asking ourselves where he is and how close to Gasim he is. This serves to increase the tension and the drama of the rescue.

We eventually do see Lawrence returning triumphantly with Gasim. Lawrence boldly proclaims, “Nothing is written.” It is from this point that the Arabs start to develop a rather elevated view of Lawrence and Lawrence starts to develop a rather elevated view of himself.

This scene should be considered together with the scene from Disc 1 – 01:39:00 to 01:42:29. In this scene, Lawrence is forced to execute one of the Harif who has killed one of the Howeitat. The Harif in question turns out to be Gasim. Despite Sharif Ali’s argument to the contrary, Lawrence is forced to consider whether Gasim’s death was written after all. And perhaps it then follows that Lawrence is not completely in control of his own destiny after all.

Great Scene 3 : “No prisoners!” (Disc 2 – 00:56:00 to 01:03:50)

This scene comes just after Lawrence has returned to the Arab army. Lawrence has left the Arabs and returned to Cairo after being captured, tortured and humiliated by the Turks. Prior to his capture, Lawrence believed himself to be extraordinary and invincible. His experience with the Turks was a massive fall from a dizzy height.

Upon Lawrence’s return, the journalist, Bentley, notes that Lawrence has changed a lot. Lawrence surrounds himself with violent men who he describes as his bodyguards. Sharif Ali objects saying that these are “not normal men” but the now paranoid Lawrence insists that they are necessary.

The Arab army is on their way to Damascus. Lawrence hopes to arrive in Damascus before the British army so that the Arabs can keep control of Damascus themselves and then achieve independence. Yet, in this scene he jeopardises that goal by delaying the march to Damascus by attacking a retreating Turkish column that he could have avoided.

Lawrence is a man struggling to control his blood lust. There was a hint of this blood lust earlier in the movie, when he admitted to General Allenby that he had enjoyed killing Gasim. He is torn between attacking the ragged and helpless Turks and continuing the march to Damascus. Sharif Ali, the angel on his left shoulder, tries to persuade Lawrence to go around the Turks while Lawrence’s bodyguards, like devils on right shoulder, tempt him into attacking. Lawrence chooses revenge.

What follows is a spectacular and intense battle scene. The Turks are, by and large, slaughtered. The scene is full of cruelty and brutality. It is a chaotic scene but in the middle of the battle, Lawrence is calm and deadly. It is clear that he is enjoying killing the Turkish soldiers. The battle ends with a shot of an exhausted Lawrence, covered in blood. Sharif Ali, who was loyal to Lawrence even during this battle, appears behind him and seems to be a physical manifestation of Lawrence’s conscience. And yet, during Great Scene 1, Lawrence regarded Sharif Ali as cruel and barbarous.

Earlier in the movie, Bentley interviewed Prince Faisel and said, “I understand that Major Lawrence has an absolute horror of blood shed.” Prince Faisel responds, “Yes, with Major Lawrence, mercy is a passion. With me it is merely good manners. You may decide for yourself which motive is the more reliable.” One can only wonder whether Lawrence avoided bloodshed because he was truly merciful or because he was terrified that he may give into the violent tendencies within him that he tried so hard to hide.