With this I’ve seen most of the BIG classics, the only other massive one I haven’t seen is Citizen Kane. For those of you that don’t know, Lawrence of Arabia tells the story of T.E. Lawrence as a conflicted solider in the MIddle East during World War 1, as he’s assigned to help the Arabian tribes to fight against the Turks, and in the middle of the desert he discovers himself.
It’s always strange when watching movies with epic reputations because sometimes they don’t quite live up to them. I enjoyed watching Lawrence of Arabia a lot but I felt that it ended quite abruptly and it almost didn’t quite feel like the end. But I did enjoy it a lot and I think it’s worth of its status. Even though it depicts a lot of military action I wouldn’t exactly call it a war film. It’s a very intimate portrayal of the complex man, who goes through so many emotions in the film. It was a great performance by Peter O’ Toole, and really if it hadn’t been then this film would have been a slog to get through. It was paced very well and the performances were compelling, and there were shocking moments at just the right time to re-engage your attention.
The score was amazing and the film looked great as well. I love desert vistas and this film has those aplenty. I also thought that everything going on in the background was easy to follow, like all the politicking. I was a little surprised when the film started off with his death, because I thought seeing how he died would have taken some tension out of the film, but actually it added another layer of depth because it’s tragic to see how the film leaves him, because we know what fate awaits him.
There’s so much complexity contained within Lawrence and the film itself is filled with passion and drama it’s definitely worth of its status as a classic. I wold probably put it in a rung just below Gone With the Wind, Casablanca and The Godfather but it’s definitely worth your time to watch.
Tagged: classic films, epic films, lawrence of arabia, movie review, peter o'toole