Lawrence of Arabia Review

Lawrence of Arabia


Release Date: 1st November 1963 - Australia


Production Companies

Columbia Pictures

Horizon Pictures

Distribution
Sony Pictures Australia

Genre: Drama

Rating: M

Runtime: 218 minutes

Budget: $15,000,000

Box Office Gross: $70,886,730 

(Worldwide - figure subject to change)

Plot Summary

An inordinately complex
man who has been labeled
everything from hero, to
charlatan, to sadist, Thomas
Edward Lawrence blazed
his way to glory in the

Arabian desert, then sought

anonymity as a common
solider under an assumed
name. The story opens with
the death of Lawrence in a
motorcycle accident in
Dorset at the age of 46,
then flashbacks to recount
his adventures: as a young
intelligence officer in Cairo

in 1916, he is given leave to

investigate the progress of
the Arab revolt against the
Turks in World War I. In
the desert, he organizes a
guerrilla army and for two
years he leads the Arabs in
harassing the Turks with
desert raids, train-wrecking
and camel attacks. 

Eventually, he leads his 

army northward and helps 

a British General destroy 

the power of the Ottoman 

Empire.

Cast

Peter O'Toole - T.E. Lawrence

Alec Guinness - Prince Feisal

Anthony Quinn - Auda Abu Tayi

Jack Hawkins - General Allenby

Omar Sharif - Sheriff Ali

Jose Ferrer - Turkish Bey

Anthony Quayle - Colonel Brighton

Claude Rains - Mr. Dryden

Arthur Kennedy - Jackson Bentley

Donald Wolfit - General Murray
I.S. Johar - Gasim
Gamil Ratib - Majid
Michel Ray - Farraj
John Dimech - Daud
Zia Mohyeddin - Tafas

Crew

Producer (Uncredited)/Director - David Lean

Based on Writings - T.E. Lawrence

Screenplay - Robert Bolt & Michael Wilson

Producers - Sam Spiegel, Jim Painten

(1989 Restoration) & Robert A. Harris

(1989 Reconstruction & Restoration)

Production Designer - John Box

Property Master - Eddie Fowlie

Costume Designer - Phyllis Dalton

Director of Photography - Freddie Young

Editor/Editorial Consultant (1989 Restoration) -
Anne V. Coates

Music - Maurice Jarre


Awards

1963 Academy Awards
Best Picture - Sam Spiegel (Won)
Best Director - David Lean (Won)
Best Cinematography, Color - Freddie Young (Won)
Best Art Direction-Set Decoration - John Box,
John Stoll and Dario Simoni (Won)
Best Sound - John Cox
Best Film Editing - Anne V. Coates (Won)
Best Music, Score - Substantially Original -
Maurice Jarre (Won)
-------------------------
Best Actor in a Leading Role - Peter O'Toole
(Nominated)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Omar Sharif
(Nominated)
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material
from Another Medium - Robert Bolt and
Michael Wilson (Nominated)

Review

Despite being the longest movie to win an Oscar for Best Picture, 'LAWRENCE OF ARABIA' is sure to be a historical epic and is all thanks to director David Lean who made a masterpiece out of greatness. I praise the perfectly crafted acting talents of Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif and Alec Guinness, the classy script and even the brilliant music score by Maurice Jarre.

The movie helped to influence film directors such as George Lucas and Steven Spielberg to imitate its visual style. 'LAWRENCE' is such an incredible if not a splendid and good movie. This review is a tribute to my grandfather who passed away recently and was a huge fan of this epic masterpiece.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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