Lawrence of Arabia – 1962 | 202mins | Drama | Colour

Plot Synopsis

David Lean‘s Lawrence of Arabia is the epic story telling of T.E. Lawrence’s autobiography Seven Pillars of Wisdom, running for three hours and forty five minutes the film is a biography of a WWI hero Lawrence of Arabia during the Allies mid-eastern campaign during World War One.

The film opens by showing us the ultimate fate of Lawrence, with his death and subsequent funeral at St. Paul’s Cathedral. We then flash back to Cairo in 1917 and meet Lieutenant Lawrence, Lawrence is requested by English diplomat Mr. Dryden (Claude Rains) to visit the Bedouins of Arabia to assess the current climate for revolt amongst the tribesmen. Once in the desert Lawrence becomes friends with Sherif Ali Ben El Kharish (Omar Sharif) and draws up plans to aid the Arabs in their rebellion against the Turks. Lawrence eventually obtains an audience with Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness), Lawrence devises a plan to unite the rival Arab factions if Feisal’s men are willing to cross the Nefud desert and to forge at least a temporary alliance with another Bedouin tribe led by Audu Abu Tayi (Anthony Quinn). The plan is then to capture the seacoast fortress of Aqaba back from the Turkish invaders by attacking from the rear.

Lawrence continues his guerrilla activities with his Arab comrades in arms and is made an international celebrity by a newspaper correspondent (Arthur Kennedy). While on a spying mission to Deraa, Lawrence is captured and tortured by a sadistic Turkish Bey (Jose Ferrer). In his next battle, a wild-eyed Lawrence fights more ruthlessly than ever. When peace is declared, Lawrence is declared a victor; but after he witnesses the chaotic, indecisive Arab peace council in Damascus, and watches as the greedy Europeans swoop down to pick up the leavings, he knows he has failed in his original dream to secure Arab independence.

Lawrence of Arabia won seven Academy Awards: best picture, director, colour cinematography, music, art direction, sound, and editing. In 1962 the film opened in London with a Royal Premiere, it was the directors cut and ran for 221 minutes before it was edited for general release – 20 minutes ending up on the cutting room floor. In 1989 the film was restored and re-edited to David Lean‘s longer length.