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Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
Released By: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment   Rating: Not Rated   In Theaters: N/A
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Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Genre: Action-Adventure
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: David Lean
Language: English
Official Website: N/A
Theatrical Release: N/A
Home Video Release: N/A
Cast: Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Claude Rains, Jack Hawkins, Omar Sharif, Peter O'Toole
Published ID: 2890
UPC: 043396058323, 043396094314, 043396015388, 043396183636, 043396256224,
Plot: This sweeping, highly literate historical epic covers the Allies' mideastern campaign during World War I as seen through the eyes of the enigmatic T. E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole, in the role that made him a star). After a prologue showing us Lawrence's ultimate fate, we flash back to Cairo in 1917. A bored general staffer, Lawrence talks his way into a transfer to Arabia. Once in the desert, he befriends Sherif Ali Ben El Kharish (Omar Sharif, making one of the most spectacular entrances in movie history) and draws up plans to aid the Arabs in their rebellion against the Turks. No one is ever able to discern Lawrence's motives in this matter: Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness) dismisses him as yet another desert-loving Englishman, and his British superiors assume that he's either arrogant or mad. Using a combination of diplomacy and bribery, Lawrence unites the rival Arab factions of Feisal and Auda Abu Tayi (Anthony Quinn). After successfully completing his mission, Lawrence becomes an unwitting pawn of the Allies, as represented by Gen. Allenby (Jack Hawkins) and Dryden (Claude Rains), who decide to keep using Lawrence to secure Arab cooperation against the Imperial Powers. While on a spying mission to Deraa, Lawrence is captured and tortured by a sadistic Turkish Bey (Jose Ferrer). In the heat of the next battle, a wild-eyed Lawrence screams No prisoners! and fights more ruthlessly than ever. Screenwriters Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson used T. E. Lawrence's own self-published memoir {-The Seven Pillars of Wisdom} as their principal source, although some of the characters are composites, and many of the historical incidents are of unconfirmed origin. Two years in the making (you can see O'Toole's weight fluctuate from scene to scene), the movie, lensed in Spain and Jordan, ended up costing a then-staggering $13 million and won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The 1962 Royal Premiere in London was virtually the last time that David Lean's director's cut was seen: 20 minutes were edited from the film's general release, and 15 more from the 1971 reissue. This abbreviated version was all that was available for public exhibition until a massive 1989 restoration, at 216 minutes that returned several of Lean's favorite scenes while removing others with which he had never been satisfied. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
IDDateTimeTitleReviewHelpfulVotesTotalVotes
LAWRENCE OF A LABIA is the anti AVATAR
Added 12/26/2009

if you've paused here to read this than you already know what i'm talking about . this film as well as AVATAR is filmaking on an epic scale . sans computers . i don't need to compare and contrast these two films . you'll either agree or not approximately a paragraph ago . LEAN was the man .
1 out of 3 people found this helpful.
I HATED This Movie Upon First Viewing It, And Now...I LOVE It. Epic Film. All-Star Cast & Exotic Locations.
Added 12/7/2009

When I first saw David Lean's "Desert Epic Masterpiece," I HATED the film, for reasons even I can't explain to myself now. I just saw this 3 hour, 46 minute movie again today, and...I LOVE it. The only way to see this movie (if not in theaters) is on the small screen...in WIDESCREEN, the way David Lean originally intended the film to be seen. And with panoramic views of the desert, Maurice Jarre's stirring score (notable for its being romantic, and yet there's no romance in the movie) and an all-star cast (including Alec Guinness, Jose Ferrer & Claude Raines), there is plenty to see and hear. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Peter O'Toole's bravura performance as T.E. Lawrence, in the role that made him a household name. O'Toole is simply handsome and completely reckless as Lawrence, as daring as the man himself, I dare say. He radiates charisma, fire and passion in every scene. Jose Ferrer is equally venomous in his cameo as Turkish Bey (he's the one who played Cyrano De Bergerac on film in 1954, and won an Academy Award for it). Omar Sharif (who would go on to greater fame as Doctor Zhivago several years later) is simply outstanding as Sherif Ali. Anthony Quayle is a firebrand as Auda Abu Tayli (please excuse me if I mis-spelled his character's name). Jack Hawkins is appropriately haughty as General Allenby (I'll always remember him as Quintus Arrius in William Wyler's epic "Ben-Hur"), Claude Raines is practical as Dryden, George Kennedy is loyal to the last as Colonel Harry Brighton and the rest of the cast and crew (especially costume designer Phyllis Dalton) did a remarkable and fantastic job on this movie. I highly recommend it. Rated PG.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
A Terrible Distortion of A Man's Life
Added 11/22/2009

I first saw "Lawrence" when I was a boy growing up in the 1960's. I assumed it was, more or less, a truthful account of a man's life. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It is a beautifyl movie, but it has very little to do with T. E. Lawrence. The screen writers had their own political agendas and basically invented most of the scenes in the movie. I mean they made major errors and omissions in the film, didn't even get the geography correct. From a historical point of view, piuece of junk. Check out this link from the T. E Lawrence Society for an accurate and objective discussion of the flim's errors.

The problem is that people will remember the fiction of the movie and not really see the reality of the man. This is a pity.

[...]

2 out of 10 people found this helpful.
A Classic film fest
Added 11/7/2009

Lawrence of Arabia is a classic film fest of 4 hrs of delight - lots of extras no CGI or other computer animation but the real thing with large scale budget and amazing locations.

"The well is everything" - "He is nothing" is a classic catch phrase from the film. A Good film which historically sets the scene for the removal of the Turks leading to Britians rule over Palestine and the re-establishmnet of Israel.

One man united Arabs tribesmen to throw of the yoke for their own land. Good camel shots and the movie is based on a true story.

Good bar scene as well from the days of British imperial / colonial / empire and a few good battles.

If you have good attention span (4hrs) and want to see a classic movie without compter animation - this is the one!

1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
Stunning visually in widescreen even on the TV
Added 10/6/2009

Even seen in a VHS "widescreen" version clocking in at 229 minutes with 2 short documentaries added at the beginning and the opening overture music(like being in the theatre), this is one of the great cinematic masterpieces of all time.
Consider especially,no CGI were used in the desert and battle scenes(computer-generated images)-please correct me if I'm wrong but it was 1961-62 in a remote location 150 miles from the nearewst town according to the short 8-min documentary.Everything was flown in by plane. Highly recommended!

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
LAWRENCE OF A LABIA is the anti AVATAR
Added 12/26/2009

if you've paused here to read this than you already know what i'm talking about . this film as well as AVATAR is filmaking on an epic scale . sans computers . i don't need to compare and contrast these two films . you'll either agree or not approximately a paragraph ago . LEAN was the man .
1 out of 3 people found this helpful.
I HATED This Movie Upon First Viewing It, And Now...I LOVE It. Epic Film. All-Star Cast & Exotic Locations.
Added 12/7/2009

When I first saw David Lean's "Desert Epic Masterpiece," I HATED the film, for reasons even I can't explain to myself now. I just saw this 3 hour, 46 minute movie again today, and...I LOVE it. The only way to see this movie (if not in theaters) is on the small screen...in WIDESCREEN, the way David Lean originally intended the film to be seen. And with panoramic views of the desert, Maurice Jarre's stirring score (notable for its being romantic, and yet there's no romance in the movie) and an all-star cast (including Alec Guinness, Jose Ferrer & Claude Raines), there is plenty to see and hear. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Peter O'Toole's bravura performance as T.E. Lawrence, in the role that made him a household name. O'Toole is simply handsome and completely reckless as Lawrence, as daring as the man himself, I dare say. He radiates charisma, fire and passion in every scene. Jose Ferrer is equally venomous in his cameo as Turkish Bey (he's the one who played Cyrano De Bergerac on film in 1954, and won an Academy Award for it). Omar Sharif (who would go on to greater fame as Doctor Zhivago several years later) is simply outstanding as Sherif Ali. Anthony Quayle is a firebrand as Auda Abu Tayli (please excuse me if I mis-spelled his character's name). Jack Hawkins is appropriately haughty as General Allenby (I'll always remember him as Quintus Arrius in William Wyler's epic "Ben-Hur"), Claude Raines is practical as Dryden, George Kennedy is loyal to the last as Colonel Harry Brighton and the rest of the cast and crew (especially costume designer Phyllis Dalton) did a remarkable and fantastic job on this movie. I highly recommend it. Rated PG.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
A Terrible Distortion of A Man's Life
Added 11/22/2009

I first saw "Lawrence" when I was a boy growing up in the 1960's. I assumed it was, more or less, a truthful account of a man's life. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It is a beautifyl movie, but it has very little to do with T. E. Lawrence. The screen writers had their own political agendas and basically invented most of the scenes in the movie. I mean they made major errors and omissions in the film, didn't even get the geography correct. From a historical point of view, piuece of junk. Check out this link from the T. E Lawrence Society for an accurate and objective discussion of the flim's errors.

The problem is that people will remember the fiction of the movie and not really see the reality of the man. This is a pity.

[...]

2 out of 10 people found this helpful.
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