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Day 89 (277) – Lawrence of Arabia [Review]
I recently watched Gone with the Wind, knocking off #4 on the AFI’s Top 100 Films, and so it was time to move to #5 – Lawrence of Arabia.
A quick joke for those of you that have seen it:
Why doesn’t Lawrence watch Scrubs? Turk.
Lawrence of Arabia
Lawrence of Arabia has been heralded as a masterpiece ever since its release in 1963. As I watched it now in 2007, I can see why.
The movie is yet another epic, this one at 227 minutes, and tells the story of a British soldier leading Arabic tribes during World War I. The story is quite enthralling, and the actual writing is highly intellectual, but the dialogue falls isn’t on par compared to other greats like Casablanca.
The sound (not just the music) is quite masterful and, combined with the stunning cinematography and deliberate extended scenes, make it feel like you are really there in the desert with Peter O’Toole (as Lawrence). This is something that is rare these days, as the world of special effects and CG have stolen the art away from capturing our imagination.
Perhaps the greatest aspect of the movie actually doesn’t even occur while watching it – it comes after. Because the character of Lawrence is so compelling, you find yourself thinking about his motivations and situations after the movie is over. Why did he long for the desert? What was his motivation for what he did? How did he cope with the struggle in his own mind? What’s impressive is that this entire story centers around one man (a la Citizen Kane), and still takes you on that journey.
Where the movie falls short (or not short), just like Gone with the Wind, is in its length. And I understand the long scenes regarding the desert – I’m referring more to some unnecessary scenes, and letting scenes go on too long. I also find that the last scene is lackluster (maybe that’s just by today’s standards). I would’ve liked to have seen a return to the opening scene to tie it all together (though if I really think about it, I would actually start the movie at the church, skipping the whole motorcycle scene). One suggestion – after watching the movie, go back and watch the first two scenes to really understand the greatness of this movie.
All in all, this is another great piece of cinematic history. Though it’s not as good as its predecessors on the Top 100 list, it is worthy of a view, if only to experience the journey of Lawrence of Arabia.
Acting: 9
Directing: 8
Writing: 9
Entertainment: 8
Overall: 8.5
