Good, but overrated

Rating: Null/10 (17 February 1999)

I'll give Lawrence of Arabia one thing. It's one of the only three and a half hour movies that held my attention for the whole time (The Deer Hunter and The Godfather also held my interest). The cinematography is outstanding and the plot is much better than average. However, I cannot rank this movie among the top few (Citizen Kane, The Godfather, A Clockwork Orange). It's top 100 caliber, but it's not one of the greatest. The fact is, I've seen better. This is not a movie that made me think. The scenery was not a substitute for the lack of a great plot. Also, Lean was too obsessed with the majesty of the desert. I grew tired by the end of the film of the constant riding back and forth across it. I found myself saying, "Oh God! There they go again! Back across the desert with that infernal music playing!" The music and the landscape never changed, so why make the movie THAT LONG?! It could've been shorter and then the cinematography would've been considered even better because it might not have gotten so monotonous. I'd still give Lawrence an 8 out of 10.
One last thing- How did this completely British film make it into the AFI's 100 Greatest American movies??