The most over-hyped, overrated film of its generation

Rating: 1/10 (2 January 2007)

This is the film where David Lean's megalomania and pretentiousness, already evident in The Bridge on the River Kwai (a film that is just this side of bearable), spilled over into an overweening arrogance and smugness, and an unjustified belief that he can do no wrong, however absurd the casting, the story and the photography. Lean knew nothing of the Middle East and understood less. The film presents a completely false picture of it: glossy, saccharine and indeed patronising (and thus, borderline racist). The historical context is tendentious, biased and false: the centuries-old story of the Jews rebuilding their own country is barely given a supercilious nod. However great an actor Alec Guiness is, casting him as Feisal is just plain silly. Were there no actors of Middle Eastern background and appearance? He looks like an uncomfortable transplant from the East End of Charles Dickens, an Irish or Scottish princeling who took the wrong train at Holborn underground station. The notion that 'this is the best British film of all time' is as absurd as the film itself: glitziness does not equal quality. Even Lean made better films by far (for example, Great Expectations), and The Third Man is miles better, too. These films are cinematic: they understand the medium and utilise it properly. Lawrence tries to get by on sheer bombast, and fails miserably as it must.