Classic, Epic Fillmmaking

Rating: 9/10 (29 August 2006)

I have finally sat down to watch the entirety of Lawrence of Arabia, David Lean's 1962 classic film.
Watching this film, it is easy to see how today's epic films (from Braveheart to Lord of the Rings) owes so much to David Lean's brand of storytelling. This film is a lesson in how to make an epic film. He sets the standard and shows us how it's done.
The cinematography in LoA is absolutely stunning. Shot setups are superb, and the beauty of the photography belies the fact that desert shootings represent some of the worst possible lighting conditions. And Lean really uses the scenery, the desert setting is really a character in the film. Shot choices in this film have been used in other desert films ever since, you cannot help but say "Oh, they copied this shot for Hidalgo" as you watch this film.
The action sequences are also superbly shot and exciting. Again, David Lean sets the standard for such sequences, and without all the high-tech gadgetry available today. The cavalry charge on Aqaba show real mastery on the part of the wranglers and stunt coordinators, as does the train attack. This action seems "toned down" by today's standards, but is perfect for this film: it is exciting to watch but does not distract the viewer from the story or the key characters.
For it's not all about the epic, it's really all about the characters (in this case, Peter O'Toole's T.E. Lawrence). Lean doesn't forget this film is about this character, and does a great job keeping that focus, and not getting lost in the vastness of the scenery. Clearly this is O'Toole's movie, he does a great job portraying the transformation from slightly arrogant but thought-provoking lieutenant to the fractured war hero known as Lawrence of Arabia. This is O'Toole's first major work, yet it seems he was built for the role. He does it brilliantly. Clearly he had something to prove, and prove it he did.
I only have mild criticism for this film. First of all, Alec Guinness as Arab Prince Faisal was really bad casting. Sir Guinness is one of the greatest actors of all time, but I found his performance here distracting, not embellishing. It's not one of his better performances, he seems to try to hard to be Arab, but can't hold it together.
I also found the musical cues out of place at certain times. Maurice Jarr's score is striking, and did set the tone for all desert pictures since, but not all the cues work well. Sometimes the music is overdone for no reason, and other scenes call for music where there is none. Film scores have advanced since that time, and credit should be given to a pioneer in the epic score, but it was still distracting at times.
Otherwise, this is a top-notch film, and a must-see for fans of epic film-making.
9 out of 10 Barky