The Best Film Ever Made

Rating: 10/10 (19 May 2008)

David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" is about T.E Lawrence, an English Officer in the British Army who led the Arab Revolt against The Ottoman Turk Empire during The First World War.
Lawrence of Arabia is an underrated film. Despite critical acclaim, box office success and seven Oscars, rarely does it receive the stature and acclaim that it deserves; quite simply Lawrence of Arabia is the greatest film ever made. There have been many attempts since the films release in 1962 to capture the epic scale of this production. Whether it's Ridley Scotts's "Gladiator" or Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy no movie or franchise has come close to achieving this goal.
In modern epics (how hallow this word is in comparison) we are bombarded with images of armies and battles generated at the touch of a button by computers and the artists who operate them. Lawrence is different; indeed in the dark ages of 1962 it had to be so. Despite all the technological advancements in movie production why does Lawrence still stand head and shoulders above its peers? The answer is simple, because everything we see on the screen in Lawrence is real; watching two thousand men on horseback smash through the Turkish defences to take Aqaba is more powerful and awe inspiring than a bunch of pixels bouncing around a blue screen.
The screenplay of Lawrence of Arabia is, for all intents and purposes, perfect. There is not an ounce of fat on it. Every word is measured, considered and delivered with passion and professionalism by a stellar cast of some of the generation's finest actors. Peter O'Toole as T.E Lawrence gives what is arguably the greatest central performance in a movie by any actor ever. It is a performance that, in my mind at least, surpasses that of Alec Guinness's in another David Lean classic "Bridge on the River Kwai". O'Toole is magical as the English soldier caught between two worlds. The depth of his performance is staggering; he presents us with a fascinating and unlikely anti-hero. O'Toole's Lawrence is a man who is tortured by the contradictions of warfare, the hypocrisy of the British perception of the Arabs at that time and a destiny that once achieved, becomes less desirable than an ordinary life. Omar Sharif as Ali also gives a truly excellent performance as does every one of the lengthy supporting cast.
There are many films that blur the boundaries between art and cinema. Lawrence of Arabia transcends both. As a piece of entertainment it's engrossing, action packed and seamless. As a work of art it is a beautifully crafted and perfectly executed masterpiece. Savour every shot, love every minute, feel the excitement and enjoy the adventure of a lifetime.