Enigma in the desert

Rating: 9/10 (25 May 2010)

The film based on T E Lawrence book the seven pillars of wisdom,directed by David Lean,takes epic cinema to a new high seldom matched and not beaten yet.The cinematography is superb,you feel like you are transported back in time to 1917 in the Arabuian desert.Peter O toole is excellent in the lead role,in all my years watching the movie I've got to say this is the near perfect cast.Alec Guiness as the arab prince,calm,cool and calculating,Claude Raines,as a diplomat,Arthur Kennedy at his very best as a newspaper man who creates the mtyh Lawrence of Arabia.Anthony Quinn is outstanding as the the arab leader Audu and Jack Hawkins is good as Allenby.The scenes that stand out are the introduction of Omar Shariff in the simmering desert,the attack on Aquaba,the searing heat of the desert,the massacre of Turkish troops,there are lots of great scenes for the discerning viewer to watch again and a again.The film was cut for running time soon after its premiere,but was added years later and this is the version to watch.The film influenced Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorrsse.This film needs to be watched on the biggest TV available,a treat for the eyes and the brain.