Memorable Visuals, Sound & Acting, Yet It Peters Out

Rating: 8/10 (17 June 2006)

I'm doing this review despite not having seen the movie in a number of years but what I remember best is some fantastic desert cinematography from the point when "Lawrence" (Peter O'Toole) arrives in the desert until about the last third of this 3-and-half-hour film. There are just numerous spectacular desert scenes and, of course, this was a must to be seen in widescreen. Fortunately, that has been available for many years, even on VHS. Between the direction of David Lean and the photography of Freddie Young, this is a fabulous visual treat, one to be treasured.
Unfortunately, the story as well as the great visuals, seem to dissipate in the last hour-plus of the movie. It just kind of peters out, like Lawrence's desert campaign.
The acting is superb with the possible exception of Anthony Quinn, who overacts. Two of the all-time greats - Alec Guiness and Omar Sharif - also added life to this monumental epic story. This was O'Toole's first role, too, and probably his most famous and some think his best. After this film and for a short period afterwords, O'Toole was looked upon as the premier actor in the business.
For a film this long and with such little action, it's amazing it entertains as well as it does. For those who need some pretty women to aid in the story, forget it: in fact, there are NO women that I can remember. It gets by with the cinematography, O'Toole intense acting portraying a real-life vain, courageous, stubborn and obsessed Englishman trying to unite the Arabs to fight the Turks.
Another very memorable and impressive aspect of this movie was the soundtrack. Is it my imagination or were soundtracks (like this one) more important and remembered better than movies in the last quarter of a decade? The main theme song is played throughout the film and I still remember it 44 years later.