Who are you, Lawrence?

Rating: 9/10 (26 August 2001)

It is wonderful to learn from the DVD of the movie that it was David Lean, assuming the voice of the motorcyclist, who shouted across the Suez Canal to Lawrence those significant words "Who are you?" How appropriate!! The director asking the question to his protagonist. What is fiction, what is history?
Watching the movie some 25 years after I saw it the first time, one begins to wonder if the real T E Lawrence will ever stand up. In the movie, in his writings "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom", Lawrence will remain an enigma both to the West and the Arabs.
The "real" David Lean does stand up. He is a great director of epics and Lawrence, Doctor Zhivago, and Ryan's Daughter are his three best films, followed by Bridge on the River Kwai, which unfortunately does not affect you as much as it does on the first viewing on repeated viewings as the other three.
Lean, Jarre, and Bolt--what a combination! Hats off to the restorers of this film. The only odd-ball was Anthony Quinn who seemed artificial 25 years ago and even now when we learn his costume was not authentic in color. I always wondered why I S Johar was picked by Lean to play the role of the guy who falls off the camel, is rescued, and is shot later. I have met Johar in real life. He was well read for an actor but I never rated him as a great actor. But for Johar this was the greatest performance of his career.

All in all a great movie with great performances--each time you watch it you appreciate it better.