Lawrence Of Arabia is altogether an overrated motion picture.

Rating: 9/10 (12 December 2010)

Just like Orson Welles' Citizen Kane, another great film disappoints me. While I appreciate both films for its technical quality, and understand the reason why they're considered top films, I have to confess that both aren't my favourites. Lawrence Of Arabia is David Lean at his prime. While I prefer his earlier work The Bridge On River Kwai, nothing beats what Lean has accomplished here.
The strength of Lawrence Of Arabia is the cinematography. The desert sceneries are shot in a manner that reflects the desolateness, and starkness of the natural conditions, yet capturing the still beauty of the desert. Unfortunately, unless you have a cinema at your disposal, Lawrence Of Arabia isn't going to work well on television. It has to be experienced in a theatre, with a screen so wide it can fulfill what the filmmakers intended to achieve - an unforgettable journey into the heart of one of the world's most uninhabitable places.
Peter O'Toole stars as the title character in a performance that borders on the colossal to the forgettable. Two factors that make me look down on the film are the repetitive dialogue (what a bland script!) used by the cast, as well as the content the film offers. There are epics that are more involving, and entertaining such as Ben-Hur, and Dances With Wolves. This, sadly, has comparatively nothing much to offer except for the outstanding photography. In my eyes, Lawrence Of Arabia is altogether an overrated motion picture.
GRADE: B+ (www.filmnomenon.blogspot.com) All rights reserved!