Epics don't get any bigger.

Rating: 10/10 (8 June 2002)

David Lean was born to direct "big" films. His mastery of working with his DP to compose for the widescreen aspect ratio still stands as the definitive work in the idiom. Of his three most ambitious films; The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Lawrence Of Arabia (1962) and Dr. Zhivago (1965); this stands out as his most flawless accomplishment. It's a shame that all the audio tracks were lost to the ravages of time. Just two years before his death, Lean re-assembled the original cast in 1989 to replace *all* the dialogue when he set about restoring the film. That he was able to pull it off is quite a feat, but it's a shame to have lost all the original production dialogue. The restored film is a wonder, though. Almost every frame looks like a beautiful still photograph. The images that play across the screen are a wonder to behold and the skill with which the film is assembled is genius. Shots follow each other and build with a purpose and structure beyond the abilities of most filmmakers. And the story. The character of T.E. Lawrence is a misfit. He's not understood by the Arabs and he's not understood by the British. O'Toole's performance as Lawrence is powerful and poignant. Forty years after its initial release Lawrence of Arabia is more impressive than ever. It is one of the true wonders of 20th Century cinema.