Lean of Arabia

Rating: 8/10 (18 December 2015)

This film is so well-celebrated for such a long time. Much like "The Godfather" or "The Exorcist", I thought there was nothing more to add, until I got to watch it up close recently. This time, I found the character of Major T.E. Lawrence to be one of the oddest characters of the so-called "heroes" in the history of world cinema. He is indeed larger than life, as they say, but he is also a psychologically challenging person whose real intent is never clear. At the time of its 1962 original release, not many films dare to feature an ambiguous character as their heroes. As a rebel, Lawrence is never as conventional as Lenin, Mao, or Che Guevara. His plight is terrifyingly personal, leading us to believe that his suppressed homosexuality may have something to do with his motivation. The Sadism and Masochism of a gay or non-gay person is another addition to such a murky drive. This psychoanalysis can go on and on. My point, though, is David Lean's unconventional selection of such topic of his epic. This goes for Robert Bolt, its script writer, and Peter O'Toole, as a first timer, too. These men take a great risk of being shunned by the scared public of such a progressive idea. Having said so, I think we must credit the flamboyant producer of this film, Sam Spiegel, as well. He risks being branded as a dubious character just to push the story of crazy Lawrence to the world, despite being the film's money man. David Lean, as we look back, is great because he possesses the dual qualities of the true lover of film process, and an unconventional view of the world and its ingredients as a society. In a way, Lean tells Lawrence's story because Lawrence represents him in some strangely rebellious and alienated vision of the world. These two layers of "Lawrence of Arabia", a grossly fun epic ride and a hidden critique of the world's pretentiousness, are exactly why this film just won't die away. It is a cultural treasure of mankind to be dug and dug again. The learning curve goes on.