Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

In this article, we will be looking at 2019’s book “1001 Movies to See Before You Die” and going through each film in a random order that I have chosen. We will be looking at what constitutes this film to be on the list and whether I think this film deserves to be here at all. I want to make perfectly clear that I won’t be revealing details from this book such as analyses by film reporters who have written about the film in question, so if you want the book itself you’ll have to buy it. But I will be covering the book’s suggestions on which films should be your top priority. I wouldn’t doubt for a second that everyone reading this article has probably watched many of these movies anyway. But we are just here to have a bit of fun. We’re going to not just look at whether it should be on this list but we’re also going to look at why the film has such a legacy at all. Remember, this is the 2019 version of the book and so, films like “Joker” will not be featured in this book and any film that came out in 2020 (and if we get there, in 2021). So strap in and if you have your own suggestions then don’t hesitate to email me using the address in my bio. Let’s get on with it then.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) dir. by David Lean

From my experience watching this film I can honestly say that I was absolutely stunned by some of the shots of the desert, the great epic nature of it always took my breath away. My parents also like this film because it came out around the time they were both born and they grew up watching it. I understand that it is long, but it is so very worth it.

The film premiered on the 10th of December at the Odeon Leicester Square in London, England and was released in the United States about a week later. It was then screened at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival - obviously not to compete. And then it was screened twenty-three years’ later at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

The visual style of “Lawrence of Arabia” has influenced many, many directors over the years, including the following:

• Stanley Kubrick
• Martin Scorsese
• Brian de Palma
• Ridley Scott
• Oliver Stone
• Steven Spielberg
• George Lucas

Considered one of the greatest films ever made, it was ranked as the greatest film of the epic genre in the American Film Institute lists. It was entered into the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress in 1991 - which is pretty late, I thought it would have been earlier.

Rotten Tomatoes has shown it has many favourable and mostly favourable reviews with the critics’ consensus stating:

"The epic of all epics, Lawrence of Arabia cements director David Lean's status in the filmmaking pantheon with nearly four hours of grand scope, brilliant performances, and beautiful cinematography.”

Bosley Crowther weighed in on the film and stated that:

“There are some great things in the picture—which runs, incidentally, for 3 hours and 40 minutes, not counting intermission. There is some magnificent scenery, barbaric fights, a mirage in the desert that is superb (the one episode in the picture that conveys a sense of mystery). And there are some impressive presentations of historic characters.Alex Guinness as the cagey Prince Feisal, Anthony Quinn as a fierce chief, Omar Sharif as a handsome Arab fighter and Jack Hawkins as General Allenby stand out in a large east that is ordered into sturdy masculine ranks by David Lean.”

Unfortunately, in that very same review, Bosley Crowther said the film contained ‘a conventional lot of action-film clichés…” and here is where he says it, I will link the review at the end of the article:

“It reduces a legendary figure to conventional movie-hero size amidst magnificent and exotic scenery but a conventional lot of action-film cliches.”

I think that if Bosley Crowther were alive today, he would change his stance on the film if he saw how much it had influenced films after it.

Here is the article by Bosley Crowther in the New York Times