What Makes "Lawrence of Arabia" Great.

A Film that defines the term epic in every way, Lawrence of Arabia's scope and storytelling has been rivaled by few. The number of people it inspired from Steven Speilberg to Denis Villeneuve also cannot be understated. The admiration of this film is more than deserved and truly stands as one of the greatest cinematic achievements of all time.

Based on Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom, the film follows British Officer T.E Lawrence and his exploits in Arabia during WW1. From uniting the Arab Tribes against the invading Turks, as well as navigating Britain's growing ambition in Arabia. The spiritual journey Lawrence goes on is also focused on, from his navigation of identity to having to deal with the growing violence around him.

The first thing people think of when it comes to Lawrence of Arabia is the sheer scope of it all. If you ever get a chance to see this on the big screen, do it. David Lean is no stranger to such size and it's his eye for such detail that brings this film to life. Cinematogprier Freddie A. Young shot possibly the most beautiful film of all time. The desert is brought to life in glorious 70 millimeters and every shot is just a treat for the eyes. The set pieces even to this day are still technically a marvel from the battle sequences to even the more subtle beats such as the character introduction of Sherrif Ali. The music by Maurice Jarre is a thing of beauty as well. It perfectly goes together with Lean's vision and it's hard not to associate it with the desert setting.

Despite the technical aspects, Screenwriters Robert Bolt and Micheal Wilson make the film a character study first, and the development of Lawrence is one of the best examples of a character arc in film history. Lawrence in the beginning is seen as a well-read and an outcast by his fellow officers. He becomes excited at the prospect of seeking out Prince Faisel in Arabia, saying "It's going to be fun". His clash of identities begins when he convinces Faisel to provide him with 50 men to take a Turkish stronghold. After rescuing one of the men, Lawrence is accepted among them and soon embraces his identity as one of them. One of the scenes that shows this is when Lawrence returns to Cairo. Wearing Arab attire and the desert sand all over him it's like he is a stranger among his fellow countryman. This clash of identity is one of the key themes of the film, and Lawrence's struggle of walking on both ends is one of the things that lead to his downfall.

Lawrence's own sense of adventure as well as his ego also takes a beating throughout the film. Lawrence's "funny sense of fun", is slowly shattered as the growing violence around him begins to take its toll on him. The first time Lawrence comes face to face with this is when he is forced to execute a man in cold blood to avoid a tribal clash. Lawrence also takes in 2 orphaned boys as his servants but fails to protect them as the desert claims both of their lives. Lawrence's rising ego as the Arabs begins to see him as a messiah-like figure, which Lawrence embraces. But eventually, Lawrence is captured, tortured, and humiliated by the Turks. It serves as a harsh way of bringing him back down to earth. The final nail in the coffin is when Lawrence realizes too late that in the end, he was merely a political tool for Great Britain to take government control of Arabia, with Lawrence being sent home after he is outlived his usefulness. Lawrence came to Arabia with excitement and adventure in mind but leaves feeling empty.

Peter O Tool became a star overnight after this movie and that was more than deserved. O'Tool performance is one you can't take your eyes off. The many lawyers he brings to Lawrence and his ability to change based on the development throughout the film make for one of the best screen performances ever. The supporting cast is just as strong with Lean collaborators like Alec Guinness as Prince Faisel, who delivers his lines with a dry yet dignifying demeanor every time. Omar Sharif is also a standout as an Arab who develops almost as much as Lawrence throughout the film from distrustful and distant to becoming a close friend who begins to develop goals of his own. The scene steeler is Anthony Quin as Auda Abu Tayi, who disappeared into the role to the point that Lean mistook him for a native.

Lawrence of Arabia is a true miracle of a film. Its epic storytelling, amazing performances, and technical perfection make this truly one for the ages and my personal favorite film.