T. E. Lawrence, the British Army lieutenant who in the popular imagination was primarily responsible for defeating the Ottoman Empire during World War I, was the perfect anti-hero for the revisionist 1960s. Iconic film director David Lean already had displayed his "anti-colonial" credentials in his 1957 portrait of an intransigent British army officer in The Bridge Over the River Kwai. But by 1962 when Lawrence of Arabia was released, he would go further in pouring gasoline on the fire to ensure that Britain's image as a noble colonial ruler was tarnished almost beyond recognition.
Lawrence of Arabia is divided into two parts, with an intermission due to its four hour length. In the first part, we're introduced to newcomer Peter O'toole as the British lieutenant tasked with trekking through the desert at the behest of Mr. Dryden (Claude Raines) of the Arab Bureau to determine whether Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness) will assist in the Arab revolt against the Turks who were allied with Germany during World War I.
Part 1 portrays Lawrence as the heroic anti-hero (with Part 2 as more unheroic). At first in the vein of a good British colonialist he finds himself expressing contempt for Arabs following the appearance of Sherif Ali (Omar Sharif) who murders Lawrence's Bedouin guide simply for drinking water from Ali's well in the middle of the desert.
But after meeting up with Prince Faisal and hatching a plan to again trek through the desert against impossible odds with the intent of taking the strategic city of Aqaba in the south, Lawrence (completely the opposite of the British colonial stance at the time), takes a liking to the men he's charged with leading and begins identifying with them.
Lawrence goes so far as adopting their dress and further earns their respect by turning around during the trek to Aqaba and saving one of the soldiers, Gasim (I. S. Johar) who falls off his camel after passing out.
Lean and his scenarists take liberties with history by having Lawrence act on his own in leading the Arabs to Aqaba and failing to inform his commanding officer General Allenby (Jack Hawkins). As it really happened, Lawrence's superiors were fully informed of his bold plan in advance. Thus at this juncture, Lawrence's reputation as a hero is still intact.
Nonetheless during Part 1, there is some foreshadowing of Lawrence's "fall from grace" to unheroic status in Part 2. That happens when Lawrence is forced to kill Gasim whose dispute with a member of another Arab tribe almost causes a civil war between the groups. Soon we see Lawrence "confessing" to General Allenby that he was troubled because he "enjoyed" killing the man.
Lean's decision to characterize Lawrence as slightly bloodthirsty after (perhaps) adopting the cruel demeanor of the men he was commanding was ill-advised and disputed by several notable critics (including Lawrence's brother) who denounced this unsympathetic view following the film's release.
Despite some slow pacing, Part 1 generally works plot-wise as Lawrence has a discernable goal (leading the men to take Aqaba). Lawrence as anti-hero is cleverly made clear when he returns to headquarters in full Arab dress and is like a fish out of water before his stodgy colleagues who are aghast when he requests that his Arab servant be put up in a first class hotel room. Nonetheless, he's given a hero's welcome after General Allenby recognizes his incredible initiative.
Part 2 unfortunately does not have the focus of Part 1 and gradually loses steam. It consists more of episodic scenes with Lean attempting to interject a lot more ambiguity in regards to Lawrence's character. In contrast to the big attack on Aqaba, we're forced to be more content watching Lawrence blowing up trains while engaging in guerilla warfare.
Then there's the scene when Lawrence shows up in the enemy-held city of Deera, arrested and summarily tortured after butting heads with the Turkish Bey (Chieftan--Jose Ferrer), Whether this incident was made up by Lawrence (appearing in his memoirs years later) is open to debate. But it's an opportunity for Lean to take down Lawrence's image another peg by implying that perhaps Lawrence intentionally wanted to be tortured-in order to atone for his sudden enjoyment of killing during warfare.
The apotheosis of Lean's ill-advised characterizations of Lawrence perhaps occurs when he has him gleefully ordering "No prisoners" which leads to the massacre of retreating Turkish soldiers by his Arab charges on the way to take the city of Damascus. The context is not made clear-just like when Lawrence was forced to shoot Gasim. Here he must allow the troops to take revenge on the Turks, since they just massacred the residents of the Arab town of Tapas.
Lean not only gets in his digs at his protagonist who is now rendered thoroughly unheroic but even worse, Lawrence's superiors (and the British Empire to boot) are held to even more severe account. Britain along with France carve up the Middle East after World War I (despite their promises to the Arabs, to the contrary), ending up completely dismembering the Ottoman Empire.
Allenby gets particular short shrift after neglecting the beleaguered residents of Damascus (excoriated by the chief medical officer for allowing horrendous conditions in the local hospital). There at least is a little balance as the Arabs don't come off very well either-as they are unable to achieve any unity following the convening of their Arab Council.
Despite the excellent cinematography, decent acting and memorable score, Lean goes a little too far in his revisionist history, unnecessarily playing down the heroic status of a confirmed anti-hero.
Lawrence of Arabia is divided into two parts, with an intermission due to its four hour length. In the first part, we're introduced to newcomer Peter O'toole as the British lieutenant tasked with trekking through the desert at the behest of Mr. Dryden (Claude Raines) of the Arab Bureau to determine whether Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness) will assist in the Arab revolt against the Turks who were allied with Germany during World War I.
Part 1 portrays Lawrence as the heroic anti-hero (with Part 2 as more unheroic). At first in the vein of a good British colonialist he finds himself expressing contempt for Arabs following the appearance of Sherif Ali (Omar Sharif) who murders Lawrence's Bedouin guide simply for drinking water from Ali's well in the middle of the desert.
But after meeting up with Prince Faisal and hatching a plan to again trek through the desert against impossible odds with the intent of taking the strategic city of Aqaba in the south, Lawrence (completely the opposite of the British colonial stance at the time), takes a liking to the men he's charged with leading and begins identifying with them.
Lawrence goes so far as adopting their dress and further earns their respect by turning around during the trek to Aqaba and saving one of the soldiers, Gasim (I. S. Johar) who falls off his camel after passing out.
Lean and his scenarists take liberties with history by having Lawrence act on his own in leading the Arabs to Aqaba and failing to inform his commanding officer General Allenby (Jack Hawkins). As it really happened, Lawrence's superiors were fully informed of his bold plan in advance. Thus at this juncture, Lawrence's reputation as a hero is still intact.
Nonetheless during Part 1, there is some foreshadowing of Lawrence's "fall from grace" to unheroic status in Part 2. That happens when Lawrence is forced to kill Gasim whose dispute with a member of another Arab tribe almost causes a civil war between the groups. Soon we see Lawrence "confessing" to General Allenby that he was troubled because he "enjoyed" killing the man.
Lean's decision to characterize Lawrence as slightly bloodthirsty after (perhaps) adopting the cruel demeanor of the men he was commanding was ill-advised and disputed by several notable critics (including Lawrence's brother) who denounced this unsympathetic view following the film's release.
Despite some slow pacing, Part 1 generally works plot-wise as Lawrence has a discernable goal (leading the men to take Aqaba). Lawrence as anti-hero is cleverly made clear when he returns to headquarters in full Arab dress and is like a fish out of water before his stodgy colleagues who are aghast when he requests that his Arab servant be put up in a first class hotel room. Nonetheless, he's given a hero's welcome after General Allenby recognizes his incredible initiative.
Part 2 unfortunately does not have the focus of Part 1 and gradually loses steam. It consists more of episodic scenes with Lean attempting to interject a lot more ambiguity in regards to Lawrence's character. In contrast to the big attack on Aqaba, we're forced to be more content watching Lawrence blowing up trains while engaging in guerilla warfare.
Then there's the scene when Lawrence shows up in the enemy-held city of Deera, arrested and summarily tortured after butting heads with the Turkish Bey (Chieftan--Jose Ferrer), Whether this incident was made up by Lawrence (appearing in his memoirs years later) is open to debate. But it's an opportunity for Lean to take down Lawrence's image another peg by implying that perhaps Lawrence intentionally wanted to be tortured-in order to atone for his sudden enjoyment of killing during warfare.
The apotheosis of Lean's ill-advised characterizations of Lawrence perhaps occurs when he has him gleefully ordering "No prisoners" which leads to the massacre of retreating Turkish soldiers by his Arab charges on the way to take the city of Damascus. The context is not made clear-just like when Lawrence was forced to shoot Gasim. Here he must allow the troops to take revenge on the Turks, since they just massacred the residents of the Arab town of Tapas.
Lean not only gets in his digs at his protagonist who is now rendered thoroughly unheroic but even worse, Lawrence's superiors (and the British Empire to boot) are held to even more severe account. Britain along with France carve up the Middle East after World War I (despite their promises to the Arabs, to the contrary), ending up completely dismembering the Ottoman Empire.
Allenby gets particular short shrift after neglecting the beleaguered residents of Damascus (excoriated by the chief medical officer for allowing horrendous conditions in the local hospital). There at least is a little balance as the Arabs don't come off very well either-as they are unable to achieve any unity following the convening of their Arab Council.
Despite the excellent cinematography, decent acting and memorable score, Lean goes a little too far in his revisionist history, unnecessarily playing down the heroic status of a confirmed anti-hero.