Review of Lawrence of Arabia (1962) by Bryan W — 06 Sep 2010

This movie set so many standards for filmmaking that it's hard to imagine where to begin.

Perhaps the best place to start would be the decision to make a biopic about one of the most legendary figures in English and perhaps even world history. Less than 30 years after the film's real life counterpart passed away, and after several failed attempts at pre-production, the film's creative team crossed historical fact with a character study, relying on the elegantly written missives penned by Lawrence himself. By producing film so quickly and choosing a subject who was notoriously prolific writer, the film's facts and characters remain untarnished by the sands of time.

On the production level, it's hard to imagine anyone dreaming to outdo what has been done. The glorious wide-shots of the breathtaking desert, shot assuredly by Freddie Young, cannot be imagined without Maurice Jarre's soaring, romantic score that set a new standard for a film's music giving it a voice. The expediency of this aural and visual meshing, where one constructed aspect of the film cannot be imagined without the other, is precisely the element that can't be outdone.

With such an astounding run-time, it would be easy for the film to drag in lesser hands, but alas, this is not the case here. By opening with a bang and exposing the audience only to the story elements most necessary for historical accuracy and Lawrence's character development, the audience cannot look away, and even the longer moments that would have tempted the most discerning editor to break out the shears are allowed to breathe, lending undeniable gravity to the film's atmosphere.

The performances... well, they were great, but I find the notion that this film features the best acting of all time a bit too antiquated to be seriously considered. Granted, the argument is easy to make for most people, since O'Toole's performance in the lead is widely considered one of the best by most critics, but serious examination from a modern perspective exposes a certain theatricality to the proceedings that leaves many moments lacking in subtlety. Much of this is likely due to the standards of the time, but it should be plain to see that, unlike the film's unconquerable technical mastery, the level of acting is much easier to match.

In spite of my minor quibble with the acting, this film is one of the few that belongs on everyone's must-see list, because its influence, brilliance, and artistry made a permanent stamp on every film released after it.