The story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.The story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.The story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.
- Robert Bolt(screenplay by)
- Michael Wilson(screenplay by)
- Stars
- Robert Bolt(screenplay by)
- Michael Wilson(screenplay by)
- Stars
José Ferrer
- Turkish Bey
- (as Jose Ferrer)
Howard Marion-Crawford
- Medical Officer
- (as Howard Marion Crawford)
- Robert Bolt(screenplay by)
- Michael Wilson(screenplay by) (originally uncredited: credit restored in 1978 by WGA)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOn his first location scouting trip in Jordan, director Sir David Lean discovered the remains of the Turkish locomotives and railroad tracks T.E. Lawrence had destroyed during the Arab Revolution. After forty years in the sun, they hadn't even rusted.
- GoofsWhen Lawrence issues the promissory note to Auda he writes right-to-left. Many have interpreted this as the film being processed backwards when in fact he is writing Arabic which is right-to-left. And when he signs his name at the bottom, he does so left-to-right.
- Quotes
[Lawrence has just extinguished a match between his thumb and forefinger. William Potter surreptitiously attempts the same]
William Potter: Ooh! It damn well 'urts!
T.E. Lawrence: Certainly it hurts.
Officer: What's the trick then?
T.E. Lawrence: The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts.
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits read: Introducing Peter O'Toole as T.E. Lawrence. However, that "Introducing" credit is false as O'Toole had already played roles in Kidnapped (1959), The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960) and The Savage Innocents (1960).
- Alternate versionsThere are technically four versions of the film: the original 222 minute print, then cut to 202 minutes after its 1962 premiere, the 187 minute 1970 theatrical re-cut and the 228 minute including the overture, entr'acte music and play-out music in the 1988 restoration. Full details as follows: Originally released at 222 minutes for the UK premiere in December 1962. Shortly after premiere which took place in London in December 1962, David Lean, reportedly under the orders of producer Sam Spiegel, cut 20 minutes from the film to 202 minutes. Cuts included the shot of goggles on the tree, Brighton's "remarkable man" line to the priest, early shots of the drafting room scene, the whole officer's mess sequence where he's called a clown and upsets water on someone, and some dialogue between the General and Dryden. The 1970 theatrical re-release cut the film further to 187 minutes. The film was restored in 1988 at 228 minutes. This version, supervised by David Lean, was advertised as a Director's Cut and has been the version made available to home video formats since.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood: The Great Stars (1963)
- SoundtracksThe Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo
(1892) (uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Fred Gilbert
Sung a cappella by Peter O'Toole
Review
Featured review
David Lean's Masterpiece is a Cinematic Treasure (now in 4K UHD!) 💯
The film that inspired Steven Spielberg to pursue a career as a film maker for good reason - 'Lawrence of Arabia' is a cinematic treasure - the greatest "Epic" movie, and one of the 5 greatest films ever made by almost everyone's standard.
The spectacularly gorgeous and awe inspiring cinematography of Freddie Young tips the scale for me in favor of 'Lawrence Of Arabia' as Film's greatest work of art in the Epic genre, surpassing 'Citizen Kane', and The 'Shawshank Redemption', landing at #3 on my lMDb "Top 5 Greatest Films" ever made list (see herein), topped only by 'The Godfather' (#1) and 'Spotlight' (which moved up to #2 all-time in its first year of eligibility in 2020).
The immensity and scale of the desert creates the perfect canvas on which Lean paints his masterpiece - We shall never again see authentic location shoots on this truly epic scale, as granted permission for such is virtually impossible today.
Restoration efforts in 1988 led by Spielberg and Scorsese saved most of what would have been a tragic loss.
Now available in 4K UHD, the film has never looked better.
My grandmother took me to see 'Lawrence Of Arabia' at a beautifully restored baroque theatre when I was 12, as the film was periodically shown in such art film houses for years after its release - It is an event I will never forget.
The spectacularly gorgeous and awe inspiring cinematography of Freddie Young tips the scale for me in favor of 'Lawrence Of Arabia' as Film's greatest work of art in the Epic genre, surpassing 'Citizen Kane', and The 'Shawshank Redemption', landing at #3 on my lMDb "Top 5 Greatest Films" ever made list (see herein), topped only by 'The Godfather' (#1) and 'Spotlight' (which moved up to #2 all-time in its first year of eligibility in 2020).
The immensity and scale of the desert creates the perfect canvas on which Lean paints his masterpiece - We shall never again see authentic location shoots on this truly epic scale, as granted permission for such is virtually impossible today.
Restoration efforts in 1988 led by Spielberg and Scorsese saved most of what would have been a tragic loss.
Now available in 4K UHD, the film has never looked better.
My grandmother took me to see 'Lawrence Of Arabia' at a beautifully restored baroque theatre when I was 12, as the film was periodically shown in such art film houses for years after its release - It is an event I will never forget.
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- Instant_Palmer
- Jun 29, 2019
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