Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

 David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia"

Before watching David Lean's 1962 historical epic, "Lawrence of Arabia," I would have told you that Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's 1943 film "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" was the most British film I had ever seen and exemplified the British concept far greater than any other film. However, that notion has been completely put to rest by Lean's monumental "Lawrence of Arabia." 

The film centers on T.E. Lawrence, the real British Army Officer who was tasked with assisting Prince Feisal of Syria in his revolt against the Turks during the First World War. While there, Lawrence befriends the Arab people and even proves himself as a noble and valiant man. His sympathize for the Arab people creates a natural leadership role, which he uses to lead a group of Arabs to invade the Turkish-held Damascus. Despite promising the Arabs their freedom, he is secretly working to secure a British stronghold in the region. Through this double work, he begins to lose sight of his identity, his allegiances, and his morality.

What makes "Lawrence of Arabia" so 'British' is its complete illustration of British colonialism and what that means for both those acting as Britain's hands and the populations of their exploits. Our protagonist, Lawrence, is a loyalist to Britain and heeds their interest throughout. However, his natural inclination for humanism permits the viewer to insert themselves into the moral shift that occurs within him. 

The larger thematic concessions of the film iterate the British infiltration and exploitation of the Middle East, while the small thematic points note the psychology of acting in the part of colonizer. Lawrence's natural affinity for the Arab people make his betrayal of them even more emotionally compelling. 

What's even more interesting about these points being made by the story are the manipulations happening on all levels. The British politicians are manipulating their lieutenants and army officials, who are manipulating those under their command like Lawrence. Lawrence is manipulating the Arabs, who are also being manipulated by Prince Feisal for political means. The Arabs are manipulating each other, as they squabble over territory, water resources, and supplies. Everyone in the story is simply an extension of the powers of someone else. 

Because the characters are merely mechanisms in the machine of colonialization, they are the exploited. Lawrence is also exploited by Britain, despite his willing involvement. As Lawrence warns one of his officers early in the film, the exhilaration of executing an Arab made him fear he would enjoy killing and conquering. Britain uses this to their advantage, of course, and exploit Lawrence's shifting morality. The fantasy of being a swashbuckling conqueror and 'hero' drives Lawrence's journey. Any attempt to separate himself from this demoralization is met with resistance by his commanding officers. 

In this way, "Lawrence of Arabia" could be considered an 'anti-western.' The standard format of a Western film are characters on the boundaries of society, concerned that the socio-political forces around them will close in and take away the freedom of their blank slate civilizations. However, in "Lawrence of Arabia," those characters are the Arabs and Lawrence acts as the working force to bring about the intentional conclusion to this blank slate civilization. The British infiltration into the Middle East is symbolically the 'society' of a Western encroaching and 'buying up' and 'stealing' all the land and resources of a natural people. 

Much can be dissected in the film's themes and storyline. However, the initial reaction most have to this incredible film is the director David Lean himself. I have not seen the kind of desert shots of this kind before since Erich von Stroheim's "Greed," which was filmed in Death Valley. Filming for "Lawrence of Arabia" took well over a year and was filmed in Jordan, Morocco, and Spain. The breadth and scope of the film are endlessly spoken about and discussed simply because they are immaculate. There is no other way to describe the technical shots, the visual beauty, and the scale of this motion picture than the greatest adjective possible. "Lawrence of Arabia" is simply one of the most breathtakingly shot films I've ever seen in my entire life.

"Lawrence of Arabia," I believe is a film that encompasses the full scope of what cinema is able to accomplish. It thematically dissects notions of identity, loyalty and nationality both on a large scale and in interpersonal dimensions. Its visual breadth engulfs its characters are their petty squabbles in a barren and desolate landscape untamable by even the strength and might of the greatest empire. Not only is a technical masterpiece, its one of the greatest achievements ever put onto a film screen.