I Watch Films: Lawrence Of Arabia

 

Lawrence Of Arabia

In England in 1932 T E Lawrence (Peter O’Toole) crashes his motorcycle and dies. At a memorial service at St Paul’s Cathedral* various people recall him, remembering him as not the national hero he was made out to be.

The film moves back to the first world war where Lawrence is a lieutenant; something of a misfit; well educated and knowledgeable about the Arabs, also with not much respect for army tradition and hierarchy. Dryden of the Arab Bureau sends Lawrence out to see what the Arab Revolt of Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness) is up to. Lawrence’s guide is killed by Ali, as he’s from a different tribe and using the well, Lawrence calls him a barbarian, then learns he’s a close adviser of Prince Feisel, so is taken to their camp. What they’re up to is being a bit ineffective; without artillery they are vulnerable to Turkish counter attack. The British won’t give them artillery as that would make them independent. Colonel Brighton, the British liaison, has orders to convince Feisal to withdraw to the Suez canal where they can be formed into regular units with British officers.

Lawrence has a different idea: attack! He suggests the port of Aqaba, which is on the Red Sea and could be supplied from the sea by the British. However just getting there would be a problem, as the desert is harsh, and the local Arabs led by Auda are being paid by the Turks to keep order. Faisel gives him fifty men led by Ali, plus Lawrence hires two youths as assistants. Having told Lawrence that there is no margin for error on the journey, Lawrence turns back when a man is missing, and successfully gets him out, impressing them all. They insist on giving him Arab clothing. Reaching Auda Lawrence convinces him to attack Aqaba, telling him the Turks are getting him cheap; after all why settle for the monthly payment when he could get the whole box of coins and then be a free Arab.

They succeed but there’s no gold. Lawrence promises to get some, head back to Cairo with his two assistants, but one dies on the way. Back in Cairo Lawrence is more eccentric than ever, with his Arab dress and insistence on bringing Farraj, the surviving teen, into the officer’s club. General Allenby (Jack Hawkins) gives him a promotion, more money and guns. Lawrence wants to know the British plan for the Arabs, and also artillery for them which Allenby misleads him about.

Lawrence leads a guerrilla war with the Arabs, with all the problems of irregulars who won’t follow orders and when they get any loot decide they’re done and go home for a few months. Fortunately with momentum he’s able to keep moving and recruit new groups. The American press arrives in Aqaba and a journalist tracks him down and makes him a big deal, which Lawrence tolerates to try and get American support for the war and the Arabs. Ali suggests taking things slower and Lawrence does not. This leads to Farraj getting injured, and Lawrence killing him to prevent capture by the Turks who torture prisoners. While scouting Daraa Lawrence is captured, stripped, bound, tortured and raped; however the Turks don’t realise it’s him and he’s helped to escape by Ali. Lawrence is shaken by this.

Allenby breaks the Turkish lines and advances on Damascus. On the desert flank Lawrence and his Arabs are moving faster, even when they stop to massacre some Turks in reprisal of a Turkish atrocity. They reach Damascus first. Lawrence tries to get the Arabs to work together and run the city, to put together an Arab government to prevent the Sykes-Picot agreement partitioning the land between Britain and France. They fail to work together, the utilities fail and the hospitals become sites of horror. The Arabs leave, and Allenby and his men take over. Lawrence is promoted and ordered back to England; he leaves watching the Arabs with longing and is overtaken by a motorcycle.

This is a glorious looking film, with many definitive shots. There’s some fine performances, several actors have blacked up for their roles. More than three and a half hours long, it still simplifies and streamlines events; Lawrence and the Arab Revolt’s centrality brushing away much of the complexity even before that too is made into a single, strong story. Still a powerful story of failure in success, in the cost of heroism, in becoming someone new in the service of both King and Country on the one hand and honour on the other.

Watch This: Magnificent, extraordinary looking (and sounding) film
Don’t Watch This: It’s three and a half hours long!

* How exactly you get a memorial service at St Paul’s Cathedral is of interest to me, as a relative who had been a senior magistrate was given one, which was an interesting experience.