005 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

In 1998, the American Film Institute celebrated the first 100 years of cinema (1896-1996) by listing the 100 best American films of the century. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) was Number 5 on the list. It is based on the true story of T. E. Lawrence, a British army officer who served as liaison during the Arab Revolt of 1916 in which the Arabs revolted against the Turks and won their independence (more or less).

Lawrence of Arabia has been widely popular among fans and critics ever since its release. It was nominated for ten Oscars and won seven: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Music Score, Best Film Editing and Best Sound. I thought this was a beautiful picture. I loved the images of the horses and the desert and the costumes.

Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) is sent from Cairo to assess the prospects of Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness) in his revolt against the Turks. Instead of making his assessment and leaving, Lawrence advises Faisal to attack Aqaba, so that the British would have a port through which to deliver supplies to Faisal. Lawrence accompanies a contingent of 50 men across the impassible Nefud Desert and risks his life to save a man who falls behind.

Near Aqaba, Lawrence forms an alliance with a Bedoin leader who agrees to help attack Aqaba. The alliance is threatened when one of Lawrence's men kills one of the Bedoin's men because of a blood feud. In order to preserve the alliance, Lawrence offers to execute the murderer himself. It turns out to be the same man he saved in the desert. The attack on Aqaba is a success. Lawrence returns to Cairo to give his report, and he is promoted.

Lawrence launches a guerilla war with a jouranlist following him around making him famous all over the world. He recruits an army of mercenaries and massacres a column of Turks who slaughtered an Arab village.

The Arabs enter Damascus before the British. They form up a council to run the city, but they can't stop squabbling. They can't keep the electricity, telephones or water working, so they abandon the city to the British. This was my favorite part. Today, the leaders in the Middle East have all been well-educated at the best schools in Europe and the United States, but in spite of having more oil money than they know what to do with, they have failed to bring prosperity to their people.

It turns out that the bit about the Arabs abandoning Damascus to the British is one of the least accurate bits in the film. The council that the Arabs created to govern Damascus remained in power until the French drove out the British in 1920. More generally, this film portrayed the Bedouins as talented, powerful and noble. I appreciate that. What do you think a remake of this film might be like? Have American attitudes towards Arabs changed so much since 1962?