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Lawrence of Arabia

  • 1962
  • Approved
  • 3h 38m
IMDb RATING
8.3/10
301K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,438
130
Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Peter O'Toole, José Ferrer, and Jack Hawkins in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
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.
Play trailer4:45
8 Videos
99+ Photos
AdventureBiographyDrama

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.

  • Director
    • David Lean
  • Writers
    • Robert Bolt
    • Michael Wilson
  • Stars
    • Peter O'Toole
    • Alec Guinness
    • Anthony Quinn
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    8.3/10
    301K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,438
    130
    • Director
      • David Lean
    • Writers
      • Robert Bolt
      • Michael Wilson
    • Stars
      • Peter O'Toole
      • Alec Guinness
      • Anthony Quinn
    • 765User reviews
    • 171Critic reviews
    • 100Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #95
    • Won 7 Oscars
      • 31 wins & 15 nominations total

    Videos8

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 4:45
    Watch Official Trailer
    Lawrence of Arabia - Trailer
    Trailer 4:43
    Watch Lawrence of Arabia - Trailer
    Lawrence of Arabia
    Clip 1:58
    Watch Lawrence of Arabia
    Lawrence of Arabia
    Clip 1:32
    Watch Lawrence of Arabia
    Lawrence of Arabia: 50th Anniversary Theatrical Re-Release
    Promo 2:03
    Watch Lawrence of Arabia: 50th Anniversary Theatrical Re-Release
    Lawrence of Arabia
    Promo 0:32
    Watch Lawrence of Arabia
    Lawrence of Arabia: [The 50th Anniversary Blu-Ray]
    Promo 1:32
    Watch Lawrence of Arabia: [The 50th Anniversary Blu-Ray]
    Dennis Quaid Thinks This '60s Classic Is the Perfect Movie
    Video 1:18
    Watch Dennis Quaid Thinks This '60s Classic Is the Perfect Movie

    Photos290

    Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
    Peter O'Toole and I.S. Johar in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
    Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
    Anthony Quinn, Peter O'Toole, and Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
    Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
    Peter O'Toole and Zia Mohyeddin in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
    Peter O'Toole and Zia Mohyeddin in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
    Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
    Anthony Quinn, Peter O'Toole, and Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
    Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
    Auda's Guards
    A caravan

    Top cast

    Edit
    Peter O'Toole
    Peter O'Toole
    • Lawrence
    Alec Guinness
    Alec Guinness
    • Prince Faisal
    Anthony Quinn
    Anthony Quinn
    • Auda Abu Tayi
    Jack Hawkins
    Jack Hawkins
    • General Edmund Allenby
    Omar Sharif
    Omar Sharif
    • Sherif Ali
    José Ferrer
    José Ferrer
    • Turkish Bey
    • (as Jose Ferrer)
    Anthony Quayle
    Anthony Quayle
    • Colonel Brighton
    Claude Rains
    Claude Rains
    • Mr. Dryden
    Arthur Kennedy
    Arthur Kennedy
    • Jackson Bentley
    Donald Wolfit
    Donald Wolfit
    • General Archibald Murray
    I.S. Johar
    I.S. Johar
    • Gasim
    Gamil Ratib
    Gamil Ratib
    • Majid
    Michel Ray
    Michel Ray
    • Farraj
    John Dimech
    John Dimech
    • Daud
    Zia Mohyeddin
    Zia Mohyeddin
    • Tafas
    Howard Marion-Crawford
    Howard Marion-Crawford
    • Medical Officer
    • (as Howard Marion Crawford)
    Jack Gwillim
    Jack Gwillim
    • Club Secretary
    Hugh Miller
    • R.A.M.C. Colonel
    • Director
      • David Lean
    • Writers
      • Robert Bolt
      • Michael Wilson(originally uncredited: credit restored in 1978 by WGA)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    6.8
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      On 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.
    • Goofs
      When 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 credits
      The 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 (1960), The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960) and The Savage Innocents (1960).
    • Alternate versions
      There 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.
    • Connections
      Featured in Hollywood: The Great Stars (1963)
    • Soundtracks
      The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo
      (1892) (uncredited)

      Music and Lyrics by Fred Gilbert

      Sung a cappella by Peter O'Toole

    User reviews765

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    The best movie of all motion picture history
    I first watched "Lawrence of Arabia" when I was about 11 years old. Being a big fan of Steven Spielberg at that time, I was sort of awed by the fact that this was his personal favorite (check the "conversation with Steven Spielberg" featurette in the special features disk and you'll really see Spielberg's affection for that film)

    Over the years, Lawrence remained among my DVD collection, and I can't say I actually watched it since that first time, when, by the way, I didn't really like it. But "time does things to movies", and when I watched it again last year, I found my eyes to be weeping at the end. It instantly became one of my favorite movies.

    Since then I learned a lot about the history of cinema, and I also learned a great deal about the movies of Sir David Lean. I found my self watching films like "Brief Encounter", "The Bridge on the River Kwai", "Doctor Zhivago", "Ryan's Daughter", and the underrated, "A passage to India". Lean became one of my favorite directors, and, just a few months ago, I decided to watch Lawrence with some friends. Although I had seen it a couple of times before, this time it was a different experience altogether: from the starting credits, to the blowing of the match, the crossing of the Nefud dessert, finding Gassim and bringing him back to the camp, the invasion of Aqaba, his torture and rape (?), Lawrence's laugh after the slap by the "outrageaous" guy, his being left alone, to the final gaze to the motorcycle. I sensed something when I watched that film, which leaves my with the undoubted feeling that "Lawrence of Arabia" is the greatest film ever made. For me, this is it. Ever since '62, it's been a downfall. No other film has managed to reach Lawrence in its poetic greatness. Few do come very close (Vertigo for instance).

    If we are to classify the two complete different cinematic styles, it would be those of Hitchcock and Ford. Hitch was a very "confined" director. He captured his movies from the point of view of one character. His movies took place, most of the time, in closed spaces. In a sense, Hitchcock's films were a journey in people's emotions and a study in people's characters. On the other hand, Ford was an open director. He wasn't confined to one character, or one location, his films where actual journeys. His basis was mostly on theme, and his main ability was to amaze with his imagery. Thus, these are the two different shooting styles....Well, Lean combines both.

    Which is basically why his best film, Lawrence, is the best film of all times. But not only in terms of style. Also, in terms of content. The intelligent script written by Robert Bolt, the powerhouse performances by O'Toole and Shariff (a shame they didn't get the statuette), but also, the ultimately heroic yet tragic figure of T.E. Lawrence, contribute in making this the most visually and emotionally sweeping film of the last 111 years.

    Such a shame that Lean retired for 14 years after "Ryan's Daughter", there's no way to know where he would have gotten.
    helpful•262
    81
    • nisitpav
    • Aug 24, 2005

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    FAQ3

    • What was Robert Bolt's contribution to the script vs. Michael Wilson's contribution, and why was Wilson denied credit?
    • What are the differences between the Old Versions and the Restored Version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 11, 1962 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • Arabic
      • Turkish
    • Also known as
      • Lorens od Arabije
    • Filming locations
      • Wadi Rum, Jordan(desert - red cliffs)
    • Production company
      • Horizon Pictures (II)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $15,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $45,306,425
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $20,846
      • Sep 22, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $45,720,631
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      3 hours 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Atmos

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    Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Peter O'Toole, José Ferrer, and Jack Hawkins in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
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