Such an expert use of silence and stillness. As remarkable as the score to this film is, the director was brilliant in leaving this scene unaccompanied.
I love the dialogue of this scene. I especially love these two characters' relationship. Also, Lawrence's line "My fear is my concern" is one of the most badass lines from any movie, in my opinion.
Went to see this, my all-time-favourite film, on the big screen yesterday! This ranks as possibly the greatest character entrance in the history of motion pictures.
This far beyond masterpiece epic film has never been equaled and never will be and everyone out there, try watching this sublime panoramic cinematic jewel upon the big silver screen the way it was made to be seen and experienced, not on televisions and phones.
One great entrance! I first saw this at an army post theater in W. Germany in '63 along with "Dr. No", the first Bond flick. One hell of a double feature, jammed with GIs and dependents. Dir. Lean also did "Dr. Zhivago" and "Bridge on the River Kwai" --- it jes' don't get better than this!
A magical movie. I saw it when I was in college. I bought a lensatic compass like Lawrence had and used it in the prairies of Eastern Colorado. I still have it.
Great cinema indeed. And sadly I doubt we will see more of this anytime soon, at least not the way things are looking today, where it's all about flash and visual effects. Lawrence of Arabia was the most commercially successful movie in 1962. 50 years later and a film like this would be lucky to hit the top 20. It's fair to say that tastes have changed.
Great reaction from Lawrence when Ali says he can both read and write - easy to miss, but it’s a very natural realistic raise of the eyebrows like a sarcastic “wow, I’m impressed.” Lol. The acting in this film is phenomenal.
But it was extremely impressive for any Bedouin living that sort of life to be able to read/write, and have that sort of education. It’s a big reason why Lawrence and Ali end up becoming so close in spite of getting off on the wrong foot, here. There wouldn’t have been many bedouins that well educated, even among the nobleman/Sherifs.
Wonderful. Great photography with marvellous construction and dialogue. Love this film. I always see something new yet one or two puzzles remain. Great performances by O'Toole, Sharif, Jack Hawkins, Claude Rains, Arthur Kennedy, Anthony Quinn and nicely understated Alec Guinness. Such spectacle.
I've never seen this film (heard about it back in film school). I really love that exchange where Sherif not only confirms that the cup belongs to Lawrence, but he tells him he will "use it". Like a subtext or a translation of him saying "Since you've used something of mine without my permission, you will now get a taste of what that feels like."
I hadn't considered that. By that line I thought he meant that he wouldn't drink out of a cup that someone from the other tribe had used. Both tribes seem to think the other is "dirty".
Omar Sharif gave an interview on npr and I was taken aback by his original first name....Michael! He's one great Egyptian actor....one of my favorite of all time.
Don't complain about Peck's brilliant performance in Mockingbird, he and O'Toole should have gotten best actor in a tie. It happened in '68 for best actress.
Your child will probably tell you, "When are you older generation gonna stop trying to convince us younger generations how much more superior your values were Back In the Good Ole Days?"
This movie really affected me. The way Lawrence turns out in the end put him at place number 2 on my top 5 most unsettling and nerve-racking movie characters.
Certainly one of the best. But to be fair, there's also Harmonica and Cheyenne's entrances in "Once Upon a Time in the West", Harry Lime in "The Third Man", and Alex in "A Clockwork Orange"
And also I think that this scene is ever so cool, or profound in other ways. Particularly that we see death coming our way from a long way off but despite the fact that we see it coming we do not react until it is upon us, and too late. Not that there is anything that we can do.
These two should of won Best Actor & Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars In 1960. Such an amazing scene and my favorite film of all time, the whole cast is epic aswell. Its hard to believe that this was Peter O'Toole's first ever film role, and was Omar Sharif's first ever English speaking role.
Totally agree with you, but unfortunately Hollywood had Gregory Peck for his portrayal of Atticus Finch as better. Like you, I didn't. Should have been O'Toole, and unfortunately after several more nominations, he's still waiting.
I wonder how many people were actually aware that there is anything special about the mirage itself before they were told it's supposedly unfilmable (despite its existence on many footage nowadays).
I agree entirely, entirely. So if my original comment was too obvious for words, then I apologize. I like the acting a lot too. At the same time (while you and I are above it all perhaps), it seems to me that all the portrayals of others (arabs, africans, native americans etc) in Western movies do have an influence. It seems to me that, growing up watching cool whiteys and uncool others as I did, I am only just starting to realise the other's point of view. Dumbo that I am.
What the hell are you taking about? They were conquerers and oppressors, hardly advocates of human rights. You really are out there. You really think the slavery instilled on the Hebrews was a demonstration of human rights?
Yes; Today, no one has any! Look at the shit movies that make tens of millions! All you need today for young people to like a film is nudity, profanity, and tons of special effects. Quality acting is NOT necessary!
Black Hawk Down was meant to be a realistic war film. But in it, tens or hundreds of Africans were machine gunned to pulp, whereas the plight of a few Americans was made into a heroic tragedy. Ah, that was because the Africans were baddies and the Americans were goodies? I bet that the Africans, who were, or whose suns were machine gunned to pulp, did not see it in that way. Has there ever been a US film that portrays the view of the other side? 1 or 2. "Letters from Iwojima" comes close.
