Lawrence of Arabia, the 1962 war epic that won seven Academy Awards, is scheduled for broadcast on BBC Two today, September 12, at 1.30pm. The film has been hailed as the 'greatest film of all time' and a 'cinematic masterpiece' by audiences for more than 60 years.
Plot and Cast
The epic biographical drama features Peter O'Toole in the leading role of Thomas Edward Lawrence, the British Army officer renowned for his wartime exploits in the Middle East during World War I. David Lean directed the film, with a screenplay crafted by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson, drawing inspiration from TE Lawrence's 1926 autobiography Seven Pillars of Wisdom.
O'Toole is joined by Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif, Anthony Quayle, Claude Rains, Jose Ferrer and Arthur Kennedy in a stellar ensemble. The film's official plot states: "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."
Awards and Box Office
Lawrence of Arabia received 10 Academy Award nominations and claimed seven prizes, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Art Direction - Color, Best Cinematography - Color, Best Film Editing, Best Music Score - Substantially Original, and Best Sound. The production also took home the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama, alongside BAFTAs for Best Film and Outstanding British Film.
The epic pulled in $70 million at the global box office against an estimated production budget of $15 million. It made its world premiere at London's Odeon Leicester Square on December 10, 1962, before its United States release on December 16.
Critical and Audience Reception
Jordan banned the war drama, citing what it considered a disrespectful depiction of Arab culture, while Egypt stood alone amongst Arab nations in permitting the release of Lean's film, where it subsequently proved a considerable success. With an impressive runtime of 3 hours and 42 minutes, Lawrence of Arabia edges out Gone With the Wind by just over a minute, securing its place as the lengthiest film ever to claim the coveted Best Picture Oscar.
Boasting a remarkable 93% approval rating from both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, the film's near-flawless score speaks volumes about its enduring greatness. One impressed critic said: "At last, a film has arrived to justify and even compliment the wide screen - a spectacle with an intelligent purpose and, in many respects, the most exciting and beautiful movie ever made."
Another reviewer said: "One of the most magnificent pictures, if not the most magnificent, and one of the most exasperating." A third critic noted: "How did David Lean and star Peter O'Toole achieve such perfection? If we could define and distil it, we wouldn't need a special category for those flicks we call 'classics.' Lawrence of Arabia is that, and then some."
Audiences have been equally enthralled, with one viewer saying: "Lawrence of Arabia is a masterclass in epic filmmaking, blending biography and historical drama into an unforgettable cinematic experience. Its scale and visual grandeur remain unmatched, even by modern standards." Another wrote: "A cinematic masterpiece. The large scale and slow burn of the desert scenes, the cinematography basically making the desert it's own character, and representing it well as I've travelled to the locations in Jordan where they filmed. A+ acting, an engaging story on the outskirts of the war, and a just telling of his accomplishments and strategic thinking. It's an all time classic that will never age."
Lawrence of Arabia will air this afternoon, September 12, at 1.30pm on BBC Two.
