Lawrence of Arabia

Lawrence of Arabia poster
Originally uploaded by bobbychristian

I was told upon arriving in Los Angeles that Lawrence of Arabia is one of the best films of all time, but must be seen for the first time on the big screen. Two years later, I collide with the film on a big screen at the Egyptian Theatre
Before I start talking about the movie, I want to say that the Egyptian Theatre is definitely worth checking out at least once; the people that work there are polite (not in a forced corporate way, but like really polite caring people) the atmosphere, while I can't quite put a finger on why, is mystical (it feels like the golden age of Hollywood just left the seat you sit in).
Now for the movie, I didn't feel the time, but, since facts are facts, it is long, very long. The epic scale of the movie wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be except that it was real life action, which I had to keep reminding myself.
Highlights:
Actors in Black Face: I don't particularly believe black face acting to be racist, but, since most people do, it was cool to see a flashback to old Hollywood.
The Script: While I was watching the film I was surprised by several of the character choices. I don't believe the writing was trying to be different, but it was written in a different atmosphere and different time. The choice that stuck out the most was when Lawrence's original guide through the desert was shot by Sherif Ali. Following the shooting Sherif Ali offered his friendship to Lawrence who turned it down saying "none of my friends are murderers."
Drags
Peter O'Toole: O'Toole did a fantastic job conveying this complex character. That said, there is a quote, "if O'Toole was any prettier the movie would be called Florence of Arabia." That is completely true. He as a ton of 'pretty' shoots in the film. Which brings me to point two.
Make-up: It was a different time, but sometimes the make-up was a little much. This does not contradict my blackface comment.

Overall, the movie is great. The story was so much more complex than I had expected or imagined. Maybe I'm just growing up, but alot of the older epic films I watched in my life have a simple plot which good guys and bad guys and not too much gray area, but this was different. This was one of the few films where I feel a great complication in the character, and I knew Lawrence and O'Toole were struggling to define who they are. There was alot of complex plot to the movie as well, but having such a clear character complication made the movie so much more real. Additionally, I think it's important to state that making the movie more real in this manner didn't take away from the fantasy or the fantastic nature of the story, somehow it strengthened it.