David Lean'scinematic masterpiece 'Lawrence of Arabia' is a must-see for all the film enthusiasts.
'Lawrence of Arabia' is a 1962historical adventure movie filled with war, drama, thrill and character study. The movie follows the life of T. E. Lawrence, a young British military officer during World War I, who visits Arabia and goes on to lead thousands of people against the Turks. The film is brilliantly written and executed, portraying Lawrence's journey in the Arab revolt wonderfully on screen. It literally arrests the viewers into its own world with the extraordinary visuals, proficient production design and especially the incredible performance of Peter O'Toole as the protagonist. The film won 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture in 1963.
Here are some interesting yet lesser-known trivia about 'Lawrence of Arabia'.
The movie was based on T. E. Lawrence's autobiography named 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom' which was published in December, 1926.
Peter O’Toole as Lawrence in this film is regarded as one of the greatest performances ever in the history of cinema. However, he was not the first choice for this role. It was first offered to Marlon Brando and then Albert Finney. As they both turned it down for some other movies, the role finally went to Peter. On the other hand, before Omar Sharif came on board, actors like Horst Bucholz, Alain Delon, Maurice Ronet and Dilip Kumar were considered for the role of Sherif Ali in this film.
The real T.E. Lawrence was 5'5", while Peter O'Toole who essayed Lawrence on screen was 6'2" and way more good looking. This is why a lot of people were unsatisfied about the portrayal of the character in this movie.
The film was banned in several Arab countries as they thought it's misrepresenting the Arab people as well as historical figures.
If you see the movie with utmost concentration, would notice that almost all movements go from left to right. The idea behind this was to present the movie as a journey.
It took nearly two years for the entire pre-production of this movie. Also, the cast and crew spent 14 months while shooting this film in locations such as Spain, Morocco and Jordan.
The night scenes of the movie were shot during the day, using light filters on the lenses. Because, it was impossible to shoot in the darkness during night.
Omar Sharif was heretofore a huge superstar in Egypt before signing on for this movie. This movie, 'Lawrence of Arabia', earned him acclaim from various parts of the world.
