'Lawrence of Arabia' is undoubtedly one of the most classic English films from the 1960s. I happened to watch this film last week with my father. Until then I had never even heard the name of this movie. It was directed by David Lean starring Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif and won many Academy Awards, including the Oscar in 1963. Anyone who takes an interest in history must watch this film. In short, it is to English cinema what Sholay is to Indian cinema!
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Being an Indian, I was never really a fan of the British. There is no denying the fact that they looted our country and imposed harsh laws on the masses for almost 200 years. But there is a lot that we can and should learn from them. England is a small island country with an even smaller population. Yet they managed to rule a large portion of the globe. There was an era when the sun never set in the British Empire. This film, which is about a British army officer, gives the viewers a glimpse of the global order during World War I.
T.E. Lawrence (1888 - 1935) was a British army officer, diplomat, archaeologist and writer who lived a small yet meaningful life. He studied history at the Jesus College of Oxford University. When World War I broke out in 1914, he was posted to the Arab Bureau of Britishers in Cairo. The Allied Forces (France, Britain, USA and Russia) were fighting against the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Ottoman Empire). The British were keen to use the Arab revolt against the Turks for their cause. Hence, they made certain promises about providing them with artillery and ammunition, eventually helping them gain independence, which were not fulfilled later.
Lawrence's deep-rooted interest in Arab history was going to become a guiding factor in his future adventures. He rode alongside Prince Faisal (later King Faisal I of Iraq) in the Arab campaign against the Turks. His role in the unification of Arab tribes made him a popular figure among them. Until then, the Arabs were broken into different groups with different motives. He was commonly referred to as 'Lawrence of Arabia'. Later in the war, he was torn between his love for Arabs and his duties towards his country. The English had very mixed opinions about him. Some considered him to be a traitor while others thought of him as a hero.
But one thing that was certain about him was that his life was not ordinary.
Please do tell your views as well.
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ReplyDeleteVery well summarised. My liking of this movie is it’s showcasing of this period’s British colonial culture which was prevalent in more than half of the globe, including Indian subcontinent. We can relate it with the colonial architecture and infrastructure in India, particularly the garrison.
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