History Film / LawrenceOfArabia

** Id: Auda Abu Tayi, a battle-hardened warrior who readily switches the allegiance of the Howeitat to Lawrence's side when offered a greater sum of loot for his labors. He is prone to outbursts of rage, furiously smashing the camera of a photographer who attempts to take his picture (he believes cameras 'steal his soul'). He is extremely self-centered as well, only embarking with Lawrence on his campaigns to destroy the Turkish railways through Arabia so he can plunder their trains' cargo for himself. His BadassBoast to Lawrence and Ali (even if it is completely justified; he proves himself a badass several times later in the film) when they invite him to join the Arab Revolt clearly demonstrates his lofty view of himself, just as the id is the epitome of self-centeredness.

** Superego: Sherif Ali, a proud, intelligent leader who is always thinking of what is best for the greater good. He shows rabid opposition when Lawrence leaves the Aqaba raiding party while they are crossing the Nefud in order to rescue Gazim, as the saving of one man might mean the destruction of all the party's men and any resistance to the Turks. He is a Sherif of the Harith tribe and is thus a guardian to his people and its ideals, just as the superego grapples with morality and higher realms of thought. He is the most meditative character in the film, and concerns himself so much with matters of what is right that after his land is freed from the Turks, he hopes to become a politician in [[BigGood Faisal's]] new kingdom.

** Ego: Lawrence. A quiet, calculating man who only acts before careful deliberation. Freud believed that the ego is the conscious manifestation of a man and the part of him which the world sees (just as Lawrence is the face and title of the film), and that it is constantly trying to balance the desires of the basal, instinctive id and the moralistic superego just as Lawrence takes battle advice throughout the film from his two commanders, Auda and Ali. The scene before [[spoiler:the Arab Army massacres a band of Turks while on its way to take Damascus before the British]] is about as great a demonstration of the role Freud believed the ego played as one can get: Auda (id) and Ali (superego) lean over his shoulders, each shouting what they think should be done about the Turks on the horizon [[spoiler: [[RapePillageandBurn (who have themselves just departed from and burning and slaughtering the inhabitants of a village the Arabs have just ridden into)]]]] into his ears, leaving him to choose whose advice to follow. Ali's advice? "Damascus, Aurens. Think of Damascus"; his advice is to stick to the plan and not take lives for revenge. Very moralistic. Auda's advice? After a soldier in Lawrence's cavalry charges toward the Turks, sword drawn, in defiance of Lawrence's order to wait as he deliberates with his commanders, Lawrence starts to ride off to stop him. Auda then interrupts: "No, Aurens. This was his village." [[spoiler:Lawrence listens to Auda.]]
** Id: Auda Abu Tayi. A battle-hardened warrior who readily switches the allegiance of the Howeitat to Lawrence's side when offered a greater sum of loot for his labors. He is prone to outbursts of rage, furiously smashing the camera of a photographer who attempts to take his picture (he believes cameras 'steal his soul'). He is extremely self-centered as well, only embarking with Lawrence on his campaigns to destroy the Turkish railways through Arabia so he can plunder their trains' cargo for himself. His BadassBoast to Lawrence and Ali (even if it is completely justified; he proves himself a badass several times later in the film) when they invite him to join the Arab Revolt clearly demonstrates his lofty view of himself, just as the id is the epitome of self-centeredness.
** Superego: Sherif Ali. Proud, intelligent, and always thinking of what is best for the greater good. He shows rabid opposition when Lawrence leaves the Aqaba raiding party while they are crossing the Nefud in order to rescue Gazim, as the saving of one man might mean the destruction of all the party's men and any resistance to the Turks. He is a Sherif of the Harith tribe and is thus a guardian to his people and its ideals, just as the superego grapples with morality and higher realms of thought. He is the most meditative character in the film, and concerns himself so much with matters of what is right that after his land is freed from the Turks, he hopes to become a politician in [[BigGood Faisal's]] new kingdom.

** Ego: Lawrence. A quiet, calculating man who only acts before careful deliberation. Freud believed that the ego is the conscious manifestation of a man and the part of him which the world sees (just as Lawrence is the face and title of the film), and that it is constantly trying to balance the desires of the basal, instinctive id and the moralistic superego just as Lawrence takes battle advice throughout the film from his two commanders, Auda and Ali. The scene before [[spoiler:the Arab Army massacres a band of Turks while on its way to take Damascus before the British]] is about as great a demonstration of the role Freud believed the ego played as one can get: Auda (id) and Ali (superego) lean over his shoulders, each shouting what they think should be done about the Turks on the horizon [[spolier:[[RapePillageandBurn (who have themselves just departed from and burning and slaughtering the inhabitants of a village the Arabs have just ridden into)]] ]] into his ears, leaving him to choose whose advice to follow. Ali's advice? "Damascus, Aurens. Think of Damascus"; his advice is to stick to the plan and not take lives for revenge. Very moralistic. Auda's advice? After a soldier in Lawrence's cavalry charges toward the Turks, sword drawn, in defiance of Lawrence's order to wait as he deliberates with his commanders, Lawrence starts to ride off to stop him. Auda then interrupts: "No, Aurens. This was his village." [[spoiler:Lawrence listens to Auda.]]

** Ego: Lawrence. A quiet, calculating man who only acts before careful deliberation. Freud believed that the ego is the conscious manifestation of a man and the part of him which the world sees (just as Lawrence is the face and title of the film), and that it is constantly trying to balance the desires of the basal, instinctive id and the moralistic superego just as Lawrence takes battle advice throughout the film from his two commanders, Auda and Ali. The scene before [[spoiler:the Arab Army massacres a band of Turks while on its way to take Damascus before the British]] is about as great a demonstration of the role Freud believed the ego played as one can get: Auda (id) and Ali (superego) lean over his shoulders, each shouting what they think should be done about the Turks on the horizon [[spolier:[[RapePillageandBurn (who have themselves just departed from and burning and slaughtering the inhabitants of a village the Arabs have just ridden into)]]]] into his ears, leaving him to choose whose advice to follow. Ali's advice? "Damascus, Aurens. Think of Damascus"; his advice is to stick to the plan and not take lives for revenge. Very moralistic. Auda's advice? After a soldier in Lawrence's cavalry charges toward the Turks, sword drawn, in defiance of Lawrence's order to wait as he deliberates with his commanders, Lawrence starts to ride off to stop him. Auda then interrupts: "No, Aurens. This was his village." [[spoiler:Lawrence listens to Auda.]]

** Ego: Lawrence. A quiet, calculating man who only acts before careful deliberation. Freud believed that the ego is the conscious manifestation of a man and the part of him which the world sees (just as Lawrence is the face and title of the film), and that it is constantly trying to balance the desires of the basal, instinctive id and the moralistic superego just as Lawrence takes battle advice throughout the film from his two commanders, Auda and Ali. The scene before [[spoiler:the Arab Army massacres a band of Turks while on its way to take Damascus before the British]] is about as great a demonstration of the role Freud believed the ego played as one can get: Auda (id) and Ali (superego) lean over his shoulders, each shouting what they think should be done about the Turks on the horizon ]][[spolier:[[RapePillageandBurn (who have themselves just departed from and burning and slaughtering the inhabitants of a village the Arabs have just ridden into)]]]] into his ears, leaving him to choose whose advice to follow. Ali's advice? "Damascus, Aurens. Think of Damascus"; his advice is to stick to the plan and not take lives for revenge. Very moralistic. Auda's advice? After a soldier in Lawrence's cavalry charges toward the Turks, sword drawn, in defiance of Lawrence's order to wait as he deliberates with his commanders, Lawrence starts to ride off to stop him. Auda then interrupts: "No, Aurens. This was his village." [[spoiler:Lawrence listens to Auda.]]

** Ego: Lawrence. A quiet, calculating man who only acts before careful deliberation. Freud believed that the ego is the conscious manifestation of a man and the part of him which the world sees (just as Lawrence is the face and title of the film), and that it is constantly trying to balance the desires of the basal, instinctive id and the moralistic superego just as Lawrence takes battle advice throughout the film from his two commanders, Auda and Ali. The scene before [[spoiler:the Arab Army massacres a band of Turks while on its way to take Damascus before the British]] is about as great a demonstration of the role Freud believed the ego played as one can get: Auda (id) and Ali (superego) lean over his shoulders, each shouting what they think should be done about the Turks on the horizon [[RapePillageandBurn (who have themselves just departed from and burning and slaughtering the inhabitants of a village the Arabs have just ridden into)]] into his ears, leaving him to choose whose advice to follow. Ali's advice? "Damascus, Aurens. Think of Damascus"; his advice is to stick to the plan and not take lives for revenge. Very moralistic. Auda's advice? After a soldier in Lawrence's cavalry charges toward the Turks, sword drawn, in defiance of Lawrence's order to wait as he deliberates with his commanders, Lawrence starts to ride off to stop him. Auda then interrupts: "No, Aurens. This was his village." [[spoiler:Lawrence listens to Auda.]]

* FreudianTrio: ** Ego: Lawrence. A quiet, calculating man who only acts before careful deliberation. Freud believed that the ego is the conscious manifestation of a man and the part of him which the world sees (just as Lawrence is the face and title of the film), and that it is constantly trying to balance the desires of the basal, instinctive id and the moralistic superego just as Lawrence takes battle advice throughout the film from his two commanders, Auda and Ali. The scene before [[spoiler:the Arab Army massacres a band of Turks while on its way to take Damascus before the British]] is about as great a demonstration of the role Freud believed the ego played as one can get: Auda (id) and Ali (superego) lean over his shoulders, each shouting what they think should be done about the Turks on the horizon [[RapePillageandBurn (who have themselves just departed from and burning and slaughtering the inhabitants of a village the Arabs have just ridden into)]] into his ears, leaving him to choose whose advice to follow. Ali's advice? "Damascus, Aurens. Think of Damascus"; his advice is to stick to the plan and not take lives for revenge. Very moralistic. Auda's advice? After a soldier in Lawrence's cavalry charges toward the Turks, sword drawn, in defiance of Lawrence's order to wait as he deliberates with his commanders, Lawrence starts to ride off to stop him. Auda then interrupts: "No, Aurens. This was his village." [[spoiler:Lawrence listens to Auda.]]

* FreudianTrio: Auda (id), Ali (superego), and Lawrence (ego).

[[ExecutiveMeddling The film was twice subjected to major cuts]], being reduced from an initial 222 minute length to as short as 187 minutes by the early '70s. Much of the missing footage was misplaced by Creator/ColumbiaPictures until the 1989 restoration (216 minutes). David Lean approved of the first round of cuts, but later blamed them on Sam Spiegel. In 2012, the film was re-released in limited quantities both to celebrate its 50th anniversary and to show off a new screen technology known as Ultra-High Definition resolution.

Famously one of the all-time favorite films of Creator/StevenSpielberg--he counts the legendary MatchCut as being one of the seminal inspirations for him taking up filmmaking as a career. He eagerly spearheaded a restoration of the film for DVD, with the assistance of Creator/MartinScorsese.

Premiere magazine ranked O'Toole's performance as the title character as the greatest in film history.

''Lawrence of Arabia'' is a 1962 [[EpicMovie historical epic film]] directed by Creator/DavidLean, about British officer [[UsefulNotes/TELawrence T.E. Lawrence's]] activities leading the Arab revolt against the Turks during UsefulNotes/WorldWarI.

Creator/OmarSharif plays Lawrence's buddy (and subtextual lover) Sherif Ali. Creator/AlecGuinness appears as the cynical power player Prince Faisal. Creator/AnthonyQuinn perfects LargeHam as an Arab warlord, Auda abu Tayi. Creator/JoseFerrer plays the sadistic garrison commander at Deraa. And Creator/ClaudeRains makes one of his last film appearances as Dryden, a manipulative English agent.

* AdvertisedExtra: Original posters, trailers and TV spots highlighted (among others in the EnsembleCast) Oscar-winner [[Creator/JoseFerrer José Ferrer]] playing the Turkish Bey. This even though Ferrer had about four minutes of total screen time (though [[OneSceneWonder admittedly]] [[RapeAsDrama a very memorable scene]]).

Creator/OmarSharif plays Lawrence's buddy (and subtextual lover) Sherif Ali. Creator/AlecGuinness appears as the cynical power player Prince Faisal. Creator/AnthonyQuinn perfects LargeHam as an Arab warlord, Auda abu Tayi. Creator/ClaudeRains makes one of his last film appearances as Dryden, a manipulative English agent.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lawrence_of_arabia_1962_poster.jpg]]

''Lawrence of Arabia'' is a [[EpicMovie historical epic film]] directed by Creator/DavidLean, about British officer [[UsefulNotes/TELawrence T.E. Lawrence's]] activities leading the Arab revolt against the Turks during UsefulNotes/WorldWarI.

Producer Sam Spiegel bought the rights to Lawrence's own 1922 account of his experiences in the Middle East, ''The Seven Pillars of Wisdom'', for Lean (who had previously helmed the Spiegel-produced ''Film/TheBridgeOnTheRiverKwai'' to great success) to direct. ''Lawrence'' took two years to make, in locations like Jordan, Morocco and Spain. When finally released in 1962, it won a ton of awards including the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Picture, and remains highly-regarded by most critics decades later. The movie is intelligently written and well-acted, although some critics have issues with the historical accuracy. On a visual note, it contains some absolutely beautiful desert scenery, and Creator/PeterOToole is terribly pretty in the title role.

* {{Intermission}}: It's long enough to need one. In this film, it occurs when General Allenby, Mr Dryden, and Colonel Brighton discuss ‘’how’’ they will aid Lawrence and the Arab Revolt.

* {{Intermission}}: It's long enough to need one.

** Real life speculation about Lawrence's sexuality seems to oscillate between two extremes: he was either entirely [[{{Asexuality}} asexual]], or a masochistic gay man.

* RatedMForManly: A movie about Bedouin riding around on {{Cool Horse}}s and camels in scorching deserts, killing large numbers of Turkish soldiers! That's also about beautiful desert landscapes, British imperialism, one man's war with his own nature, and features barely any battle scenes, instead being rife with sexual tension between men. Not exactly ''Film/{{Predator}}'', then.

* RockBeatsLaser: The primary hurdle in helping the Arabs is teaching them about the technological evolution of war, particularly in that Faisal's entire camp was helpless against a pair of planes harassing them. In taking Aquaba their strategy relied on the fact the cannons were pointed at the sea and did not anticipate an attack from behind. Despite having machine gun encampments the surprise attack lead to a near effortless victory.

* QuicksandSucks: Quicksand shows up in the desert, swallowing a servant in moments. Easy to write off as ArtisticLicenseGeology, but it's [[OlderThanTheyThink mentioned in the folklore]] of many desert cultures, and it's recently been discovered that may be for good reason: [[TruthInTelevision dry quicksand exists]] and behaves ''more'' like Hollywood quicksand than the liquid variety.[[note]][[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_quicksand The other wiki has an article]], but basically, it seems to be caused by the normally tightly packed structure of sand being slightly looser than normal- perhaps by a drift of powder sand being blown lightly into the gap between several dune ridges. This creates a large, precariously stacked pile of sand grains and trapped air that otherwise looks like completely normal sand. Cue a caravan. In one experiment a weighted ping pong ball sank into dry quicksand to a depth of several inches almost immediately,accompanied by a "straight jet of sand [shooting] violently into the air after about 100 milliseconds".[[/note]] Its also worth mentioning that the wet form of quicksand forms in deserts, too. [[note]]It takes a large, long-lived, reliable spring to form anything vaguely resembling a greenery-circled open pool - a weak or unreliable spring may simply form a small patch of quicksand when conditions are right.[[/note]]
** In any case, while not impossible, the scene itself [[ArtisticLicenseHistory is an invention]]: the real Daud died of a fever at Aqaba in late 1917.

* OneLinerNameOneliner: Mr. Bentley to Dryden at some point: "Walk away, Dryden, walk away."

* DepravedHomosexual: Lawrence is arrested by a Turkish general who picks him from a line-up of other young men. He immediately starts pawing Lawrence and remarking on his attractive face, skin and eyes. Lawrence realizes what's going on and kicks the general in the groin, after which Lawrence is brutally beaten as the Bey watches. This scene corresponds to a chapter of the real Lawrence's memoir ''Seven Pillars of Wisdom'', where he explicitly recounts being gang raped. Lawrence himself was gay and that's abundantly clear in the book, but this scene was the only one the filmmakers chose to include... so it definitely fits the trope.

* BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil: Lawrence becomes an AxCrazy, ruthless BloodKnight after having been tortured by the Turks...''as a deserter''.

* JudgmentOfSolomon: Lawrence's friend Gasim murders a man from another tribe. For him not to be executed would shame the wronged tribe; For the wronged tribe to execute the murderer would simply escalate the CycleOfRevenge. To fend off the dispute, Lawrence, to his distaste, personally carries out the execution because he has no local connections and therefore no one can take offense.

* CastingGag: Peter O'Toole was a hard-drinking playboy, while T. E. Lawrence was a CelibateEccentricGenius teetotaler.

* BookEnds: The film begins with Lawrence's death in a reckless motorcycle accident. The rest of the film, which is told in flashback, ends with Lawrence being driven along a road in a jeep, while a man on a motorcycle speeds by and recklessly passes him.