Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
95%RT Audience Score: 93%
Awards & Nominations: Won 7 Oscars
31 wins & 15 nominations total
The epic of all epics, Lawrence of Arabia cements director David Lean’s status in the filmmaking pantheon with nearly four hours of grand scope, brilliant performances, and beautiful cinematography.
Lawrence of Arabia is a classic epic film that has stood the test of time. While some critics may find it too long, it’s hard to deny the grandeur and awe-inspiring visuals that make this movie a masterpiece. From the stunning desert landscapes to the taut and expressive script, everything about this film is impeccably designed. And let’s not forget about Peter O’Toole’s breakthrough performance as T.E. Lawrence, which earned him the first of eight Academy Award nominations. If you haven’t seen Lawrence of Arabia yet, it’s time to grab some popcorn and settle in for a truly unforgettable cinematic experience.
Production Company(ies)
Horizon Pictures,
Distributor
Columbia TriStar Home Video, Columbia Tristar, RCA Home Video, Criterion Collection
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, Glamis, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Approved
Year of Release
1962
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:3h 36m
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Language(s):English, Arabic, Turkish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 16, 1962 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 3, 2001
Genre(s)
Biography/Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Peter O’Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif, Jack Hawkins, José Ferrer, directed by David Lean, written by Robert Bolt, Michael Wilson, biography, adventure, PG rating, box office gross $6.0M, reviewed by Marjory Adams, Mae Tinee, Josephine O’Neill, Bob Thomas, Philip K Scheuer, Yorwerth Davies, Allison Rose, Danielle Solzman, Douglas Davidson, Josh Parham, Brian Eggert, Jay Jacobs, epic, grand scope, beautiful cinematography, British Lieutenant T.E Lawrence, native Bedouin tribes, Prince Faisal, liaison, Arabs, British, fight against Turks, native Sherif Ali, rebels, superior officer, camel journey, harsh desert, Turkish port, Columbia TriStar Home Video, Columbia Tristar, RCA Home Video, Criterion Collection, Surround
Worldwide gross: $45,715,757
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $508,382,417
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 284
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 55,439,740
US/Canada gross: $45,306,425
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $503,830,437
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 74
US/Canada opening weekend: $20,846
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $231,818
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,610
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $15,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $166,807,612
Production budget ranking: 183
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $89,825,899
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $251,748,906
ROI to date (est.): 98%
ROI ranking: 944
Alec Guinness – Prince Feisal
Anthony Quinn – Auda abu Tayi
Omar Sharif – Sherif Ali ibn el Kharish
Jack Hawkins – Gen. Lord Edmund Allenby
José Ferrer – Turkish Bey
Director(s)
David Lean
Writer(s)
Robert Bolt, Michael Wilson
Producer(s)
Robert A. Harris, Sam Spiegel
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 7 Oscars
31 wins & 15 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (129) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (121) | Rotten (8)
From the early shots laid on the sun-hot sands there is grandeur and awe-inspiring, stark splendor, against which men fight and die, battle for their ambitions and then see their dearest ideals crushed by uncaring, mercenary politicians.
April 20, 2021
Marjory Adams
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
The script is taut and expressive and the musical score deftly attuned to the tale. Director David Lean has molded his massive material with skill, but personally I felt the film was too long,
April 20, 2021
Mae Tinee
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
A supremely engrossing film, Lawrence of Arabia makes one forget that it runs nearly three and three-quarter hours: and sends one out haunted and shaken.
April 20, 2021
Josephine O’Neill
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
It is hard to recall any film that has put the wide screen to such impressive use.
April 20, 2021
Bob Thomas
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
One of the most magnificent pictures, if not the most magnificent, and one of the most exasperating.
April 20, 2021
Philip K. Scheuer
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
The honours, then, go to OToole, to Bolt, and to the director, Sir David Lean. The film is technically superb, and the desert photography, in Technicolor, is memorable for its beauty. My only great grief is its length.
April 20, 2021
Yorwerth Davies
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
While not originally considered to play Lawrence, O’Toole was eventually offered the part which became his breakthrough role earning him the first of eight Academy Award Nominations
June 13, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
Sixty years after its 1962 theatrical release, Lawrence of Arabia remains one of the greatest films ever made from an epic standpoint but it isn’t without flaws.
June 7, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
This is an epic, not just because it runs nearly four hours, but because of the measured and deliberate pacing, tangible sets and action sequences, and the willingness to explore humankind’s folly due to pride and greed.
June 7, 2022
Douglas Davidson
Elements of Madness
The film is impeccably designed from every element on the screen, and words can often fail to accurately describe the elegance that is crafted.
May 25, 2022 | Rating: 9/10
Josh Parham
Next Best Picture
This motion picture is unlike any epic because after enduring so many perils in an enormous journey, the size of which had never been seen in a Hollywood production, the questions about T.E. Lawrence remain.
February 23, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
The film’s real protagonist is the Arabian Desert — a state of physical oppression and a state of mind made as compelling for the moviegoer as it must have been for Lawrence himself.
February 10, 2022
Jay Jacobs
The Reporter…
Plot
Due to his knowledge of the native Bedouin tribes, British Lieutenant T.E. Lawrence is sent to Arabia to find Prince Faisal and serve as a liaison between the Arabs and the British in their fight against the Turks. With the aid of native Sherif Ali, Lawrence rebels against the orders of his superior officer and strikes out on a daring camel journey across the harsh desert to attack a well-guarded Turkish port.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Peter O’Toole’s performance as T.E. Lawrence earned him his first of eight Academy Award nominations.
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