Wouldn’t say I’m a movie expert but the movie “Lawrence of Arabia “ is without doubt one of the best movies made. I’m a fan of Gregory peck but Peter was robbed of the Oscar that night.
Well you have a good eye and discerning opinion, because it is in no doubt 1 of the best movies ever made......coming from another-non movie expert.....for what it's worth, anyway.
@@nonadeplume1145 Precisely true. And that is the very reason winning an Oscar is not a true and valid indicator of a "great" movie, or "great" actor, etc. More often, winning an Oscar is the result of a popularity or pity contest decided only by those in the movie industry, and not the peoples for whom the movie was intended. Hey! I just noticed "Nona".....that was what I used to call my grandmother...'Nona" short for Winona. Thanks for making me reflect and think about her. It's almost like she is sending me a messeage to never forget.
aww Michael, I am so glad I brought good memories to you. Actually Nona de Plume is a play on Nom de Plume, also known as a pen name. This got me thinking about all of the robberies committed by the Academy and one popped into my mind. 1977 best movie went to.... Rocky! Now Rocky is a fine movie about the traditional underdog. However it beat 'Network' and 'Taxi Driver's. Both very ground breaking films on so many levels. At least Stallone did not win best actor. That went, postumiously, to Finch. Tho, imo, DeNiro was superior as Travis. I presume some good will towards Finch was intended as he had just recently dropped dead from something to do with his alcoholism iirc. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
My mother was about 15 when he died - near where I was brought up, in Poole, Dorset. Mum said that her Generation were fascinated by the story of T E Lawrence - my Father was brought up in Poole and knew of him. Subsequently, when they married, and I turned up in 1946, I was named after him... The First book I was given, in my early teens, was Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Later, as a Linesman/Fitter for Post Office Telephones/British Telecom, I worked at Clouds Hill after the National Trust took over its care.: also in various Military Camps where Officers from the East trained in the UK to use our expertise on the Battlefield - some were quite interested to know of "El Orrance", his connection to East Dorset, and the locals' knowledge of him. Fascinating character, and the "visitors" to this area (some settled) also have tales to tell of El Orrance that they were told - as part of the story of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the resulting chaos of the Axis trying to "muscle in" on the Middle East. Some asylum seekers blame the current troubles on "The Russian" influence - but what do I know?
"As the darkness falls and Arabia calls One man spreads his wings, as the battle begins May the land lay claim on to Lawrence name Seven pillars of wisdom lights the flame"
If you're interested in this topic, the book Lawrence in Arabia by Scott Anderson takes a deep dive into T. E. Lawrence's life, both before and after the war.
I agree. 1000%! AND hle talks so fast that I put these on 3/4 speed so it actually sounds normal. And it absolutely gets old seeing his mug. We don't need to see it except at the beginning I guess
A controversial figure like a lot of other historical people but I think he really cared about the Arabs. He also suffered a lot from PTSD, bad depression episodes and tried to kill himself a few times after the war. A broken man I can say...
Have read many books on Lawrence and others about the war in that part of the world. It is very complicated politically and trying to understand the whole picture is a life's work I am sure. I still think what Lawrence did in Arabia at that time could not really have been pulled off by anyone else. He was the right guy and the right time. He suffered once the war was over from what we call PTSD these day. He was committed to Arab independence which of course did not work out .
I used to volunteer at Clouds Hill, TE Lawrence's last home and it was absolutely amazing. It is only four rooms including Lawrence's book room/bedroom and bathroom downstairs and upstairs his spare bedroom and music room/reception room and it's the most beautiful place that I have ever worked. It has such an aura of serenity about it and was a really special place. I had to give it up as it was a three hour round trip for me and the trains only ran once an hour so if I missed it I'd be stranded for an hour but I would urge anyone who comes to Dorset for a holiday to check it out. It's on the other side of Bovington so it's a bit of a trek to get to but you travel through the most beautiful countryside to see it. I have a great love and respect for this complex man but if I learned anything about him it's that he was, and continues to be, just slightly out of focus. I went to Clouds thinking that I knew who TE Lawrence was but ended up learning about him and finding so much that was complex and contradictory in his nature that I felt his true self was slightly elusive. I find this to be more true as time elapses and he fades into history. People want to project their own truths and views onto him and the real Lawrence fades from view. I think myth and conspiracy have become more important to people than who TEL (or Shaw as he went by in his later years and at his death) really was.
Yes, been to Clouds Hill (circa 1992), fascinating place and very necessary for understanding him. Not so much "backing into limelight" as "backing into peace". He was a man driven by vanity, but was intelligent and self aware enough to be suitably ashamed about it.
@@jerrygerza7565 Exactly but I think 'backing into the limelight ' is a perfect way of describing him as, on the one hand, he hated all the publicity and on the other he craved it. I'm just sorry that the Arab Campaign overshadows his other achievements. His work on air sea rescue is still used by the RLNI today. His archaeological work is beyond compare, I was rather over awed by his thesis on crusader castles and didn't feel that I had the intellectual chops to tackle it but now I feel that perhaps that was a bit of false modesty. Also his work at Carcamech is seminal. It's been six years since I've last been so all I learned is a bit pickled but I came away with, and maintain to this day, the greatest of respect and admiration for Ned, he was something else. Ps. If you haven't been and you're able it's well worth visiting Wareham to see the Kennington Effigy in the church of Saint Martin on the wall. I cried. It was beyond beautiful and well worth a visit.
Spot on! I visited Cloud's Hill back in the Summer of 1987 and was always fascinated by TE as my grandfather's history crossed paths with his. He fought alongside TE during the Arab revolt until they reached Damascus. People always used to ask my grandad this question, what was TE's legacy? He used to answer by saying, TE, had ultimately served the British Empire. He was able to turn a bunch of nomads into organized warriors. TE had a knack of building bridges with the Arabs, an excellent communicator, a relationship builder and a great salesman. He sold the Arabs a dream that the British ended up living. He romanticised Arab history with Western colonialism. Maybe in his heart of hearts his intentions were good and meaningful but, the British Army and politics had crushed his desires as he was merely a small cog in a massive imperial machine. TE used his knowledge of the Arabs to unite them; language, religion, history & values - those were all inherit in all the Arab tribes but they needed guidance. Looking at the Middle East today, one would understand why it had to remain divided. Not the French but the British, they had used a policy of divide and conquer in order to easily rule them. Those were policies that TE had provided his superiors, maybe inadvertently, but nevertheless, they were used to benefit from. On a final note, I see TE as a magnet - he was able to get in there, galvanize all those little bits (Arabs) then turned them into a lethal force to take down or repel an old and decrepit enemy (Turks). Other Arab leaders had tried to follow TE's footsteps but failed miserably due to foreign influences & lack of unity in the ranks.
Really good story, Peter O'Toole really looked like him a lot!! It's really sad how he died, he was young, too. Definitely one of histories best heroes.
There’s a rumour that he didn’t actually die in that accident, if it ever even happened at all… and that he spent the rest of his days in the bungalow at the end of the garden at the family home in Oxford. Lodgers of that home in the 60’s knew of a peculiar/private man who lived in the that building down the bottom of the garden, and were convinced it was TEL
The Motorcycle that he died while riding is said to be no.2 on the world's most collectible motorcycles list. The Number one machine on the list was the Brough that he had ordered to replace that one which was never delivered in time to be collected by him, instead, the owner of the company kept it as his personal motorbike.
I've read that he actually called his motorcycles "Boanerges" -something from Shakespeare, I think. He owned maybe 5 of them. The one he died on was in the Imperial War Museum in a room all its own. I saw it there about 8 years ago. Another thing I've read is that a black saloon car was seen in the vicinity of his crash and that car may have run him off the road.
As a teenager my father got me a Christmas job at his work which is an English company in Melbourne in 1974. My father introduced me to his boss a Mr Heyward who shook my hand by holding my fingers. My father later told me that Heyward had met Lawrence of Arabia. I thought “wow” because I saw the movie when it first came out. Tenuous connection, I know.
Thanks for recognising that it was Australian troops that conquered the city of Damascus in World War 1. Coincidentally, Australian troops also successfully liberated the city again in World War 2. Australian troops entered the city on 20 June 1941.
@@quasarsavage Australian Army in WW2 First to stop the Wehrmacht (Tobruk: April to November 1941 . 9th Division ) First to stop the Japanese Army and force them to retreat (Kokoda and Milne Bay).
@@ChristopherNFP the Canadians craked the Western front in the 100 days offensive. Another under appreciated lot, and the boar captured Namibia off of the Germans in 1914..
No one conquered or took the surrender of Damascus. The first bands of Arab Revolt cavalry arrived at the southern gates of the city at dusk. At about the same time the last Turkish troops were fleeing from the northern gates. Sharif Nasr sent a scouting party inside. They found the Arab flag already flying at the city hall and received reports that the Turks were gone - though they had left many sick and wounded behind. The Australian light horse entered the next morning. That is according to George Antonius, and historical accounts agree that the Turks did not fight for the city.
Anyone would think the Americans and a British were the only country in both wars. America was late to the party on both occasions,but one would think they won the wars single handed.Australians were the first to beat both the Germans and Japanese in battles.anyway team work right.
Biographies that you have criminally overlooked so far: Classical composers: - Ludwig van Beethoven - J.S. Bach - Antonio Vivaldi Gods/iconic figures: - Michael Jackson - Babe Ruth Chess legends: - Gary Kasparov - Bobby Fischer Painters: - Gustav Klimt - Marcel Duchamp Architects/builders: - Gustav Eiffel - Frank Lloyd Wright - Le Corbusier - Antonio Gaudi - Buckminster Fuller Writers: - Léon Tolstoï - Fiodor Dostoïevski - Homer - Sophocles - Victor Hugo - Jules Verne - Jorge Luis Borges - Miguel de Cervantes - John Steinbeck - Dante Alighieri Philosophers/theologists: - René Descartes - Confucius - Emmanuel Kant - John Locke - Voltaire - Jean Calvin Scientists: - Max Planck Dictators: - Nicolae Ceausescu - Manuel Noriega Explorers: - Zheng He - Vasco da Gama - John Cabot - Amerigo Vespucci - Hernán Cortés Other: - Anne Frank - Caterina de' Medici - Cesare Borgia
Lawrence of Arabia is indeed one of the greatest films ever made. Also, never realised you never covered him, nice to see you made a video about him. Great work!
saw it when it came out in Seattle . Nothing like it then , or since then . will always be my fav movie of all time . ❤❤❤❤ Peter O toole became the character fully . What a beautiful movie , indescribable on the huge screen
Whenever I open any new video on TH-cam nowadays, there is a more than 50/50 chance that Monsieur Whistler will be the commentator 😂. You are the cigarette paper of online presentations, spread very thinly but helps to spark up a joint 😂.
Another home run from Biographics! I would love to see a video for François Mitterrand. An influential world leader before, during and after the fall of the Berlin Wall and one of the last of the “Greatest Generation”. While Europe is currently in flux, his imprint on it looms large. I would love to see him get the Biographics treatment because quite frankly, Biographics fails to disappoint!
Certainly an interesting figure, from his role in WWII and his controversial friendship with collaborators of the Nazis, his role during the Algeria independence war, to his rise as the longest serving president of France (which probably won't be beaten because now the maximum is 2 times 5 years mandate). A few of his accomplishments: the first to appoint a woman as prime minister (the second one is the new prime minister), the abolition of the death penalty, the French-German tightening friendship and strengthening of the EU, but also the suicide of his prime minister Pierre Beregovoy, his many secrets that were reveled after his death (battling cancer his whole presidency, his secret daughter) and many other scandals swept under the rug.
Topic suggestion: the Australian Light Horse Brigade, probably more suited to Warographics. Exploits include the battles for Gaza, Damascus, and much of modern day Israel and Syria. As well as the cavalry charge on Beersheba - one of the last great cavalry charges.
A very interesting book about the politics around the area at the time is 'Line in the Sand'. Not by Lawrence but mentions him a lost. Regret cannot recall author.
im not sure if you are pronouncing words wrong or i just cant hear you, your voice changes in volume a lot and on top you speak really fast, making it hard to understand. just something to consider
PLEASE do William S. Burroughs. You've been my favorite source of infotainment for some years, and he has been my favorite author since college in the early 90's. Please combine two of my favorite things.
omg, I'd given up on your channels, but you've lured me back with this one, LOL. I've wanted this biography for a long time. I've read 7 Pillars. Yes, I got interested because of the movie, but then I became fascinated with the real man. People often claim to know what he wrote, but I find most of them have obviously not read it, cause they so often get it completely wrong. Then others reference that incorrect reference, and on and on. Thanks for the biography.
I did an independent study class of Lawrence and Gertrude Bell; thank you for posting this video as I feel they are two unfortunately overlooked historic figures of great importance.
Humbly requesting George Carlin. A comedian and satirist who oftentimes hit the nail more than just on the head; and whose bits were infinitely more than just satire. The guy was a comedian, satirist, begrudged philosopher, and even the *narrative* voice of the Thomas the Train, (AKA Thomas the Tank Engine) tv show.
@@masteryeet3600 oh that’s easy. I’ll just move on to someone else, or something else on a separate channel. Or, I’ll help out my good buddy who wants a Ceausescu video.
0:50 - Chapter 1 - Early years 3:45 - Chapter 2 - Archaeology & war 7:50 - Chapter 3 - Lawrence of arabia is born 10:00 - Chapter 4 - The battle of aqaba 13:50 - Chapter 5 - Life after the war - Chapter 6 -
decimate or devastate? the roman practice of decimation was a punishment in which one tenth of an offending unit would be put to the sword as an example to the remaining ninety per cent to shape up.
The TH-cam Channel History Buffs did a great analysis of Lawrence of Arabia in comparison with T. E. Lawrence’s actual life. I highly recommend that video too!!
Wonderful biography. It would be nice if you slowed down your talking. You seem to be in a race. Wonderful collection of old photos of Lawrence I have never seen before. Where are these historical photos kept¿ Im watching here a movie about Lawrence after the war called "A Dangerous Man". Peter O'Toole was great in the movie Lawrence of Arabia. When I was a kid around the time the movie came to theaters, before that I was always made fun of because I was the only kid in school named Lawrence. Once the movie hit theaters, no one ever made fun of my name again. I was then proud of my name.
In Fame in the 20th Century, Clive James remarked that for the movie, they had "cast the role of one of the world's smallest heroes [TE Lawrence] with one of the world's tallest actors [Peter O'Toole]." 🙂
There was a certain ambiguity about the man from the get go though he was a Great Character. Did or did he not run away and join the army when young? Was he a soldier or a spy or both? (Soldiers could never be scared back then, neither could people be gay etc.) Did he miss out a bit on some vital action because he shot his camel? Did the Aussies get the credit that they deserved while he was around? Is it true (though he's not involved) that a vital slice of the movie is fictional?
TE Lawrence is an amazing historical character. I wonder if there's any audio recordings of his voice that is available to the public. Maybe somebody can help me find this information. Thanks.
Another fine example of not needing particularly good breeding nor a particularly imposing physical presence in order to just be a lucky bastard and beguile readers with your writings if you simply write your words as if they were written by Yoda.
Lawrence inspired me to go to war in Afghanistan with the army without being in the army. “I have hunted wild boars and watched wild lions. Built boats and killed many men. So I have odd knowledges that qualify me to understand the Odyssey, and odd experiences that interpret it to me.”
Thanks for saying that the Australian's were the first to enter into Damascus, which was true, General Chauvel. ANZACS also fought along the Eastern front taking sites first but because being 'Dominion' troops, ANZAC victories have become British victories. Yes, Lawrence of Arabia was a good movie but you need to look at the battles of Romani and Beesheba etc. to find real stories of the Great War.
I just watched the movie Lawrence of Arabia again, after approximately 40 years. I realized it wasn't easy available in some places. There is a scene with an open book. It says: The Little Citizen _. Our Parliament.
Great job one of the most interesting people to have lived on earth. The last of the great adventurers in the foot steps of Alexander Napoleon and Marco polo.
If you read his poetry he refers to his gayness. Why did you gloss over it? Our English teacher turned all homophobe on us when we studied it. He got a reaction, not the one he wanted. We went silent during his rant. Nobody would look at him or speak and he left shortly after his tantrum. Now he’s retired we goad him in newspapers. Too bad he taught us to write and reason so well lol
@@teodelfuego , actually, in Seven Pillars of Wisdom he talks about sexual encounters between arab soldiers quite romantically (it's early in the introduction). He doesn't refer to it after, but in the '20s, people didn't publicly declare sexual preferences as they do today.
I think a great subject for the show would be Douglas Haig. He was the general during the battle of the Somme for the British and he is surrounded by a ton of controversy for the decisions he made.
how this brilliant summary expose has onlt got 6.6k thumbs up likes out of approx. 160k views is perhaps revealing of others general unawareness ambivalence to such features useful for demonstrating appreciation for content providers, lack of good taste &/or ignorance/apathy. No doubt things would be different if common folk had to pay for the privilege of watching same thus alluding to the degree of difficulty when it comes to getting the fickle human nature neural processing & alchemical product placement pricing mix just right for the equally finnicky maximum ROI cake to rise !! .
At last the truth about the attack on aquaba. Having lived and travelled the hejaz from alwejh through dhuba , almuhele to haql it is obvious the coastal route would be the way to aquaba. Easy to traverse , to be supplied by sea, cooler than the desert hinterland and the shortest route. The crusader castle at Al Muhele close to the sea was attacked , only to find it had been taken by British navel gunfire some weeks previously. The small Turkish garrison had surrendered in the face of large calibre shelling to which they had no reply. Beyond Haql the Arabs already had a camel track through the low coastal hills leading to the east of Aquaba. Absolutely no logic in riding across the Nefud , a hot waterless desert.
Lawrence must've had a complex about Australians, not only did they beat him to Damascus and on his dying days, Aussie doctor was there, but when he tried to masquerade as Airman Shaw, it was an Australian RAF officer (Guilfoyle) who recognised him from Palestine.
![Seven Pillars of Wisdom - T. E. Lawrence of Arabia - Sabaton History 046 [Official]](/img/n.gif)
Wouldn’t say I’m a movie expert but the movie “Lawrence of Arabia “ is without doubt one of the best movies made. I’m a fan of Gregory peck but Peter was robbed of the Oscar that night.
Well you have a good eye and discerning opinion, because it is in no doubt 1 of the best movies ever made......coming from another-non movie expert.....for what it's worth, anyway.
As a huge, life long filmophile, the Oscars have committed some very agregious robberys over the years.
@@nonadeplume1145 Precisely true. And that is the very reason winning an Oscar is not a true and valid indicator of a "great" movie, or "great" actor, etc.
More often, winning an Oscar is the result of a popularity or pity contest decided only by those in the movie industry, and not the peoples for whom the movie was intended.
Hey! I just noticed "Nona".....that was what I used to call my grandmother...'Nona" short for Winona.
Thanks for making me reflect and think about her. It's almost like she is sending me a messeage to never forget.
aww Michael, I am so glad I brought good memories to you. Actually Nona de Plume is a play on Nom de Plume, also known as a pen name.
This got me thinking about all of the robberies committed by the Academy and one popped into my mind. 1977 best movie went to.... Rocky! Now Rocky is a fine movie about the traditional underdog. However it beat 'Network' and 'Taxi Driver's. Both very ground breaking films on so many levels. At least Stallone did not win best actor. That went, postumiously, to Finch. Tho, imo, DeNiro was superior as Travis. I presume some good will towards Finch was intended as he had just recently dropped dead from something to do with his alcoholism iirc. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I have always thought Peck came across as a holier than thou Pecker. But that's just my opinion.
My mother was about 15 when he died - near where I was brought up, in Poole, Dorset. Mum said that her Generation were fascinated by the story of T E Lawrence - my Father was brought up in Poole and knew of him. Subsequently, when they married, and I turned up in 1946, I was named after him... The First book I was given, in my early teens, was Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Later, as a Linesman/Fitter for Post Office Telephones/British Telecom, I worked at Clouds Hill after the National Trust took over its care.: also in various Military Camps where Officers from the East trained in the UK to use our expertise on the Battlefield - some were quite interested to know of "El Orrance", his connection to East Dorset, and the locals' knowledge of him. Fascinating character, and the "visitors" to this area (some settled) also have tales to tell of El Orrance that they were told - as part of the story of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the resulting chaos of the Axis trying to "muscle in" on the Middle East. Some asylum seekers blame the current troubles on "The Russian" influence - but what do I know?
"As the darkness falls and Arabia calls
One man spreads his wings, as the battle begins
May the land lay claim on to Lawrence name
Seven pillars of wisdom lights the flame"
YES! Came here to say that Sabaton had written a song about him.
Welcome brother
I came here to quote Sabaton
"Far from Home a man with a mission! In the heat of the glistening sun!
@@goldosprey in their hearts of ancient tradition, this man’s journey has only begun!
There is a chapter in The Mint (his memoir on being a soldier) where Lawrence describes riding his motorcycle. It's quite bittersweet to read.
If you're interested in this topic, the book Lawrence in Arabia by Scott Anderson takes a deep dive into T. E. Lawrence's life, both before and after the war.
Who would've thought?
History didn't start until 1776.
Lol
@@TonyFromChicago_ That ain't true
@@acyeetus9101 You're right, its more than true. It's the Truth.
I haven't been waiting for this video since I started watching your channel/channels 5 years ago back in high school!!! Thank you Simon
Good video, but fewer close-up shots of your face and more photos and clips relating to the topic, and context. Thanks
I agree. 1000%! AND hle talks so fast that I put these on 3/4 speed so it actually sounds normal. And it absolutely gets old seeing his mug. We don't need to see it except at the beginning I guess
T E L was a brilliant linguist speaking the Arab dialects perfectly and fluent French.
A controversial figure like a lot of other historical people but I think he really cared about the Arabs.
He also suffered a lot from PTSD, bad depression episodes and tried to kill himself a few times after the war. A broken man I can say...
Also, from what I know, he was captive by the turks and raped.
Lol nice joke
@@coinzzy1511 it's a true story but yeah, it's okay. Laugh at it if this makes u happy ❤️
I believe Ernest Hemingway also had PTS. saw it in one of his books.
@@maryhampton4410 highly probable
Have read many books on Lawrence and others about the war in that part of the world. It is very complicated politically and trying to understand the whole picture is a life's work I am sure. I still think what Lawrence did in Arabia at that time could not
really have been pulled off by anyone else. He was the right guy and the right time. He suffered once the war was over from what we call PTSD these day. He was committed to Arab independence which of course did not work out .
WTF cares?
Surprised your surprised all you need to know is he betrayed the Arabs it is no wonder he hid away like the cowardly dog he was.
@@michaelmoss3736 Ha, glad you are so well read.
I used to volunteer at Clouds Hill, TE Lawrence's last home and it was absolutely amazing. It is only four rooms including Lawrence's book room/bedroom and bathroom downstairs and upstairs his spare bedroom and music room/reception room and it's the most beautiful place that I have ever worked. It has such an aura of serenity about it and was a really special place. I had to give it up as it was a three hour round trip for me and the trains only ran once an hour so if I missed it I'd be stranded for an hour but I would urge anyone who comes to Dorset for a holiday to check it out. It's on the other side of Bovington so it's a bit of a trek to get to but you travel through the most beautiful countryside to see it. I have a great love and respect for this complex man but if I learned anything about him it's that he was, and continues to be, just slightly out of focus. I went to Clouds thinking that I knew who TE Lawrence was but ended up learning about him and finding so much that was complex and contradictory in his nature that I felt his true self was slightly elusive. I find this to be more true as time elapses and he fades into history. People want to project their own truths and views onto him and the real Lawrence fades from view. I think myth and conspiracy have become more important to people than who TEL (or Shaw as he went by in his later years and at his death) really was.
Yes, been to Clouds Hill (circa 1992), fascinating place and very necessary for understanding him. Not so much "backing into limelight" as "backing into peace". He was a man driven by vanity, but was intelligent and self aware enough to be suitably ashamed about it.
@@jerrygerza7565 Exactly but I think 'backing into the limelight ' is a perfect way of describing him as, on the one hand, he hated all the publicity and on the other he craved it. I'm just sorry that the Arab Campaign overshadows his other achievements. His work on air sea rescue is still used by the RLNI today. His archaeological work is beyond compare, I was rather over awed by his thesis on crusader castles and didn't feel that I had the intellectual chops to tackle it but now I feel that perhaps that was a bit of false modesty. Also his work at Carcamech is seminal. It's been six years since I've last been so all I learned is a bit pickled but I came away with, and maintain to this day, the greatest of respect and admiration for Ned, he was something else.
Ps. If you haven't been and you're able it's well worth visiting Wareham to see the Kennington Effigy in the church of Saint Martin on the wall. I cried. It was beyond beautiful and well worth a visit.
Spot on! I visited Cloud's Hill back in the Summer of 1987 and was always fascinated by TE as my grandfather's history crossed paths with his. He fought alongside TE during the Arab revolt until they reached Damascus.
People always used to ask my grandad this question, what was TE's legacy? He used to answer by saying, TE, had ultimately served the British Empire. He was able to turn a bunch of nomads into organized warriors. TE had a knack of building bridges with the Arabs, an excellent communicator, a relationship builder and a great salesman. He sold the Arabs a dream that the British ended up living. He romanticised Arab history with Western colonialism. Maybe in his heart of hearts his intentions were good and meaningful but, the British Army and politics had crushed his desires as he was merely a small cog in a massive imperial machine. TE used his knowledge of the Arabs to unite them; language, religion, history & values - those were all inherit in all the Arab tribes but they needed guidance.
Looking at the Middle East today, one would understand why it had to remain divided. Not the French but the British, they had used a policy of divide and conquer in order to easily rule them. Those were policies that TE had provided his superiors, maybe inadvertently, but nevertheless, they were used to benefit from.
On a final note, I see TE as a magnet - he was able to get in there, galvanize all those little bits (Arabs) then turned them into a lethal force to take down or repel an old and decrepit enemy (Turks). Other Arab leaders had tried to follow TE's footsteps but failed miserably due to foreign influences & lack of unity in the ranks.
Really good story, Peter O'Toole really looked like him a lot!! It's really sad how he died, he was young, too. Definitely one of histories best heroes.
The Muslims did not need a Brit to fight for them
@@carlsilverman754: From hearing that story, I don't think I can argue your point there. I appreciate the like/reply there, thank you.
Carlsilverman754 obviously they did
nothing sad about drowning in alcohol
There’s a rumour that he didn’t actually die in that accident, if it ever even happened at all… and that he spent the rest of his days in the bungalow at the end of the garden at the family home in Oxford. Lodgers of that home in the 60’s knew of a peculiar/private man who lived in the that building down the bottom of the garden, and were convinced it was TEL
The Motorcycle that he died while riding is said to be no.2 on the world's most collectible motorcycles list. The Number one machine on the list was the Brough that he had ordered to replace that one which was never delivered in time to be collected by him, instead, the owner of the company kept it as his personal motorbike.
I've read that he actually called his motorcycles "Boanerges" -something from Shakespeare, I think. He owned maybe 5 of them. The one he died on was in the Imperial War Museum in a room all its own. I saw it there about 8 years ago. Another thing I've read is that a black saloon car was seen in the vicinity of his crash and that car may have run him off the road.
Wanna say that means sons of thunder, Jesus gave than same to two of his disciples.
@@lawrencelewis2592 Good Lord!
This was very good, in many ways that are difficult to describe, Mr. Simon.
I love your mangling mispronunciation of both Welsh and Arabic place names.
Yes when he gets to Russian names he tries out a new version in every sentence.
Simon: try "Ack-ah-bah".
As a teenager my father got me a Christmas job at his work which is an English company in Melbourne in 1974. My father introduced me to his boss a Mr Heyward who shook my hand by holding my fingers.
My father later told me that Heyward had met Lawrence of Arabia. I thought “wow” because I saw the movie when it first came out.
Tenuous connection, I know.
My grandfather, who was in the RAF, got Lawrence's boat after he died.
Hey @Biographics , in that time and space there was another interesting character .... Gertrude Bell. Definitely worth the time to research.
Already a film, ‘Queen of the Desert’ starring Nicole Kidman.
Yeah that would be a great one as well
T.E. Lawrence; The reason we have crash helmets today, never thought those two would be related... :P
And the reason why the Middle East is a dumpster fire today, too! :)
RIP
T.E. Lawrence
(1888-1935)
Thanks for recognising that it was Australian troops that conquered the city of Damascus in World War 1.
Coincidentally, Australian troops also successfully liberated the city again in World War 2. Australian troops entered the city on 20 June 1941.
Oz does not get enough credit for its part in ww2 just like Russia and that’s all the nice things I will ever say abt them lol
@@quasarsavage
Australian Army in WW2
First to stop the Wehrmacht (Tobruk: April to November 1941 . 9th Division )
First to stop the Japanese Army and force them to retreat (Kokoda and Milne Bay).
@@ChristopherNFP the Canadians craked the Western front in the 100 days offensive. Another under appreciated lot, and the boar captured Namibia off of the Germans in 1914..
No one conquered or took the surrender of Damascus. The first bands of Arab Revolt cavalry arrived at the southern gates of the city at dusk. At about the same time the last Turkish troops were fleeing from the northern gates. Sharif Nasr sent a scouting party inside. They found the Arab flag already flying at the city hall and received reports that the Turks were gone - though they had left many sick and wounded behind. The Australian light horse entered the next morning. That is according to George Antonius, and historical accounts agree that the Turks did not fight for the city.
Anyone would think the Americans and a British were the only country in both wars. America was late to the party on both occasions,but one would think they won the wars single handed.Australians were the first to beat both the Germans and Japanese in battles.anyway team work right.
Great work 🥳🥳🥳 Thank you 💜💜💜
Biographies that you have criminally overlooked so far:
Classical composers:
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- J.S. Bach
- Antonio Vivaldi
Gods/iconic figures:
- Michael Jackson
- Babe Ruth
Chess legends:
- Gary Kasparov
- Bobby Fischer
Painters:
- Gustav Klimt
- Marcel Duchamp
Architects/builders:
- Gustav Eiffel
- Frank Lloyd Wright
- Le Corbusier
- Antonio Gaudi
- Buckminster Fuller
Writers:
- Léon Tolstoï
- Fiodor Dostoïevski
- Homer
- Sophocles
- Victor Hugo
- Jules Verne
- Jorge Luis Borges
- Miguel de Cervantes
- John Steinbeck
- Dante Alighieri
Philosophers/theologists:
- René Descartes
- Confucius
- Emmanuel Kant
- John Locke
- Voltaire
- Jean Calvin
Scientists:
- Max Planck
Dictators:
- Nicolae Ceausescu
- Manuel Noriega
Explorers:
- Zheng He
- Vasco da Gama
- John Cabot
- Amerigo Vespucci
- Hernán Cortés
Other:
- Anne Frank
- Caterina de' Medici
- Cesare Borgia
Do one on my uncle joe too
Hey Simon, thank you for this very interesting video, it was great. Maybe someday there will be a video about Sir Francis Drake.
There already is. Look it up on the channel.
The host of this show is driving me nuts for God's sakes man BREATHE!
I always wanted you guys to do him. Thanks!
Would love your take on Erskine Childers, author and Irish gun runner.
Reading his book right now. It is really good
Cover william joyce lord haw-haw.
Lawrence of Arabia is indeed one of the greatest films ever made. Also, never realised you never covered him, nice to see you made a video about him. Great work!
When are we getting the history of you simon?
saw it when it came out in Seattle . Nothing like it then , or since then . will always be my fav movie of all time . ❤❤❤❤ Peter O toole became the character fully . What a beautiful movie , indescribable on the huge screen
Whenever I open any new video on TH-cam nowadays, there is a more than 50/50 chance that Monsieur Whistler will be the commentator 😂. You are the cigarette paper of online presentations, spread very thinly but helps to spark up a joint 😂.
Very interesting. Thank you
Another home run from Biographics!
I would love to see a video for François Mitterrand. An influential world leader before, during and after the fall of the Berlin Wall and one of the last of the “Greatest Generation”. While Europe is currently in flux, his imprint on it looms large.
I would love to see him get the Biographics treatment because quite frankly, Biographics fails to disappoint!
Certainly an interesting figure, from his role in WWII and his controversial friendship with collaborators of the Nazis, his role during the Algeria independence war, to his rise as the longest serving president of France (which probably won't be beaten because now the maximum is 2 times 5 years mandate).
A few of his accomplishments: the first to appoint a woman as prime minister (the second one is the new prime minister), the abolition of the death penalty, the French-German tightening friendship and strengthening of the EU, but also the suicide of his prime minister Pierre Beregovoy, his many secrets that were reveled after his death (battling cancer his whole presidency, his secret daughter) and many other scandals swept under the rug.
A wonderful video but exhausting to listen to. Recommend playback at 0.75 speed.
Please slow down a bit, Simon! :/
“Nothing is written.”
-Peter O’Toole, Lawrence of Arabia(1962)
Great film
Cook fact, O'Toole was actually a foot taller than the real Lawrence whom he portrayed in the movie adaptation.
He probably got that quote from the Battlefield 1 mission
Big things have small beginnings.
Topic suggestion: the Australian Light Horse Brigade, probably more suited to Warographics. Exploits include the battles for Gaza, Damascus, and much of modern day Israel and Syria. As well as the cavalry charge on Beersheba - one of the last great cavalry charges.
The Australians were not allowed to take their horses back to Australia. Rather than give them to the arabs they shot them. They were not happy.
Always hoped you'd make a video on Lawrence he's life has always fascinated me ever since I read seven pillars of wisdom when i was 15
I lived in the same street polstead road in Oxford as Lawrence.
Like WW I in Europe, Arabia messed up by British and France
Lol because before then Arabia was a bastion of peace and utopia
"I had to join the conspiracy and assure the men of their reward better we win and break our word than lose"-T. E. Lawrence Seven pillars of wisdom
A very interesting book about the politics around the area at the time is 'Line in the Sand'. Not by Lawrence but mentions him a lost. Regret cannot recall author.
im not sure if you are pronouncing words wrong or i just cant hear you, your voice changes in volume a lot and on top you speak really fast, making it hard to understand. just something to consider
PLEASE do William S. Burroughs. You've been my favorite source of infotainment for some years, and he has been my favorite author since college in the early 90's. Please combine two of my favorite things.
omg, I'd given up on your channels, but you've lured me back with this one, LOL. I've wanted this biography for a long time. I've read 7 Pillars. Yes, I got interested because of the movie, but then I became fascinated with the real man. People often claim to know what he wrote, but I find most of them have obviously not read it, cause they so often get it completely wrong. Then others reference that incorrect reference, and on and on. Thanks for the biography.
Welcome back to the Cult of Simon! :D
@@aq5426 haha, you're right! After watching this, a bunch of his other videos popped up and I watched them for quite a while. 😆
I did an independent study class of Lawrence and Gertrude Bell; thank you for posting this video as I feel they are two unfortunately overlooked historic figures of great importance.
I wanted to watch this video mostly to see if Gertude Bell was mentioned
Do one on Orde Wingate.
I think Jay Leno has the bike that was never delivered
Humbly requesting George Carlin. A comedian and satirist who oftentimes hit the nail more than just on the head; and whose bits were infinitely more than just satire. The guy was a comedian, satirist, begrudged philosopher, and even the *narrative* voice of the Thomas the Train, (AKA Thomas the Tank Engine) tv show.
I wonder what happens to this comment when they finally do Carlin?
@@masteryeet3600 oh that’s easy. I’ll just move on to someone else, or something else on a separate channel. Or, I’ll help out my good buddy who wants a Ceausescu video.
Please do Carlin, George- comedian & so much more for our friend & yours Dank. Thank you
Totally! Brilliant suggestion...GC was such a visionary comic and satirist his death was a loss to the world on par with Robin Williams.
Thomas the TANK
❗Lawrence of Arabia stands tall 62 years later. A brilliant movie.
0:50 - Chapter 1 - Early years
3:45 - Chapter 2 - Archaeology & war
7:50 - Chapter 3 - Lawrence of arabia is born
10:00 - Chapter 4 - The battle of aqaba
13:50 - Chapter 5 - Life after the war
- Chapter 6 -
"A Prince of Our Disorder" is an excellent psycho-biography of Lawrence written by the psychiatrist John E. Mack.
A video about sir henry tizard would be cool. His mission to the states quite literally changed the course of ww2
"No prisoners ! No prisoners !"
The title sort of implies there were others claiming to be T.E.
decimate or devastate? the roman practice of decimation was a punishment in which one tenth of an offending unit would be put to the sword as an example to the remaining ninety per cent to shape up.
Wow that's a whole lot more that I didn't know. Great video....thx.
The TH-cam Channel History Buffs did a great analysis of Lawrence of Arabia in comparison with T. E. Lawrence’s actual life. I highly recommend that video too!!
Love that channel!
You left so much information out... and did not do him the proper justice he deserved.
Wonderful biography. It would be nice if you slowed down your talking. You seem to be in a race. Wonderful collection of old photos of Lawrence I have never seen before. Where are these historical photos kept¿ Im watching here a movie about Lawrence after the war called "A Dangerous Man". Peter O'Toole was great in the movie Lawrence of Arabia. When I was a kid around the time the movie came to theaters, before that I was always made fun of because I was the only kid in school named Lawrence. Once the movie hit theaters, no one ever made fun of my name again. I was then proud of my name.
In Fame in the 20th Century, Clive James remarked that for the movie, they had "cast the role of one of the world's smallest heroes [TE Lawrence] with one of the world's tallest actors [Peter O'Toole]." 🙂
The name Lawrence came from the man who could have been Thomas’s grandfather. His parents used the name Lawrence.
There was a certain ambiguity about the man from the get go though he was a Great Character. Did or did he not run away and join the army when young? Was he a soldier or a spy or both? (Soldiers could never be scared back then, neither could people be gay etc.) Did he miss out a bit on some vital action because he shot his camel? Did the Aussies get the credit that they deserved while he was around? Is it true (though he's not involved) that a vital slice of the movie is fictional?
Because nobody's done it yet-
*AS THE DARKNESS FALLS AND ARABIA CALLS, ONE MAN SPREADS HIS WINGS AS THE BATTLE BEGINS*
*MAY THE LAND THEY CLAIM ON TO LAWRENCE NAME, SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM LIGHTS THE FLAME*
TE Lawrence is an amazing historical character. I wonder if there's any audio recordings of his voice that is available to the public. Maybe somebody can help me find this information. Thanks.
Do you have access to an internet search engine? It's a really neat thing that lets you find almost anything you need on the internet.
@@thelunchbox420x nothing on Google and Yahoo
@@jjmars9160 Maybe it doesn't exist then.
I have searched before, and not found one yet. Truly hard to believe and tragic that there is no voice recording of him. :(
@@marianhreads Radio was still relatively new when he was alive and talking films were still a relative novelty.
his motorcycle death was one of many that made me never want to ride the evil machines
Just spent almost 4 hours revisiting the movie... Marvelous. And thank you for the historically authentic recap.
Another fine example of not needing particularly good breeding nor a particularly imposing physical presence in order to just be a lucky bastard and beguile readers with your writings if you simply write your words as if they were written by Yoda.
He's an English guy
He came to fight the Turkish
Direct all Uncharted fans here 🙌🏾
AKKKK-abba how hard is that???
4:08 a quanta-what?
Good video 👍
A fascinating, complex man.
Also Lawrence of Arabia is a fantastic film BTW.
Lawrence inspired me to go to war in Afghanistan with the army without being in the army. “I have hunted wild boars and watched wild lions. Built boats and killed many men. So I have odd knowledges that qualify me to understand the Odyssey, and odd experiences that interpret it to me.”
If only Lawrence inspired boys to learn 8 languages rather than hunt wild boars and kill many men . . . .
how do you feel about the withdrawl?
Thanks for saying that the Australian's were the first to enter into Damascus, which was true, General Chauvel. ANZACS also fought along the Eastern front taking sites first but because being 'Dominion' troops, ANZAC victories have become British victories. Yes, Lawrence of Arabia was a good movie but you need to look at the battles of Romani and Beesheba etc. to find real stories of the Great War.
I loved the movie.
I just watched the movie Lawrence of Arabia again, after approximately 40 years. I realized it wasn't easy available in some places. There is a scene with an open book. It says: The Little Citizen _. Our Parliament.
Of course I didn't miss the Parliament. It's the least of my concerns. They are very helpful.
Great job one of the most interesting people to have lived on earth. The last of the great adventurers in the foot steps of Alexander Napoleon and Marco polo.
If you read his poetry he refers to his gayness. Why did you gloss over it? Our English teacher turned all homophobe on us when we studied it. He got a reaction, not the one he wanted. We went silent during his rant. Nobody would look at him or speak and he left shortly after his tantrum. Now he’s retired we goad him in newspapers. Too bad he taught us to write and reason so well lol
Who cares about his sexuality? It had nothing to do with what he is known for. Also, he was very repressed in his sexuality and never spoke of it
@@teodelfuego except in his poetry about his gay lover.
@@teodelfuego , actually, in Seven Pillars of Wisdom he talks about sexual encounters between arab soldiers quite romantically (it's early in the introduction). He doesn't refer to it after, but in the '20s, people didn't publicly declare sexual preferences as they do today.
Hm besides watching the movie I went out to an old book store an got a copy from 1937 seven pillars of wisdom , still reading it
Lawrence of Arabia : the original Indiana Jones .
RIP "Aircraftsman Shaw", who provided valuable aid to Robert Graves' literature; and showed more integrity than all of his bosses combined.
I think a great subject for the show would be Douglas Haig. He was the general during the battle of the Somme for the British and he is surrounded by a ton of controversy for the decisions he made.
Australian General Sir John Monash had to fix Haig’s stupid military decisions.
Motorcycling - not cycling. They have pedals and are minus an engine.
In his childhood and youth, they were bicycles.
The best book about Lawrence is The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.
Yes. George. The best and only. He wrote beautifully. The book is amazing.
Could you do a session on Gertrude Bell please?
Still buried in Baghdad! She was an incredible woman
how this brilliant summary expose has onlt got 6.6k thumbs up likes out of approx. 160k views is perhaps revealing of others general unawareness ambivalence to such features useful for demonstrating appreciation for content providers, lack of good taste &/or ignorance/apathy. No doubt things would be different if common folk had to pay for the privilege of watching same thus alluding to the degree of difficulty when it comes to getting the fickle human nature neural processing & alchemical product placement pricing mix just right for the equally finnicky maximum ROI cake to rise !! .
hey boigraphics can you do a video on genrikh yagoda please?
"bought" him out of the service???
The real lawrence was quite short
Not a 6.2 fellow!
At last the truth about the attack on aquaba. Having lived and travelled the hejaz from alwejh through dhuba , almuhele to haql it is obvious the coastal route would be the way to aquaba. Easy to traverse , to be supplied by sea, cooler than the desert hinterland and the shortest route. The crusader castle at Al Muhele close to the sea was attacked , only to find it had been taken by British navel gunfire some weeks previously. The small Turkish garrison had surrendered in the face of large calibre shelling to which they had no reply. Beyond Haql the Arabs already had a camel track through the low coastal hills leading to the east of Aquaba. Absolutely no logic in riding across the Nefud , a hot waterless desert.
In the war it would have been much better defended and the guns all pointed out to sea.
Honestly, I never knew he had spoken like someone who had just been stung by a bee in his mouth until this video said he was from whales.
Great video, but every time you mispronounce Aqaba it makes me wince.
"I like the desert. It's clean."
Lawrence must've had a complex about Australians, not only did they beat him to Damascus and on his dying days, Aussie doctor was there, but when he tried to masquerade as Airman Shaw, it was an Australian RAF officer (Guilfoyle) who recognised him from Palestine.
his accent is a form of torture...
When I think of Lawrence, I recall that majestic Brough Superior he rode. Two eternal Brit legends.