For just a bit of historical context and no spoilers, the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire were on enemy sides of World War 1. The Arabs revolted against the Ottoman Empire on the agreement with the British that they would aid each other and in the end the Arabs would get an independent Kingdom of Arabia. They were following Prince Faisal's father, his family were the traditional rulers of the Hejaz (western Saudi Arabia) and the household of the prophet. Today, their descendants rule in Jordan. While it may look like they're portraying us (Arabs, I'm Lebanese) badly, keep in mind that the Arabs of the peninsula went back to their tribal ways almost as soon as the prophet died. Yes, Arabs in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, etc. lived like city folk, but the peninsular Arabs went back to fighting each other just like before.
I believe you guys are confusing Faisals. Faisal of Saudi Arabia (فيصل بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود) was a teenager at the time of this movie. The Faisal that led the Arab Revolt was Faisal I of Iraq ( فيصل الأول بن الحسين بن علي الهاشمي ).
@@MarcosElMalo2 I knew for I was born there. His grandson was also named Faisal, the Last King of Iraq. This Faisal is btw. the brother of King Abdulla the first king of Jordn & grand dad to the late King Hussein of Jordan.
It is interesting to see how Muslims feel about how the Saudi Kingdom about and the division of the Middle East by the British... One of the reasons I watch this is to see how people from around the world react to American Television, but also the politics of the time. I watch other shows like this, I watch Movie Munchies with the Vietmanese girls, Popcorn in Bed, and several others. I do enjoy your opinions and perspectives. I am a white American Christian in the United States for perspective. Thank you for your shows. Joe
The prince Faisal in the movie is Faisal I bin al-Hussein bin Ali al-Hashemi king of Syria and later Iraq. Not a Saudi! He was trying to get independence for Arabia, but was in a bad negotiating position so had to ally with the British. One independent Arab country is surely better than no independent Arab countries. He did the best he could with what he had.
T.E. Lawrence indeed kept up his promise. It's not calculable exactly how much but Lawrence personally returned and aided in distributing the gold to the Arab tribes as a means to support their defense against the Ottomans. A LARGE chunk of Lawrence's diplomatic relations were actually related to arguing with British superiors in order to secure coffers of gold to help the Arabs fight. The real Lawrence's goal wasn't to destroy the Turkish train lines completely. Instead, his strategy was to constantly cause severe damage but leave it just intact enough that the Ottomans would waste resources repairing them and buy time for the Arabs to better organize and launch counterattacks. Unfortunately, powers outside of Lawrence's own control didn't see to it that these lines were repaired after the war, and due to the breakdowns in diplomacy, a lot of North Africa was severely limited in development because the bridges and railways had been left abandoned. The Arabs at the time accepted this because they thought it was temporary, but after the war the state of things didn't land in their favor. Even though Lawrence was able to convince the Arabs of his earnestness, a massive regret is that the British government just wouldn't listen to him. He understood the people but was in no position to be able to get the Crown to actually acknowledge what he was saying.
I saw this for the first time when I was 11 years old, sitting on the couch with my father. I've seen it in a movie theater 3 times. You really need to see it on big screen, with the sound surrounding you, with hundreds of other people just as silent and breathless as yourself. This movie transports you like no other. (And of course, I completely fell in love with Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif.)
The Faisal in this movie was not of the Saudis but of the Hashemites (Faysal al-Awwal bin al-Husayn bin 'Ali al-Hashimi). He was installed as King Faisal I of Iraq. His Hashemite Kingdom was later overthrown in 1958 by the Iraqi Army which turned Iraq into a Republic.
This is an epic biographical adventure drama film based on the life of T. E. Lawrence and his 1926 book Seven Pillars of Wisdom (also known as Revolt in the Desert). The film depicts Lawrence's experiences in the Ottoman provinces of Hejaz and Greater Syria during the First World War, in particular his attacks on Aqaba and Damascus and his involvement in the Arab National Council. Its themes include Lawrence's emotional struggles with the violence inherent in war, his identity and his divided allegiance between his native Britain and his new-found comrades within the Arabian desert tribes. The film was nominated for ten Oscars at the 35th Academy Awards in 1963, winning seven including Best Picture and Best Director. Lawrence of Arabia is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. In 1991, it was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
The turkish canon in akkaba that was so brilliant, one camera shot summarized everything. The canon was pointing to the sea (against british battleships), they didnt expect an attack from landside and especially not from arab tribes, they were surprised.
It's so unfair to call Faisal a traitor. He fought his whole life to free Arabia from foreign domination. Before the oil industry Arabia had *nothing*, of course he had to seek outside help. He had so little to work with, and he still managed to end Turkish rule and create Arab-led governments across the Middle East. Even after the British betrayed him, he still kept promoting pan-Arabism. The Turks were heavily pushing Turkification in the years leading up to WW1. If the Ottoman Empire hadn't collapsed then the Middle East could easily be a majority Turkish area today, with Turks dominating the cities and the upper echelons of society, and Arabs relegated to being a rural underclass. As the Armenian genocide showed, the Turks were willing to go to any lengths to secure their vision of Turkish nationalism. Faisal saved almost all of Arabia, but because he didn't get Palestine he's considered a failure and a foreign stooge? That's bullshit, imo.
So unfair. How were Arabs treated like rural underclass? Sharif rioted well before WW1 while there were any oppression on Arabs. They were even not recruited in the wars before WW1 for God's sake! It is the Sharif who provoked Turkish Nationalism at the expense of Pan-Islamism (Which was the ideology Abdulhamid II was trying to employ to keep the Empire together)
Comments like yours are a breath of fresh air, honestly I was watching vietnamese reaction to We were soldiers and one of them called a south Vietnamese guide for the American troops, a “traitor “ oblivious to the fact that South Vietnam sought to be independent from communist control. They grew up in Vietnam which confirms “the winners write the history “
The Turkish were fighting with Germany, but they also had the genocide against the Armenians. The Turks were brutal at this time. The Arab tribes were trying to survive. Geopolitics, especially in the Middle East, is an impossible knot. But let's all be happy, for the moment, about Syria. We live in hope, and at least they have the Russians on the run. Lawrence became very disillusioned by England and Western colonialism. There is a great book, "Lawrence In Arabia". Highly recommend it in terms of pulling out for the big picture of what was going on in the region at that time.
I studied history when I was in college and my senior thesis was actually on the Ottoman Empire and the rise of nationalism. I wrote a section on the genocide and I was amazed at how much of a circular madhouse the violence was. It was the Turks, Kurds and Armenians just beating up on each other for so long it was only a matter of time something far worse happened. Circular hatred is never ending and never solves anything other than creating more strife. No one wins.
Why should we be happy about Syria? That 12 year conflict has Turkish, The US, Saudi, Russian, ISIS and Israeli hands all over it. Nothing to celebrate.
Classic movie based mostly on real life events written about by T.E. Lawrence. Prince Faisal's father, Hussein bin Ali al-Hashimi, was the Sharif and Emir of Mecca beginning in 1908 when he declared the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. After WWI he declared himself Caliph. His eldest son, prince Ali, became king of Hejaz until overthrown by ibn Saud in the unification of Arabia. Prince Faisal eventually became the first king of Iraq after it was created as a new country out of that part of the Ottoman empire by the British after the war. Their brother, prince Abdullah, became king of Jordan and founded the only Hashemite branch still ruling today.
The egytian actor is Omar Sharif. He played in another David Lean film , Dr. Jhivago, and he played the first role. It was another great film , an adaptation of a book of Boris Pasternak.
And he literally manifested the dark Russian nature and looks! I remember being astonished as an adult when I first heard the actor's name and realized he was in no way Russian- then a decade or so later meeting IN RUSSIA a number of Urals/Yekaterinburg and East Russians with exactly his features and coloring... and that core nature of passionate poet with dark thoughts and high ideals. I struggle even today to remember Omar Sharif is Egyptian lol
It's an amazing film. When they restored it and did a theater re-release 30 yrs ago, I got to see it on the big screen. It left an impression of a bygone desert culture that I admired to this day.
The outcome of WW1 and the efforts of the British to gain the support of the Arab tribes to drive the Turks out of Arabs was a very successful outcome,that allowed the various Arab communities to form nations and establish themselves in Geopolitics.
As others have said, the autobiography this is based on is excellent - worth checking out. For simplicity in the movie, about a half dozen different actual princes were condensed into Omar Sharif’s character. The main criticism about ‘accuracy’ that I’ve seen is that the actual number of railroad ambushes was never independently verified. Still, an amazing history and amazing book.
The Battle of Algiers (1966) is another all-time classic that is well-suited for you guys. Every Algerian should watch that movie. It shows the perspective of the French as Algeria gains it's independence. It is so accurate, realistic and beautiful that it has been shown within terrorist groups and military and police agencies as a training exercise. It was even screened at the Pentagon by the Directorate for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict in 2004. You guys can't miss it just like you can't miss Lawrence of Arabia. I would love to hear your perspective and reaction to what was going on and your knowledge.
The movie is very losely based on Lawrence's book "The 7 pillars of wisdom". In contrast to how he is depicted in the movie, Lawrence was already well travelled in the region, working as an archeologist and cartographer. Also had lots of different contacts and acquaintances (fe. with early Jewish settlers and Gertrude Bell). One of his counterparts was Alois Musil, who was basically doing similar work as Lawrence, but on the side of Austria-Hungary and the Turks. But less successful. Other then for the UK and France the Middle East was a sideshow for Germany and Austria-Hungary, only important for Turkey for obvious reasons.
This (by nesssity) is one of the few films that gets desert travel correctly on how you’re supposed to move through the desert( without marked roadways and cars). This is also one of the films with the biggest real world influences (the king of Jordan is the descendent of one of the actors from this film on his mother’s side.). Plus it’s the closest to getting a real life scale of how many people fought in ww1 in personal and budget.
I'm one of the guys who recommended this movie. I also recommend : 12 Angry Men, Vertigo, Taxi Driver, Seven Samurai, Apocalypse Now, In The Mood For Love.
This os one of the greatest movies ever made. Im very picky. Schindler's List, The Godfather, Its a Wonderful Life, Patton... are movies I like. If I were to rate this it would be top 5. Rarified air is where this movie ranks.
I suggested this film, didn't think you'd do it but I'm glad you did. It's known as one of the greatest films of all time. A work of art. Directors like Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese credit this as the film that made them want to become directors.
My family watches this every year. Lawrence's story is an epic tale of courage and tragedy. Thank you for offering us a very different perspective. Old Musician From Seattle
But Faisal was not Saudi, but Hashemite. It's after WWI that the Saud took almost all Arabia, althoug I must give it's not a part of history that I know much.
I saw this with my Cousins when I was 10 on the Big Screen when it was released in 1962! Years later when I was stationed in England in the USAF, on my First trip to London I went to St. Paul's Cathedral ( the Big Church at the beginning ) to touch Lawrence's Memorial! .... And Wellington's and Nelson's! I have been to Egypt, Israel and Palestine!
Very interesting to get your perspective on this film. Was a little surprised at the attitude towards the Hashemites, but I suppose it’s understandable. I will say this for Lawrence, he never gave up advocating for the Arabs, and found himself increasingly sidelined back home due to his constant criticism of French and British interference in the Middle East.
Love your reaction, and this was a fascinating story that I was unfamiliar with. And yes, I hate motorcyles too -- so dangerous! If there's one in front of me while I'm driving, i stay way back from it. They accelerate and decelerate so much faster than cars.
I've kind of been waiting for you guys to do this one. Apparently, Peter O'Toole found camel-riding uncomfortable, so he got a piece of foam rubber to place under the riding mat. The idea spread to all camel riders.
This movie was the direct inspiration for Dune, you should definitely react to that next (the Villeneuve adaptation, obviously, rather than the 1980s one).
It's really interesting to see your reactions to this movie since you have more insight into this region and culture. I was fortunate enough to have seen this movie in the theater when it was re-released in the 1990s. It was shown in the last truly large movie theater screen in my county. So wide, it filled your peripheral vision edge to edge. Also saw Spartacus there. Sadly, those kinds of theaters don't exist anymore. It is too hard to make a profit off of one screen, so they usually would partition into two or more theater screens.
hi guys, this is my favorite movie of all time. i teach at a mid sized public university. i use this in my course regarding the First World War and also the Partition of Palestine. the First World War was the birth of the modern age.
I really appreciate your reaction and discussions between the scenes. I've seen the movie before, like most people, but you two actual have historical and contextual knowledge. I look forward to seeing parts 2-4.
17:39 I don't know anything about the tribes at this time, but the context in the film suggests the problem was actually: - The water was stolen instead of given - The two tribes hated each other.
This movie came out the year I was born. I am 62. Peter O'Toole was one of the finest actors of the 20th century! You guys must watch the movie Becket with Peter O'Toole and Richard Burton from 1964 about King Richard II and Thomas Becket based on real life history. Truly a classic!
My aunty June and uncle Vince Dimech [in Cardiff UK] was shocked when their young son John disappered as a child in the late 50's; in later years my aunty and uncle was again shocked to see that long lost son on a movie screen, yes John Dimech who played Dawd [Maltese origin], can you imagine seeing a long lost child after giving up hope?
14:06 This scene was shot with a custom Panavision Sphero Panatar 450mm T8 lens. The lens compressed the distance, making it appear that Ali slowly appeared from the heat waves. These lenses can be valued anywhere between $20,000 and $50,000 depending on their condition age, and market demand. The higher prices are usually for the newer lenses in perfect working order. Due to its historical significance, the lens used in this film would likely sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
i saw the restored version in the 90s,what a revalation to see it on the big screen.lot of parts were cut out in the 62 version and put back in the restoration.some restored scenes lost the soundtrack and the main stars were called back to redub the dialogue
He was saying “..we are not happy in it” and not “..we are not happy, innit?” but you are not wrong, narrow roads & innit equals UK! Nicely done and highly enjoyable reaction so far…
I'd love to see your reactions to "The Battle of Algiers" ("La battaglia di Algeri", "معركة الجزائر "), if that's something you might be interested in. [Edit: The subject matter of the film does touch on present-day politics in Algeria also, so I understand that it might not be suitable or appealing to cover on this channel.]
The family above tribe, the tribe above ethnicity, ethnicity above religion, religion above "nation"- and ancient feuds and corruption above all. Not only in the greater Middle East, but it persists there into today. It takes but one glance at the lands of modern Syria this very day to prove this truth.
I love History, I love current events, I love following and predicting wars like a game to me, I love movies.......for some reason I never wanted to see this movie haha. My father is always like you love history and middle east wars, you know the history of most of them. This movie puts all of it into context the formation of each Middle East country with the Sykes-Picot agreement. As interested I am in that, still never wanted to see it lol But now since you guys are watching it, I might as well breakdown and see it since nothing else to watch.
The shot where Omar Sharif emerges out of the desert: a special lens was used for it, known as the David Lean Lens or Lawrence Lens. It was never used again - only ever for that one shot.
I absolutly love this movie! Its based off of Lawrences book and theres more than likely a little embellishment here and there. Hes human obviously. You add in hollywood and theyll add their own embellishments as they do. Doesnt take away from the fact that its still a great movie. It makes me want to learn more about this part of history because i dont know enough about it.
Funny you referenced Star Wars. The cinematography of this movie definitely influence the original Star Wars...and many many more films... You guys should check out 13th Warrior, an action film about a cultured Arab who ends up sucked into a quest with 12 Vikings. Omar Sharif's last film I believe - had a supporting role. Was praised for making the Arab Muslim character a sympathetic hero back when the vast majority were portrayed as terrorists and villains. And lots of fun!
You noticed the flag that looked like that flag of Palestine or or the UAE. That's the original flag of the Arab Revolt, and is the prototype of Pan-Arab colors & design. The later flags of Palestine, Jordan, UAE, Kuwait, Sudan, Sahrawi, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, etc. base their design & colors on it.
47:04 He is not an arab, he is a mexican actor, the horseman , he made career in Hollywood, his artistic name was Antonio Quin. Something that people doesnt know is that the mexicans are the mixture of many humanities that the spaniards brought up here to new spain mexico. One of rhe was the arab one.
David, the android in the Alien prequel sci-fi movie Prometheus (2012), has an affinity with T. E. Lawrence, and very much likes this Lawrence of Arabia movie, and so he quotes lines from it throughout the film, such as... "Big things have small beginnings" "The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts" "There is nothing in the desert, and no man needs nothing" Would highly recommend watching Prometheus, and also its Sequel, Alien: Covenant (2017). As for Lawrence himself, he was tragically killed in England whilst speeding along some country lanes on his motorcycle. A sad end, really.
Just a minor point. Right near the beginning with the accident. Lawrence was riding on the correct side of the road and the boys cycling were on the wrong side. We drive on the left in the UK.
Half the Jordanian Army were extras in this movie and the fathers of many knew the real Lawrence when they fought the Turks in the Arab Revolt. Must have been fun on that movie set.
This movie shows at least part of how the present middle east problems got started. During WWI the British wanted to fight the Turks. They promised the got help from the zionists, and promised them a homeland in return. They got help from the Arabs and they promised the Arabs a homeland of their own too, in the same place. Basically, the British promised both peoples the same land for their help. After WWII, the zionists and the Arabs demanded what they were promised. The British knew they couldn't keep their promises to both of them and they just left. And the war between them is still going on.
@@williamkerner3758 Your history is a bit off. The British (and some others) had been advocating for a Jewish homeland in Palestine for almost 100 years by the time the Arab Revolt started, and the Balfour Declaration of November 1917, which pledged British support for Zionist efforts to establish in Palestine a national homeland for the Jewish people, was not contingent upon the Zionists fighting the Ottomans. After the Balfour Declaration, some Jewish Legions did help the British invasion of Palestine, but it is wrong to frame British support for Zionism as a reward for Zionists fighting against the Ottomans. On the other hand, the McMahon-Hussein correspondence of 1915-16 did explicitly frame British support for an independent Arab state as contingent upon the launch of the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans. And, of course, the British did not make conflicting promises to just the Zionists and the Arabs, but also to the French in the Sykes-Picot Agreement.
Ah, memories. I had Lawrence's "Pillar of Wisdom" with me when I moved to Syria. I read it every day until my blood would start boiling at the thought of Sykes-Picot.
The Arabs allied with the British against the Turkish Ottoman Empire which had been oppressing Arabs for centuries. In agreement, the Arabs would have their own lands guaranteed by the Allies when the empire was broken apart. Also please understand that whilst you think this movie makes Muslims look bad for harsh attitudes, these men were hardened warriors who had been fighting against segregation and oppression for years, they were not always charitable or kind for they'd already seen the worst of the world. Part of the problem the British and French created was not realising that national identity would not overrule sectarian identity, and so Sunni and Shiite muslims were fighting eachother in ways you two would not believe. Please understand that even Muslims can hate Muslims, show disregard, be unfair, be cruel, be murderous, be the villain, because humans, not Islam, humans.
22:45 the plane is an anachronism. It is a De Havilland Tiger Moth that was used by the British air force as a trainer. These planes were made in 1920, and wouldn't have been availalbe to the Turks in 1917. The Turks may have captured a British plane of the era, but it is more likely they were using a German-made plane.
I highly recommend another movie by the same director (David Lean) called A Passage to India. Just as beautifully filmed as this one and also a great story.
Respectfully request oldies but goodies: The Yellow Rolls Royce (1964 Shirley MacLaine, Alain delon, Rex Harrison, Ingrid Bergman, Omar Sharif) Dr Zhivago (1965 Omar sharif, Julie Christie) Indiscreet (1958 Cary grant, Ingrid Bergman) Romeo and Juliet (1968 Franco Zeffirelli) Gone with the Wind (1939) Lillies of the Field (1963 Sidney Poitier) A Patch of Blue (1965 Sidney Poitier) To Sir with Love (1967 Sidney Poitier) The Thornbirds (1983 Richard chamberlain) Shogun (1980 Richard chamberlain) The ladykillers (1955 Alec Guinness- comedy) Also: Enchanted April (Miranda Richardson 1991) Pride and Prejudice (1995 Colin firth) Also, please consider watching all the James Bond movies starting from the first.
For just a bit of historical context and no spoilers, the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire were on enemy sides of World War 1. The Arabs revolted against the Ottoman Empire on the agreement with the British that they would aid each other and in the end the Arabs would get an independent Kingdom of Arabia. They were following Prince Faisal's father, his family were the traditional rulers of the Hejaz (western Saudi Arabia) and the household of the prophet. Today, their descendants rule in Jordan. While it may look like they're portraying us (Arabs, I'm Lebanese) badly, keep in mind that the Arabs of the peninsula went back to their tribal ways almost as soon as the prophet died. Yes, Arabs in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, etc. lived like city folk, but the peninsular Arabs went back to fighting each other just like before.
I believe you guys are confusing Faisals. Faisal of Saudi Arabia (فيصل بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود) was a teenager at the time of this movie. The Faisal that led the Arab Revolt was Faisal I of Iraq ( فيصل الأول بن الحسين بن علي الهاشمي ).
Thank you, thank you so very much.
I never knew that! I always assumed it was Faisal from the house of Saud.
@@MarcosElMalo2 I knew for I was born there. His grandson was also named Faisal, the Last King of Iraq. This Faisal is btw. the brother of King Abdulla the first king of Jordn & grand dad to the late King Hussein of Jordan.
Correct, they cheated Faisal of their promise and then gave him Iraq as compensation.
@@nevinyoung9147 And then kicked him out of there & sent him to Jordan.
This is a true story….the wreckages of Turkish army trains Lawrence and the ARab fighters blew up can still be found in Saudi Arabia today…
The actor playing Faisal is Alec Guinness who also played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars movies.
And he played a villain in the comedy “the ladykillers” 1955.
It is interesting to see how Muslims feel about how the Saudi Kingdom about and the division of the Middle East by the British... One of the reasons I watch this is to see how people from around the world react to American Television, but also the politics of the time. I watch other shows like this, I watch Movie Munchies with the Vietmanese girls, Popcorn in Bed, and several others. I do enjoy your opinions and perspectives. I am a white American Christian in the United States for perspective. Thank you for your shows. Joe
The prince Faisal in the movie is Faisal I bin al-Hussein bin Ali al-Hashemi king of Syria and later Iraq. Not a Saudi!
He was trying to get independence for Arabia, but was in a bad negotiating position so had to ally with the British. One independent Arab country is surely better than no independent Arab countries. He did the best he could with what he had.
T.E. Lawrence indeed kept up his promise. It's not calculable exactly how much but Lawrence personally returned and aided in distributing the gold to the Arab tribes as a means to support their defense against the Ottomans. A LARGE chunk of Lawrence's diplomatic relations were actually related to arguing with British superiors in order to secure coffers of gold to help the Arabs fight.
The real Lawrence's goal wasn't to destroy the Turkish train lines completely. Instead, his strategy was to constantly cause severe damage but leave it just intact enough that the Ottomans would waste resources repairing them and buy time for the Arabs to better organize and launch counterattacks. Unfortunately, powers outside of Lawrence's own control didn't see to it that these lines were repaired after the war, and due to the breakdowns in diplomacy, a lot of North Africa was severely limited in development because the bridges and railways had been left abandoned. The Arabs at the time accepted this because they thought it was temporary, but after the war the state of things didn't land in their favor.
Even though Lawrence was able to convince the Arabs of his earnestness, a massive regret is that the British government just wouldn't listen to him. He understood the people but was in no position to be able to get the Crown to actually acknowledge what he was saying.
I saw this for the first time when I was 11 years old, sitting on the couch with my father. I've seen it in a movie theater 3 times. You really need to see it on big screen, with the sound surrounding you, with hundreds of other people just as silent and breathless as yourself. This movie transports you like no other. (And of course, I completely fell in love with Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif.)
Very true. I was lucky enough to see it in the Cinerama after the remodel. It was awesome!
The Faisal in this movie was not of the Saudis but of the Hashemites (Faysal al-Awwal bin al-Husayn bin 'Ali al-Hashimi). He was installed as King Faisal I of Iraq. His Hashemite Kingdom was later overthrown in 1958 by the Iraqi Army which turned Iraq into a Republic.
This is an epic biographical adventure drama film based on the life of T. E. Lawrence and his 1926 book Seven Pillars of Wisdom (also known as Revolt in the Desert).
The film depicts Lawrence's experiences in the Ottoman provinces of Hejaz and Greater Syria during the First World War, in particular his attacks on Aqaba and Damascus and his involvement in the Arab National Council. Its themes include Lawrence's emotional struggles with the violence inherent in war, his identity and his divided allegiance between his native Britain and his new-found comrades within the Arabian desert tribes.
The film was nominated for ten Oscars at the 35th Academy Awards in 1963, winning seven including Best Picture and Best Director. Lawrence of Arabia is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. In 1991, it was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
The turkish canon in akkaba that was so brilliant, one camera shot summarized everything. The canon was pointing to the sea (against british battleships), they didnt expect an attack from landside and especially not from arab tribes, they were surprised.
If you speak Arabic but don’t live in the Arabian Peninsula, your country was invaded, conquered, and colonized by Arabs. Hope that helps.
It's so unfair to call Faisal a traitor.
He fought his whole life to free Arabia from foreign domination. Before the oil industry Arabia had *nothing*, of course he had to seek outside help. He had so little to work with, and he still managed to end Turkish rule and create Arab-led governments across the Middle East. Even after the British betrayed him, he still kept promoting pan-Arabism.
The Turks were heavily pushing Turkification in the years leading up to WW1. If the Ottoman Empire hadn't collapsed then the Middle East could easily be a majority Turkish area today, with Turks dominating the cities and the upper echelons of society, and Arabs relegated to being a rural underclass. As the Armenian genocide showed, the Turks were willing to go to any lengths to secure their vision of Turkish nationalism. Faisal saved almost all of Arabia, but because he didn't get Palestine he's considered a failure and a foreign stooge? That's bullshit, imo.
So unfair. How were Arabs treated like rural underclass? Sharif rioted well before WW1 while there were any oppression on Arabs. They were even not recruited in the wars before WW1 for God's sake! It is the Sharif who provoked Turkish Nationalism at the expense of Pan-Islamism (Which was the ideology Abdulhamid II was trying to employ to keep the Empire together)
Comments like yours are a breath of fresh air, honestly
I was watching vietnamese reaction to We were soldiers and one of them called a south Vietnamese guide for the American troops, a “traitor “ oblivious to the fact that South Vietnam sought to be independent from communist control. They grew up in Vietnam which confirms “the winners write the history “
The Turkish were fighting with Germany, but they also had the genocide against the Armenians. The Turks were brutal at this time. The Arab tribes were trying to survive. Geopolitics, especially in the Middle East, is an impossible knot. But let's all be happy, for the moment, about Syria. We live in hope, and at least they have the Russians on the run. Lawrence became very disillusioned by England and Western colonialism. There is a great book, "Lawrence In Arabia". Highly recommend it in terms of pulling out for the big picture of what was going on in the region at that time.
I studied history when I was in college and my senior thesis was actually on the Ottoman Empire and the rise of nationalism. I wrote a section on the genocide and I was amazed at how much of a circular madhouse the violence was. It was the Turks, Kurds and Armenians just beating up on each other for so long it was only a matter of time something far worse happened. Circular hatred is never ending and never solves anything other than creating more strife. No one wins.
Speak for yourself regarding Syria
@@JeanMarieDuchesneSyrians have spoken up for themselves and won their freedom…
Why should we be happy about Syria? That 12 year conflict has Turkish, The US, Saudi, Russian, ISIS and Israeli hands all over it. Nothing to celebrate.
@@OMOMOMOMOM190 Bro its a foreign invasion don't even try calling it a local public uprising.
Classic movie based mostly on real life events written about by T.E. Lawrence. Prince Faisal's father, Hussein bin Ali al-Hashimi, was the Sharif and Emir of Mecca beginning in 1908 when he declared the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. After WWI he declared himself Caliph. His eldest son, prince Ali, became king of Hejaz until overthrown by ibn Saud in the unification of Arabia. Prince Faisal eventually became the first king of Iraq after it was created as a new country out of that part of the Ottoman empire by the British after the war. Their brother, prince Abdullah, became king of Jordan and founded the only Hashemite branch still ruling today.
The egytian actor is Omar Sharif. He played in another David Lean film , Dr. Jhivago, and he played the first role. It was another great film , an adaptation of a book of Boris Pasternak.
And he literally manifested the dark Russian nature and looks!
I remember being astonished as an adult when I first heard the actor's name and realized he was in no way Russian-
then a decade or so later meeting IN RUSSIA a number of Urals/Yekaterinburg and East Russians with exactly his features and coloring... and that core nature of passionate poet with dark thoughts and high ideals.
I struggle even today to remember Omar Sharif is Egyptian lol
Fantastic Bridge player too, played internationally for Egypt.
Yep, he was very popular in the day
It's an amazing film. When they restored it and did a theater re-release 30 yrs ago, I got to see it on the big screen. It left an impression of a bygone desert culture that I admired to this day.
The outcome of WW1 and the efforts of the British to gain the support of the Arab tribes to drive the Turks out of Arabs was a very successful outcome,that allowed the various Arab communities to form nations and establish themselves in Geopolitics.
As others have said, the autobiography this is based on is excellent - worth checking out. For simplicity in the movie, about a half dozen different actual princes were condensed into Omar Sharif’s character. The main criticism about ‘accuracy’ that I’ve seen is that the actual number of railroad ambushes was never independently verified. Still, an amazing history and amazing book.
This really should be seen on a big screen.
Yes, as should "Dr. Zhivago!" 🤨
The Battle of Algiers (1966) is another all-time classic that is well-suited for you guys. Every Algerian should watch that movie. It shows the perspective of the French as Algeria gains it's independence. It is so accurate, realistic and beautiful that it has been shown within terrorist groups and military and police agencies as a training exercise. It was even screened at the Pentagon by the Directorate for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict in 2004. You guys can't miss it just like you can't miss Lawrence of Arabia. I would love to hear your perspective and reaction to what was going on and your knowledge.
The movie is very losely based on Lawrence's book "The 7 pillars of wisdom". In contrast to how he is depicted in the movie, Lawrence was already well travelled in the region, working as an archeologist and cartographer. Also had lots of different contacts and acquaintances (fe. with early Jewish settlers and Gertrude Bell).
One of his counterparts was Alois Musil, who was basically doing similar work as Lawrence, but on the side of Austria-Hungary and the Turks. But less successful. Other then for the UK and France the Middle East was a sideshow for Germany and Austria-Hungary, only important for Turkey for obvious reasons.
This (by nesssity) is one of the few films that gets desert travel correctly on how you’re supposed to move through the desert( without marked roadways and cars).
This is also one of the films with the biggest real world influences (the king of Jordan is the descendent of one of the actors from this film on his mother’s side.). Plus it’s the closest to getting a real life scale of how many people fought in ww1 in personal and budget.
I'm one of the guys who recommended this movie. I also recommend : 12 Angry Men, Vertigo, Taxi Driver, Seven Samurai, Apocalypse Now, In The Mood For Love.
@@menwithven8114 The quality of film has progressively gotten worse since the 1970's. I'd much rather see a reactions to the greatest films ever made.
@kon
Some good choices there! Nice to see “In the Mood for Love” (2000) getting a shout.
I'm 55 and this is my favorite movie, but a close 2nd is Gandhi, starring Ben Kingsley. It's just as epic and awe inspiring.
“To look sharp, when he dies” was hilarious haha 😂
This os one of the greatest movies ever made. Im very picky. Schindler's List, The Godfather, Its a Wonderful Life, Patton... are movies I like. If I were to rate this it would be top 5. Rarified air is where this movie ranks.
It's nice to hear your reactions to this movie. I am looking forward to the rest of it.
I suggested this film, didn't think you'd do it but I'm glad you did. It's known as one of the greatest films of all time. A work of art. Directors like Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese credit this as the film that made them want to become directors.
Let me guess, you are white
Instant click. Wow, I have been waiting for this....now lets get on with the show....
....thanks guys ( in advance) :)
Thats not the Saudi Arabia desert BTW as this was actually filmed in the Kingdom of Jordan.
I love to watch and hear your response to this movie.......awesome!!!!
My family watches this every year. Lawrence's story is an epic tale of courage and tragedy. Thank you for offering us a very different perspective. Old Musician From Seattle
6:47 Not saying the Saudi kings aren’t dictators but the Ottoman Empire wasn’t much better and did some pretty non Islamic things
It is true. Because even some kings and queens outside of the Saudi area were just as bad. They believed in Christianity and Catholicism.
But Faisal was not Saudi, but Hashemite. It's after WWI that the Saud took almost all Arabia, althoug I must give it's not a part of history that I know much.
The ottoman Empire was straight evil
You don't get an Empire by being nice.
From the Sumerians, Assyrians or Persians way back in time to the UK, US, Russia or China.
I saw this with my Cousins when I was 10 on the Big Screen when it was released in 1962! Years later when I was stationed in England in the USAF, on my First trip to London I went to St. Paul's Cathedral ( the Big Church at the beginning ) to touch Lawrence's Memorial! .... And Wellington's and Nelson's! I have been to Egypt, Israel and Palestine!
Very interesting to get your perspective on this film. Was a little surprised at the attitude towards the Hashemites, but I suppose it’s understandable.
I will say this for Lawrence, he never gave up advocating for the Arabs, and found himself increasingly sidelined back home due to his constant criticism of French and British interference in the Middle East.
During WW1 the British Army had a Camel Corps. 4,000 British soldiers riding camels.
Anthony Quinn plays the role of Auda....he was also in 'The Message' as Hamza
Interesting reaction to this amazing film. Can hardly wait for part 2.
Good reaction to a great film, thanks.
PS-Im a drummer/percussionist & really love the Music from Algeria 😀.
I wish Muhammed Ali would expound upon what he means when he says "Thier time is coming" when he speaks about geopolitics.
Love your reaction, and this was a fascinating story that I was unfamiliar with. And yes, I hate motorcyles too -- so dangerous! If there's one in front of me while I'm driving, i stay way back from it. They accelerate and decelerate so much faster than cars.
I've kind of been waiting for you guys to do this one.
Apparently, Peter O'Toole found camel-riding uncomfortable, so he got a piece of foam rubber to place under the riding mat. The idea spread to all camel riders.
This movie was the direct inspiration for Dune, you should definitely react to that next (the Villeneuve adaptation, obviously, rather than the 1980s one).
DUNE!
It's really interesting to see your reactions to this movie since you have more insight into this region and culture. I was fortunate enough to have seen this movie in the theater when it was re-released in the 1990s. It was shown in the last truly large movie theater screen in my county. So wide, it filled your peripheral vision edge to edge. Also saw Spartacus there. Sadly, those kinds of theaters don't exist anymore. It is too hard to make a profit off of one screen, so they usually would partition into two or more theater screens.
This might be the best one yet
Good to see Red drop some facts about the evils of the Ottoman Empire(and thier colonialism) to his brother. 👏👏👏
hi guys, this is my favorite movie of all time. i teach at a mid sized public university. i use this in my course regarding the First World War and also the Partition of Palestine. the First World War was the birth of the modern age.
“It’s like Star Wars”?? No STAR wars is like LAWRENCE OF ARABIA.
I really appreciate your reaction and discussions between the scenes. I've seen the movie before, like most people, but you two actual have historical and contextual knowledge.
I look forward to seeing parts 2-4.
17:39 I don't know anything about the tribes at this time, but the context in the film suggests the problem was actually:
- The water was stolen instead of given
- The two tribes hated each other.
This movie came out the year I was born. I am 62. Peter O'Toole was one of the finest actors of the 20th century! You guys must watch the movie Becket with Peter O'Toole and Richard Burton from 1964 about King Richard II and Thomas Becket based on real life history. Truly a classic!
Egyptian actor Omar Sharif was a compulsive gambler. Whilst making one movie, he lost his entire salary in a card game.
"They are fighting like this".
"That's why they get colonized".
Nailed it.
Did you know camels evolved in the freezing cold tundra of the north in the Arctic Circle. Their wide hooves evolved to walk on snow not sand.
Omar Sharif was a Melkite Greek Egyptian and one of the biggest movie stars in the World. This move made him a household name in the West.
My aunty June and uncle Vince Dimech [in Cardiff UK] was shocked when their young son John disappered as a child in the late 50's; in later years my aunty and uncle was again shocked to see that long lost son on a movie screen, yes John Dimech who played Dawd [Maltese origin], can you imagine seeing a long lost child after giving up hope?
This is a truly iconic, classic movie.
14:06 This scene was shot with a custom Panavision Sphero Panatar 450mm T8 lens. The lens compressed the distance, making it appear that Ali slowly appeared from the heat waves.
These lenses can be valued anywhere between $20,000 and $50,000 depending on their condition age, and market demand. The higher prices are usually for the newer lenses in perfect working order.
Due to its historical significance, the lens used in this film would likely sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
i saw the restored version in the 90s,what a revalation to see it on the big screen.lot of parts were cut out in the 62 version and put back in the restoration.some restored scenes lost the soundtrack and the main stars were called back to redub the dialogue
There is absolutely no filmmaker like David Lean, and no cinematographer like Freddie Young.
I'm wondering how many times our friend Muhammed Ali is going to mention the words colonialism and fudge? 😀😉
He was saying “..we are not happy in it” and not “..we are not happy, innit?” but you are not wrong, narrow roads & innit equals UK! Nicely done and highly enjoyable reaction so far…
"They keep mentioning the middle east"
"Yeah, Lawrence of Arabia, no shit!" 😂🤣
Omar Sharif, one of the best actors ever. He was in the 13th Warrior. And he plays the lead in Dr. Zhivago, another movie you guys would enjoy.
This is in my TOP 10 movies of all Time!!!
so good. Its very much based upon reality.
The egyptian actor you guys were trying to name is Omar Sharif, he has a long and distinguished hollywood career. He was an "A lister" without doubt.
1:30 I've driven down that road a few times and visited his memorial. It's in Dorset right next to the British Army tank training ground.
This is a great movie . Both the story and the cinematography are excellent
4 hours movie.
2 are about travelling in the desert on a camel. 😂
Its nice to see these two boys have a very modern idea of islam.
I like to hear the politics and your perspective of this era.
I don't know about the historical accuracy but this movie is a masterpiece of story telling.
I'd love to see your reactions to "The Battle of Algiers" ("La battaglia di Algeri", "معركة الجزائر "), if that's something you might be interested in.
[Edit: The subject matter of the film does touch on present-day politics in Algeria also, so I understand that it might not be suitable or appealing to cover on this channel.]
One of the greatest films of all time. Yes T.E. Lawrence took some liberties in his book but what an amazing story from WW1
The family above tribe, the tribe above ethnicity, ethnicity above religion, religion above "nation"- and ancient feuds and corruption above all.
Not only in the greater Middle East, but it persists there into today.
It takes but one glance at the lands of modern Syria this very day to prove this truth.
I love History, I love current events, I love following and predicting wars like a game to me, I love movies.......for some reason I never wanted to see this movie haha. My father is always like you love history and middle east wars, you know the history of most of them. This movie puts all of it into context the formation of each Middle East country with the Sykes-Picot agreement. As interested I am in that, still never wanted to see it lol But now since you guys are watching it, I might as well breakdown and see it since nothing else to watch.
The shot where Omar Sharif emerges out of the desert: a special lens was used for it, known as the David Lean Lens or Lawrence Lens. It was never used again - only ever for that one shot.
Omar Sharif is the actor you recognized that shoots Lawrence's first companion.
I absolutly love this movie! Its based off of Lawrences book and theres more than likely a little embellishment here and there. Hes human obviously. You add in hollywood and theyll add their own embellishments as they do. Doesnt take away from the fact that its still a great movie. It makes me want to learn more about this part of history because i dont know enough about it.
you guys have to watch Home Alone (1990), it's a classic movie
Cool guys, see you in the next part
Funny you referenced Star Wars. The cinematography of this movie definitely influence the original Star Wars...and many many more films...
You guys should check out 13th Warrior, an action film about a cultured Arab who ends up sucked into a quest with 12 Vikings. Omar Sharif's last film I believe - had a supporting role. Was praised for making the Arab Muslim character a sympathetic hero back when the vast majority were portrayed as terrorists and villains. And lots of fun!
I have heard that Alec Guiness in all his makeup looked so much like Faisal that people who knew the real man were shocked when they saw him.
You noticed the flag that looked like that flag of Palestine or or the UAE. That's the original flag of the Arab Revolt, and is the prototype of Pan-Arab colors & design. The later flags of Palestine, Jordan, UAE, Kuwait, Sudan, Sahrawi, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, etc. base their design & colors on it.
47:04 He is not an arab, he is a mexican actor, the horseman , he made career in Hollywood, his artistic name was Antonio Quin. Something that people doesnt know is that the mexicans are the mixture of many humanities that the spaniards brought up here to new spain mexico. One of rhe was the arab one.
David, the android in the Alien prequel sci-fi movie Prometheus (2012), has an affinity with T. E. Lawrence, and very much likes this Lawrence of Arabia movie, and so he quotes lines from it throughout the film, such as...
"Big things have small beginnings"
"The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts"
"There is nothing in the desert, and no man needs nothing"
Would highly recommend watching Prometheus, and also its
Sequel, Alien: Covenant (2017).
As for Lawrence himself, he was tragically killed in England whilst speeding along some country lanes on his motorcycle. A sad end, really.
Just a minor point. Right near the beginning with the accident. Lawrence was riding on the correct side of the road and the boys cycling were on the wrong side. We drive on the left in the UK.
please try watching "The Bridge on the River Kwai", you'll find Prince Faisal as the lead actor there
Half the Jordanian Army were extras in this movie and the fathers of many knew the real Lawrence when they fought the Turks in the Arab Revolt. Must have been fun on that movie set.
The composer Maurice Jarre made the theme of The Message, too. You should really watch The Lion of the Desert about Omar Mokhtar
He wasn’t driving on the wrong side. We drive on the left in the UK! It’s based on a true story.
It's been a full whole day. And we all want to see part 2. Do we know when?
This movie shows at least part of how the present middle east problems got started. During WWI the British wanted to fight the Turks. They promised the got help from the zionists, and promised them a homeland in return. They got help from the Arabs and they promised the Arabs a homeland of their own too, in the same place. Basically, the British promised both peoples the same land for their help. After WWII, the zionists and the Arabs demanded what they were promised. The British knew they couldn't keep their promises to both of them and they just left. And the war between them is still going on.
@@williamkerner3758 Your history is a bit off. The British (and some others) had been advocating for a Jewish homeland in Palestine for almost 100 years by the time the Arab Revolt started, and the Balfour Declaration of November 1917, which pledged British support for Zionist efforts to establish in Palestine a national homeland for the Jewish people, was not contingent upon the Zionists fighting the Ottomans. After the Balfour Declaration, some Jewish Legions did help the British invasion of Palestine, but it is wrong to frame British support for Zionism as a reward for Zionists fighting against the Ottomans. On the other hand, the McMahon-Hussein correspondence of 1915-16 did explicitly frame British support for an independent Arab state as contingent upon the launch of the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans. And, of course, the British did not make conflicting promises to just the Zionists and the Arabs, but also to the French in the Sykes-Picot Agreement.
@@markhamstra1083 Plus we didn’t really leave till after the Second World War, it was held as a protectorate until then.
Well they didn't really leave. They carved up the area with the French
@@cassu6 Yes they did
Ah, memories. I had Lawrence's "Pillar of Wisdom" with me when I moved to Syria. I read it every day until my blood would start boiling at the thought of Sykes-Picot.
The Arabs allied with the British against the Turkish Ottoman Empire which had been oppressing Arabs for centuries. In agreement, the Arabs would have their own lands guaranteed by the Allies when the empire was broken apart. Also please understand that whilst you think this movie makes Muslims look bad for harsh attitudes, these men were hardened warriors who had been fighting against segregation and oppression for years, they were not always charitable or kind for they'd already seen the worst of the world. Part of the problem the British and French created was not realising that national identity would not overrule sectarian identity, and so Sunni and Shiite muslims were fighting eachother in ways you two would not believe. Please understand that even Muslims can hate Muslims, show disregard, be unfair, be cruel, be murderous, be the villain, because humans, not Islam, humans.
You should react to Hidalgo. Long distance horse racing in desert
22:45 the plane is an anachronism. It is a De Havilland Tiger Moth that was used by the British air force as a trainer. These planes were made in 1920, and wouldn't have been availalbe to the Turks in 1917.
The Turks may have captured a British plane of the era, but it is more likely they were using a German-made plane.
I highly recommend another movie by the same director (David Lean) called A Passage to India. Just as beautifully filmed as this one and also a great story.
Respectfully request oldies but goodies:
The Yellow Rolls Royce (1964 Shirley MacLaine, Alain delon, Rex Harrison, Ingrid Bergman, Omar Sharif)
Dr Zhivago (1965 Omar sharif, Julie Christie)
Indiscreet (1958 Cary grant, Ingrid Bergman)
Romeo and Juliet (1968 Franco Zeffirelli)
Gone with the Wind (1939)
Lillies of the Field (1963 Sidney Poitier)
A Patch of Blue (1965 Sidney Poitier)
To Sir with Love (1967 Sidney Poitier)
The Thornbirds (1983 Richard chamberlain)
Shogun (1980 Richard chamberlain)
The ladykillers (1955 Alec Guinness- comedy)
Also:
Enchanted April (Miranda Richardson 1991)
Pride and Prejudice (1995 Colin firth)
Also, please consider watching all the James Bond movies starting from the first.