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.
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.
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 thought that this film portrayed the Arabs in a good light, and Lawrence himself was offended at the term 'wogs' and the dismissive attitude of the British leadership.
Yes and the British's primary interest in the region was to maintain control over the Suez Canal as without it vital trade and military power for the British Empire would collapse. At this time the British controlled Australia, India, Egypt, Papua New Guinea, and a lot of territory on the eastern and Southern sides of Africa. But of course like many empires, once the goals are secure there was little demand to support reform and a unified strong governance. They secured their interests and then focused elsewhere, letting the divisions between people continue the status quo. Very little interest in the region would change again until World War 2, and then after that the oil interests of the 1960s.
That line... " I carry twenty-three great wounds, all got in battle. Seventy-five men have I killed with my own hands in battle. I scatter, I burn my enemies' tents. I take away their flocks and herds. The Turks pay me a golden treasure, yet I am poor! Because *I* am a river to my people!" That's spun gold. I'm not an actor, but if I was reading a script, and that was one of my character's lines, I'd take that job, even if the rest was terrible.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Its also important to understand context surrounding the lead up to such things. The muslim world had invaded Europe constantly and ruled half of it for hundreds of years. Spain was called Andalusa. Muslims constantly raided European trade ships and fishing vessels , constantly raided British coastal towns and villlages, taking all the inhabitants as slaves. Muslims took over a million Europeans as slaves. The only reason us British ever created an army and navy was to defend from the constant invasion. From Europeans and Muslims. We were invaded for a thousand years before we finaly became nations and sought to defend ourselves. Also, Islam was spread by the sword. None of the middle east was Muslim originally. They invaded it to spread islam.
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)
@DWbo-r7v are you referring to the mythical communist stage where the state ceases to exist? The land reform alone resulted in the murder of tens of thousands of Vietnamese people…it was so bad that Ho Chi Minh himself apologized to the people for the “excesses”…but it was all for a good cause I guess
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 (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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
If you notice Lawrence slowly adopts the arabic's Ways starting with his head scarf, while still wearing his uniform. Then he changes more. The longer he lives with them the more he becomes one of them. It was a good way for the director to show that he slowly fell in love with the culture the people and the place.
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.
I don't really care if you guys add politics to the commentary. The movie is about the events of the Arab Revolt, but is also about the politics of the British in Arabia during that time, so we want to hear your perspective. I don't really care if your understanding of history or politics is perfectly accurate, as long as you are honest about what you know, what you don't know, and what you are learning.
Omar Sharif was already a big star in Egypt when he was cast as Ali. That pillar of sand Lawrence noticed is called a dust devil, at least in the United States. Yes, this movie makes Arabs look bad. The British colonial mentality was very much alive when the movie was made. "The enlightened Westerners show the natives a better way" -- that was the mentality. An example: The movie makes Auda abu Tayi seem almost childlike. The only way he will join will be the lure of money in Aqaba. In real life, Auda immediately understood the value of uniting the tribes. He also planned the expedition and led the way to Aqaba, skirting the desert. Also: nobody liked Gasim, so they considered leaving him behind, but they realized it was wrong to leave a man behind. (The scene where Lawrence executes Gasim is entirely made up.) Lawrence volunteered to go back for him, but it was not to teach the "savage natives" a lesson about the value of life. That was the creation of Sam Spiegel and David Lean. The Arabs didn't need that kind of lesson. The scene of Auda's camp at Wadi Rhum actually was filmed at Wadi Rhum.
In the old days with black and white it was often harder to see facial characteristics, and even when it first changed to color, it still wasn't like today. So they would put make up on all the actors. It probably is eye-liner he is wearing, but it is meant to look "natural" like he isn't wearing any. Especially with blonde people, their eyebrows and eyelashes can look nonexistant.
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.
Peter O’Toole, who played T.E. Lawrence, was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar 8 times, but never won. He did win an honorary Oscar, but that’s not the same thing. Noel Coward reportedly said of this movie that, if Peter O’Toole had been any prettier, they would have had to call the film, “Florence of Arabia.” O’Toole was indeed a very beautiful man. This movie made both O’Toole and Omar Sharif into international stars.
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.
One of the greatest movie musical scores of all time for a movie. written by Maurice Jarre and given only six weeks to do it. He also did a great score for another Omar Sharif epic movie "Dr Zhivago".
Well, to be perfectly honest, part of the score is a directly influenced by a piece by composer Camille Saint-Saens (Danse Bacchanale) Still a great score, however.
such betrayal and tragedy during this time for people fighting for dignity and sovereignty. God wills that all people have these things, from the individual to the nation. peace and solidarity to our Arab and Muslim brothers. let us pray that tomorrow will be happier times, and let is work for it. the LORD our God has plans for the unjust and unrighteous who seek to rule us: "The burial of a donkey he shall be given, dragged forth and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem." So says the LORD.
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.
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.
Parts of it was filmed in north Africa. Tunisia I think. The city scenes (Cairo, Damascus, and Aqaba) were shot in Spain. No idea why they moved around so much, but most scenes with lots of riders are shot in Jordan with the Jordanian army as extras.
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!
Becket was also a great movie. He also played the lead with Katherine Hepburn in the excellent film The Lion In Winter. A very young Anthony Hopkins also appears as one of O’Toole’s sons.
I loved this reaction, HBs! Your personal connection to the history is rare, and I appreciate it. So far as "an eye for an eye," that saying has often been used in the West to denigrate Arab peoples and their ancestors. It's my understanding that Hammurabi's famous code was "No more than an eye for an eye," a warning against disproportionate vengeance, which leads to an unending cycle of violence.
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.
This movie was the direct inspiration for Dune, you should definitely react to that next (the Villeneuve adaptation, obviously, rather than the 1980s one).
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.
id love to see you guys react to Malcom X (1992)! it talks about the life story of Malcom X, a big player in the civil rights struggle. it touches on everything, including him joining the nation of Islam(not Islam but an American cult slightly based on it) and eventually reverting to actual Islam after a trip to Mecca. i think you guys would enjoy!
In English, the desert is called An Nefud. In any colonial situation, most of the fighting is done by different local peoples. Before the outside power arrives the local people fight tribe against tribe. One tribe will ally with the outside power for local advantage to solve local problems. It happened in Africa, Middle East, Mexico, North America, Siberia, China.
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.
Omar Sharif (Sherif Ali) also co-starred in another great movie along with Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings) based on a true story about a long distance horse race called the Ocean of Fire that ran 3000 miles across the Arabian peninsula, Syria and Iraq in 1890, titled Hidalgo (2004). It would be a movie I would definitely be willing to watch on patreon with you guys.
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…
The film was restored and color was added, even though it had a grainy color. You can see more details in the film, and as they age it leaves new copies.
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
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.
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.]
Faisal in the movie is from the Hashemites. His family ran Najj which was northern Saudi Arabia. His father was Hussein bin Ali the Emir of Mecca who made a deal with the British to fight the Ottomans during WWI in return for an Arab country. Faisal was one of the commanders in the Arab Revolt and took Damascus and created the Kingdom of Syria there after WWI. He was deposed by the French who took over Syria and Lebanon after the war. He was later made the King of Iraq by the British. His family ruled that country until the 1958 coup when they were killed. Faisal's brother became the King of Jordan where the Hashemites still rule. Their father Ali was defeated by Ibn Saud who founded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Sykes-Picot treaty would've given Ali an Arab state under British control that would go from Saudi Arabia into parts of Iraq, Jordan and Syria. Palestine was not included because the British wanted it. The Sykes-Picot agreement was overturned by later deal making by the French and UK which got mandates under the League of Nations that led to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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!
And Star Wars was heavily influenced by Dune (or should I say large parts directly copied from it), and the book Dune was itself heavily influenced by this film, and came out not long after it.
The rifles that the Ottomans were using at Aqaba are German Gw98 Mauser rifles chambered in 7.92x57mm. They are "effective" out to 500m (expected 50% hits by an average, trained soldier) against an individual man and out to 1000m against massed troops or massed cavalry. The German ladder sights on the Gw98 were graduated from 400m to 2000m in 100m increments.
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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.
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.
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.
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 thought that this film portrayed the Arabs in a good light, and Lawrence himself was offended at the term 'wogs' and the dismissive attitude of the British leadership.
Yes and the British's primary interest in the region was to maintain control over the Suez Canal as without it vital trade and military power for the British Empire would collapse. At this time the British controlled Australia, India, Egypt, Papua New Guinea, and a lot of territory on the eastern and Southern sides of Africa. But of course like many empires, once the goals are secure there was little demand to support reform and a unified strong governance. They secured their interests and then focused elsewhere, letting the divisions between people continue the status quo. Very little interest in the region would change again until World War 2, and then after that the oil interests of the 1960s.
That line...
" I carry twenty-three great wounds, all got in battle. Seventy-five men have I killed with my own hands in battle. I scatter, I burn my enemies' tents. I take away their flocks and herds. The Turks pay me a golden treasure, yet I am poor! Because *I* am a river to my people!"
That's spun gold. I'm not an actor, but if I was reading a script, and that was one of my character's lines, I'd take that job, even if the rest was terrible.
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!
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…
I lived there for many years and visited and photographed the trains still there and some of the old tracks and ruins of stations
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Its also important to understand context surrounding the lead up to such things. The muslim world had invaded Europe constantly and ruled half of it for hundreds of years. Spain was called Andalusa. Muslims constantly raided European trade ships and fishing vessels , constantly raided British coastal towns and villlages, taking all the inhabitants as slaves. Muslims took over a million Europeans as slaves.
The only reason us British ever created an army and navy was to defend from the constant invasion. From Europeans and Muslims. We were invaded for a thousand years before we finaly became nations and sought to defend ourselves.
Also, Islam was spread by the sword. None of the middle east was Muslim originally. They invaded it to spread islam.
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)
I agree he was no traitor, sometimes my enemy's enemy is my friend.
@@bryanmack4054 north Vietnam was never communist ideologically
@DWbo-r7v are you referring to the mythical communist stage where the state ceases to exist?
The land reform alone resulted in the murder of tens of thousands of Vietnamese people…it was so bad that Ho Chi Minh himself apologized to the people for the “excesses”…but it was all for a good cause I guess
Hey man, it’s a complex situation. People will have their own opinions have the sort.
"They are fighting like this".
"That's why they get colonized".
Nailed it.
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.
It's nice to hear your reactions to this movie. I am looking forward to the rest of it.
“To look sharp, when he dies” was hilarious haha 😂
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 (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.
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.
You'd think the French would have learned something. 😐
@@cmay7429 It was the turks
@@PaulWinkle Maginot. 😏
This really should be seen on a big screen.
Yes, as should "Dr. Zhivago!" 🤨
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
@seaneendelong8065 He also in another Movie with peter O'Toole called Night of the generals
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
Instant click. Wow, I have been waiting for this....now lets get on with the show....
....thanks guys ( in advance) :)
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
If you notice Lawrence slowly adopts the arabic's Ways starting with his head scarf, while still wearing his uniform. Then he changes more. The longer he lives with them the more he becomes one of them. It was a good way for the director to show that he slowly fell in love with the culture the people and the place.
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 don't really care if you guys add politics to the commentary. The movie is about the events of the Arab Revolt, but is also about the politics of the British in Arabia during that time, so we want to hear your perspective. I don't really care if your understanding of history or politics is perfectly accurate, as long as you are honest about what you know, what you don't know, and what you are learning.
Well said and that is exactly what reactions should be all about!
My respect to you both. Thank you for reacting to this film.
Omar Sharif was already a big star in Egypt when he was cast as Ali.
That pillar of sand Lawrence noticed is called a dust devil, at least in the United States.
Yes, this movie makes Arabs look bad. The British colonial mentality was very much alive when the movie was made. "The enlightened Westerners show the natives a better way" -- that was the mentality. An example: The movie makes Auda abu Tayi seem almost childlike. The only way he will join will be the lure of money in Aqaba. In real life, Auda immediately understood the value of uniting the tribes. He also planned the expedition and led the way to Aqaba, skirting the desert. Also: nobody liked Gasim, so they considered leaving him behind, but they realized it was wrong to leave a man behind. (The scene where Lawrence executes Gasim is entirely made up.) Lawrence volunteered to go back for him, but it was not to teach the "savage natives" a lesson about the value of life. That was the creation of Sam Spiegel and David Lean. The Arabs didn't need that kind of lesson.
The scene of Auda's camp at Wadi Rhum actually was filmed at Wadi Rhum.
In the old days with black and white it was often harder to see facial characteristics, and even when it first changed to color, it still wasn't like today. So they would put make up on all the actors. It probably is eye-liner he is wearing, but it is meant to look "natural" like he isn't wearing any. Especially with blonde people, their eyebrows and eyelashes can look nonexistant.
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.
Peter O’Toole, who played T.E. Lawrence, was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar 8 times, but never won. He did win an honorary Oscar, but that’s not the same thing.
Noel Coward reportedly said of this movie that, if Peter O’Toole had been any prettier, they would have had to call the film, “Florence of Arabia.”
O’Toole was indeed a very beautiful man. This movie made both O’Toole and Omar Sharif into international stars.
This film was made the year I was born, the music score alone is epic.
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.
Lawrence of Arabia is one my favorite movies - the acting, music, cinematography, history. Amazing.
One of the greatest movie musical scores of all time for a movie. written by Maurice Jarre and given only six weeks to do it. He also did a great score for another Omar Sharif epic movie "Dr Zhivago".
Well, to be perfectly honest, part of the score is a directly influenced by a piece by composer Camille Saint-Saens (Danse Bacchanale) Still a great score, however.
such betrayal and tragedy during this time for people fighting for dignity and sovereignty. God wills that all people have these things, from the individual to the nation. peace and solidarity to our Arab and Muslim brothers. let us pray that tomorrow will be happier times, and let is work for it. the LORD our God has plans for the unjust and unrighteous who seek to rule us:
"The burial of a donkey he shall be given,
dragged forth and cast out
beyond the gates of Jerusalem."
So says the LORD.
❤❤
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.
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.
Thank you for sharing your insights and views. you have been very educational.
I really enjoyed watching this with you, was fun.
Noel Coward said to Peter O'Toole, 'If you'd been any prettier, dear boy, it would have been Florence of Arabia.'
Thats not the Saudi Arabia desert BTW as this was actually filmed in the Kingdom of Jordan.
Parts of it was filmed in north Africa. Tunisia I think. The city scenes (Cairo, Damascus, and Aqaba) were shot in Spain. No idea why they moved around so much, but most scenes with lots of riders are shot in Jordan with the Jordanian army as extras.
@@JH-lo9ut There was an outbreak of 'sickness.' which condition is not reported. in Jordan, which caused the move to Spain.
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!
Becket was also a great movie. He also played the lead with Katherine Hepburn in the excellent film The Lion In Winter. A very young Anthony Hopkins also appears as one of O’Toole’s sons.
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.
I loved this reaction, HBs! Your personal connection to the history is rare, and I appreciate it. So far as "an eye for an eye," that saying has often been used in the West to denigrate Arab peoples and their ancestors. It's my understanding that Hammurabi's famous code was "No more than an eye for an eye," a warning against disproportionate vengeance, which leads to an unending cycle of violence.
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.
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!
I wish Muhammed Ali would expound upon what he means when he says "Thier time is coming" when he speaks about geopolitics.
I love to watch and hear your response to this movie.......awesome!!!!
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.
I'm a little more than 20 minutes in, and I can honestly tell you this is one of my favorite reaction videos ever. ❤
This might be the best one yet
During WW1 the British Army had a Camel Corps. 4,000 British soldiers riding camels.
Egyptian actor Omar Sharif was a compulsive gambler. Whilst making one movie, he lost his entire salary in a card game.
Omar Shariff! legend!
The composer Maurice Jarre made the theme of The Message, too. You should really watch The Lion of the Desert about Omar Mokhtar
id love to see you guys react to Malcom X (1992)!
it talks about the life story of Malcom X, a big player in the civil rights struggle. it touches on everything, including him joining the nation of Islam(not Islam but an American cult slightly based on it) and eventually reverting to actual Islam after a trip to Mecca. i think you guys would enjoy!
In English, the desert is called An Nefud. In any colonial situation, most of the fighting is done by different local peoples. Before the outside power arrives the local people fight tribe against tribe. One tribe will ally with the outside power for local advantage to solve local problems. It happened in Africa, Middle East, Mexico, North America, Siberia, China.
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.
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.
Omar Sharif (Sherif Ali) also co-starred in another great movie along with Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings) based on a true story about a long distance horse race called the Ocean of Fire that ran 3000 miles across the Arabian peninsula, Syria and Iraq in 1890, titled Hidalgo (2004). It would be a movie I would definitely be willing to watch on patreon with you guys.
Omar Sharif was also in “The 13th warrior”
@@stallion78 Yes!!! Another great movie with Antonio Banderas!!!
Anthony Quinn plays the role of Auda....he was also in 'The Message' as Hamza
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.
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…
The film was restored and color was added, even though it had a grainy color. You can see more details in the film, and as they age it leaves new copies.
He wasn’t driving on the wrong side. We drive on the left in the UK! It’s based on a true story.
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
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.
Good to see Red drop some facts about the evils of the Ottoman Empire(and thier colonialism) to his brother. 👏👏👏
Good reaction to a great film, thanks.
PS-Im a drummer/percussionist & really love the Music from Algeria 😀.
Such a different perspective on a classic "British" film. Fascinating to hear your comments.
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.
Interesting reaction to this amazing film. Can hardly wait for part 2.
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.]
Faisal in the movie is from the Hashemites. His family ran Najj which was northern Saudi Arabia. His father was Hussein bin Ali the Emir of Mecca who made a deal with the British to fight the Ottomans during WWI in return for an Arab country. Faisal was one of the commanders in the Arab Revolt and took Damascus and created the Kingdom of Syria there after WWI. He was deposed by the French who took over Syria and Lebanon after the war. He was later made the King of Iraq by the British. His family ruled that country until the 1958 coup when they were killed. Faisal's brother became the King of Jordan where the Hashemites still rule. Their father Ali was defeated by Ibn Saud who founded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Sykes-Picot treaty would've given Ali an Arab state under British control that would go from Saudi Arabia into parts of Iraq, Jordan and Syria. Palestine was not included because the British wanted it. The Sykes-Picot agreement was overturned by later deal making by the French and UK which got mandates under the League of Nations that led to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.
4 hours movie.
2 are about travelling in the desert on a camel. 😂
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
I'm wondering how many times our friend Muhammed Ali is going to mention the words colonialism and fudge? 😀😉
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?
Isn't he now one of the richest men in Europe, having married into the owners of a well-known spirits company?
@@jimtrela7588 I don't know, for quite a few years I have not seen that side of my family due to living abroad
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!
And Star Wars was heavily influenced by Dune (or should I say large parts directly copied from it), and the book Dune was itself heavily influenced by this film, and came out not long after it.
@@MikePhillips-pl6ov Butlerian jihad anybody? I sometimes yearn for one after getting sucked into a bad AI generated video.
The rifles that the Ottomans were using at Aqaba are German Gw98 Mauser rifles chambered in 7.92x57mm. They are "effective" out to 500m (expected 50% hits by an average, trained soldier) against an individual man and out to 1000m against massed troops or massed cavalry. The German ladder sights on the Gw98 were graduated from 400m to 2000m in 100m increments.
Thank you for your perspective! i wish you all success!
It's been a full whole day. And we all want to see part 2. Do we know when?
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.
This is in my TOP 10 movies of all Time!!!
so good. Its very much based upon reality.
"They keep mentioning the middle east"
"Yeah, Lawrence of Arabia, no shit!" 😂🤣
This is a truly iconic, classic movie.