The making of Lawrence of Arabia was a long and arduous journey, as were Lawrence's own experiences. It took a year and a half to shoot, and with so many remarkable and epic scenes it is understandable why. Some of the more memorable anecdotes come from Peter O'Toole, who played Lawrence. He remarked how the filming of a scene in which he talks with actor Jack Hawkins whilst descending a staircase had to be re-shot later, and so in the final film edit by the time he had reached the bottom of the staircase he was a year older than when he started. Then for the 1989 director's cut release, certain scenes were to be put back into the film, but had their audio missing. O'Toole was called to re-record the dialogue 27 years later.

It has been said that Lawrence liked to mix fact and mythology when recounting his life. Bolt's script uses this to build an enigmatic figure that some dispute being entirely accurate in character, but is unquestionable fascinating to watch. Due to the two to three years that the film covers, many real-life characters are blended together to make the story easier to follow and give single voices to the many nations and tribes involved. I think it works well, giving a good broad sense of what happened, although you should seek out the history books if you want exact details.

Sherif Ali takes Lawrence to meet with Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness). From here on it is clear that Lawrence has his own agenda and so he becomes embroiled in the attempts of unifying the feuding Arab tribes into an army that can resist the Ottoman Empire, which would aid the British armies movements in the Middle East. However they may also be capable of resisting the possibility of future European rule, making the politcal side to this story very engaging. Whilst there are many battles and confrontations as the story suggests, you shouldn't expect an action filled adventure. The overall mood is one of a personal journey and discovery. There are running themes that question where Lawrence's loyalties lie and whether he even knows himself. It also examines the brutality of war on a very personal level. Due to its age, there are few explicit scenes of death compared to modern cinema, yet the impact here is in many ways stronger.

A final mention should go to Maurice Jarre's exceptional Oscar winning score. I don't think it has remained as recognisable a piece of music as it deserves, but it certainly enhances the films mood and maintains the feeling of grandeur. Once you've heard it, it is hard to forget.