The epic cinematic story behind the bust of Colonel Lawrence at Victoria University
The influence of British culture on Victoria University is self-evident; from the 19th century Anglo-style architecture, to early traditions and culture, to Vic’s Methodist roots, to the namesake of the school itself, the ties between British academia and Vic run deep. Due to this relationship, in 1925 a bust of one of Britain’s greatest war heroes, Colonel TE Lawrence, was donated to the Victoria University library, and between 1926 and 1996, a copy of one of the 230 privately printed original copies of his famous autobiography, Seven Pillars of Wisdom sat in the stacks, drawing many visitors to read the exotic first-hand account of the Great Arab Revolt that took place during the Great War. While this famous document is no longer available to explore at the EJ Pratt Library, a contemporary retelling of the British officer’s story exists in the form of an epic film that will celebrate its 58 anniversary on January 30 of this year. David Lean’s 1962 cinematic masterpiece, Lawrence of Arabia, is an exciting, violent, humorous, tear-jerking, and above all, entertaining film for every student seeking to enjoy a small slice of Vic history.
In the backdrop of the First World War, a young second lieutenant named Thomas Edwards Lawrence was sent on a special assignment: to join a small British contingent sent to advise Prince Faisal I, a Bedouin tribal leader with his eyes set on carving out an Arab nation in the Ottoman Empire’s Middle East territories. However, what Lawrence did was far beyond what anyone could’ve imagined, going above and beyond the call of duty and taking matters into his own hands. Looking to launch a decisive strike on the Ottomans, the young cheerful Englishman led fifty men across the deadly Nafud Desert in what is modern day Saudi Arabia, and united Bedouin tribes to launch a daring attack on the port city of Aqaba in Jordan to secure a resupply route for British weapons and support. The success of this assault launched an all-out guerilla campaign led by a newly promoted Major Lawrence that would end the Turkish rule of Arabia forever. The film encompasses many key events in World War I that history students would be quick to recognize, such as the Sykes-Picot Agreement, Tafas Massacre, and the push to take Damascus.
Of course, the historic significance of the plot alone is not sufficient for intrigue. What perhaps gives Lawrence of Arabia its gravitas is the moral and social commentary it gives regarding the events. Lawrence, as a field grade officer, was a small piece in an immense war that included hundreds of millions of people—a needle in a haystack. But he was at the very forefront of a clash between civilizations, and he was forced to confront the different roles he was forced to play in a constant moral tug of war. Although he was English, Lawrence assimilated into Bedouin culture. He wore Arab robes with pride and the people of Arabia revered him for his courage and bravery. He fought and led the revolt with the locals’ interest in mind: establishing a state for Arabs in their own land. However, back at British Headquarters in Cairo and Jerusalem, the Empire had other plans. They, of course, planned to carve out Arabia with the French and were using Faisal and the various Bedouin bands for their own imperialist goals; Lawrence would have to return to desert battlefields to lie to his friends and continue the war in deceit. These competing interests conflicted Colonel Lawrence, who was both a hero to the Arabs, and an officer of the British Empire forced to follow orders and put the country above himself. After a brief period of intermission in Cairo and Jerusalem, he would be forced to lie to his Arab friends, falsely promising that Britain would stay out of Arabia in the post-war world. British hypocrisy is rife throughout the story, as Colonel Lawrence would observe British Commanders talk of liberation of Arabia from an oppressive empire and the barbarism of the Bedouin tribes, while simultaneously engaging in violent imperialism worldwide while giving Arabs the false hope of independence when their fate was already decided from the very start. The film also shows the incredible psychological toll of war, as the young, innocent second lieutenant would eventually come to enjoy war and violence.
From a filmmaking perspective, the motion picture is beautifully crafted, rightfully earning its spot in the American Film Institute’s “Top 100 Films of All-Time” list. The score is one of the best in cinematic history, and the shots of the orange sun gleaming in Arabia capture the beauty of the various natural landscapes in the Middle East. The film was shot partly in Jordan, the locations where the real battles were fought, and this makes the plot even more immersive. The story is well-paced with a good mix of well-written dialogue, beautiful nature shots, and exciting action scenes. Although the film is almost 50 years old, its practical effects still live up to modern standards and have no problem going head-to-head with more recent war movies. The superb acting of Peter O’Toole as Colonel Lawrence, Alec Guinness as Faisal, Anthony Quinn as Auda Abu Tayi, and Omar Sharif as Sharif Ali showed the conflict between the cultures in a strong and genuine way. And like any good movie, the film is full of quotable lines. So, the next time you have 3 hours and 47 minutes to spare, you now have something to do—or you could just play it in the background while you are studying. Either way, if you haven’t seen Lawrence of Arabia yet, the 58 birthday of this film is a great reason to witness cinematic history that ties in well with Victoria University, making it the perfect way to humble brag and prove to your friends how cultured you are.
