This is not a Sunday night movie feature because Saturday evening I had the very special opportunity to see the 1961 classic Lawrence of Arabia on properly projected on the big screen. In a post last week I lamented to death of San Diego last single screen theater, the Ken, an art house theater. The management planned a series of special presentations to say good-bye to their patrons and Lawrence was Saturday’s. In a happy turn of events, the landlords and the business found common ground, apparently after the ground-swell of support from the community, and the Ken will not be closing, so these special presentations became a celebration rather than a wake.

Lawrence of Arabia is the dramatized film version of Col. T.E. Lawrence’s adventures in Arabia, helping the Arab revolt against the Turkish Empire during the first world war. The consequences of that war reverberates in our geopolitical problems today, but let’s set that aside and look at David Lean’s masterpiece of filmmaking.

Lawrence is a minor functionary in Cairo, with a deep love for the country and its people. He is paying attention to the Arab revolt long before the generals notice. Everything changes for Lawrence when at the behest of Britain’s Arab Bureau , he is dispatched on a 3 month mission to find Prince Feisal and appraise the state of the revolt.

Lawrence exceeds his mandate and becomes deeply entwined in the Arab revolt, harboring dreams of freedom for Arabia not only from the Turks, but all European powers.

While this film dates from 1962, the cynical nature of politics and the its corrupting nature would have made it a topic well suited to the dark period of filmmaking from the 1970’s.

The film boast a cast that is unrivaled, Alec Guinness as Prince Feisal, Omar Sharif as Ali, a trusted friend and loyal support of Feisal and Lawrence, Anthony Quinn in a wonderful performance as Auda Abu Tayi a brigand with a quite realistic approach to life, Claude Rains, Jack Hawkins, and Jose Ferrer also are notable in command performance from incredibly talented actors. Most notably is that this film has the credit Introducing Peter O’Toole As T.E. Lawrence.

If you have never seen this movie, it is one that really should be seen. Sadly the chance to see it properly, on a big screen is rare, and one I was very grateful to experience.