Reference

Clouds Hill

The Film

Lawrence of Arabia or Smith in the Desert?

David Lean's film reviewed by a historian

Jeremy Wilson

Page 5

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During the opening scenes of the film, a series of characters make scene-setting statements about Lawrence, intended to reveal aspects of his life and personality. These are noted here.

For reference, I have numbered the scenes and included their start-times on the first DVD version of the film.

The film begins with a 4-minute overture played over a blank screen. This is included in the DVD timings.  

1. Title sequence / Scene 1. The accident, [Bovington, Dorset]. Starts 0:04:15

What happens: 
As background to the titles Lawrence, a middle-aged man wearing civilian clothes, is seen walking across a yard to his motor-cycle. He makes various adjustments, then notices a mark on the petrol tank. He fetches a cloth and cleans this off, throwing the cloth carelessly aside. Then he mounts the machine

The titles end (0:5:59). Lawrence starts the motor-cycle and sets off. He rides slowly past a roadworks, and then along an empty country lane where he steadily accelerates. As the machine travels faster, he is seen smiling. Then, as he approaches the crest of a rise, two boy-cyclists appear. They are weaving around, approaching him on the wrong side of the road. He swerves to avoid them and crashes.

Comments:
There is no dialogue in this scene, which for the most part is historically accurate:

• A detail: the village [Bovington] has been somewhat 'prettified'.

• The road from Bovington to Clouds Hill is shorter than this journey appears to be.

• The registration number of the motor-cycle, UL656, belonged to 'George VI', the Brough Superior Lawrence owned from 1929 until March 1932. The machine he was riding at the time of the accident was its successor, registered as GW 2275.

• The boy cyclists swore on oath at the Inquest that they were cycling correctly in line-ahead, travelling in the same direction as Lawrence.

Interpretation:

• Sensual love of speed.

• Violent death in middle-age.

2. The memorial service: inside the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral, [London]. Starts 0:07:59

What happens: 
Kennington's bust of Lawrence is shown with flags on either side after its unveiling. The congregation is leaving. Col. Brighton is talking to a priest.

Key statements:

•   Brighton "He was the most extraordinary man I ever knew."

•   Priest: "Well, nil nisi bonum; but did he really deserve a place... in here?"

3. On the steps of Saint Paul's Cathedral [London], after the service. Starts 0:07:54

What happens:
The congregation is leaving. A journalist approaches people asking for comments about Lawrence. First he speaks to Lord Allenby, then to Jackson Bentley, who is afterwards accosted by an unidentified character [the medical officer who appears much later in the film, at the Turkish military hospital in Damascus]. Finally, two unidentified characters are seen talking as they walk away. It emerges that one was Lawrence's commander in Cairo. This links to the next scene.

Key statements:

• Allenby: "The Revolt in the Desert played a decisive part in the Middle Eastern campaign."

• Allenby [refusing to speak about Lawrence]: "No. I didn't know him well, you know."

• Bentley: "It was my privilege to know him, and to make him known to the world."

• Bentley: "He was a poet, a scholar, and a mighty warrior."

• Bentley: "He was also the most shameless exhibitionist since Barnum and Bailey."

• Unidentified character [Damascus medical officer]: "He was a very great man . . . I can't claim to have known him... I once had the honour to shake his hand in Damascus."

• Second unidentified character [General Murray]: "Knew him? No, I never knew him. He had some minor function on my staff in Cairo."

Comments on 2-3 above:

Doubtless those attending the service spoke among themselves. The scene is an efficient vehicle for key scene-setting statements.

• A detail: the service took place on 29 January 1936, and it would have been dark by the time the congregation left.

Interpretation:

In a short time the audience has learned, in Lawrence's favour, that:

• He was an 'extraordinary' person to Brighton (who knew him), and revered by the medical officer (who did not).

• He had served in the Arab Revolt, which was historically significant.

• He was an intellectual.

  But:

• He owed his reputation to a journalist.

• Few people claimed to know him well.

• The journalist thought he was an exhibitionist.

• Some people questioned his reputation.

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