| Lawrence
of Arabia or Smith in the Desert?
David Lean's film reviewed by a
historian Jeremy Wilson
Page 6
Contents list for
this section
4.
Military Intelligence office,
Cairo [summer 1916]. Starts 0:09:08
What
happens:
Lawrence is shown working in a semi-basement, where he is colouring the
coastline on a map. He speaks to his companion, a corporal, addressing
him in an affected manner as 'Michael George Hartley'. Another corporal
brings for Lawrence a newspaper printed in Arabic. Lawrence refers to
him, in his presence, as 'William Potter'. Potter addresses Lawrence as
'Boss' (though, later, as 'Sir').
Lawrence attaches great
significance to the newspaper headline, which he translates as: "Beduin
tribes attack Turkish stronghold." He comments that it is unlikely
to be reported in The Times. He offers Potter one of
Hartley's cigarettes, and then lights it for him. A messenger, having
just brought in a message for Lawrence, watches Lawrence extinguish the
lighted match slowly with his fingers.
Lawrence reads the
message then gathers his kit to leave. Meanwhile, Potter tries to put
out a match with his fingers. It hurts and he asks Lawrence what the
trick is. Lawrence replies: "The trick, William Potter, is not
minding that it hurts."
Lawrence leaves, saying
that he is going for "a chat with the general." Afterwards,
Potter says "He's Barmy." Hartley (reaching for the message
that caused Lawrence to leave) replies: "He's all right."
Comment:
The audience learns that
Lawrence was familiar with map-work and could read Arabic
The action and dialogue
in this scene are entirely fictitious.
-
While the Cairo
Intelligence office was, by all accounts, relatively informal, there
is no record that Lawrence addressed subordinates in an affected or
familiar fashion, or allowed them to be familiar with him.
-
The match trick is
an invention. There is no record that Lawrence (who did not smoke)
ever put out a match in this way.
-
The implication of
the match trick - that in 1916 Lawrence was a masochist - is not
borne out by contemporary evidence.
-
The scene begins in
[mid-]1916, telling the viewer nothing about what has gone before.
That includes essential history of the region set out in Seven
Pillars, and Lawrence's deep involvement in Arab affairs since
his arrival in Cairo eighteen months previously. In effect, viewers
are plunged into the middle of a story, not the beginning. This is a
major historical shortcoming.
5.
Lawrence passes through the Officers' Mess, GHQ
Cairo. Starts 0:11:12
What
happens:
Lawrence, passing through the mess, is accosted officiously by the
secretary of the mess, who asks why he is there when he should be on
duty. The secretary's companion asks him directly where he is going.
Lawrence is evidently riled and reacts provocatively. As he leaves he
accidentally knocks over a table, upsetting a third officer.
Comment:
The scene is entirely fictitious. It conveys that Lawrence was unpopular
with regular-army Staff Officers in Cairo, and of course in some cases
this may have been true. However, in reality he worked long hours in the
Intelligence Office where he was both known and liked. Given the scale
of the British military presence in Cairo, few outside this circle would
have known him, still less known whether, at that particular moment, he
was supposed to be on duty. As filmed, the scene seems unnecessary. Its
message is confused. Perhaps it reflects Robert Bolt's views about the
regular army.
6.
General Murray with Dryden, Cairo [autumn
1916]. Starts 0:11:56
What
happens:
Dryden tells Murray that he wishes to send Lawrence to the Hedjaz, to
report to the Arab Bureau on the Arab Revolt. Murray is contemptuous
about the Revolt and dislikes Lawrence, whom he describes as an
"overweening, finnicking, crass lieutenant." Murray says
he has already sent Colonel Brighton to the Hedjaz as a military
adviser, and he thinks that should be enough. He and his staff believe
that the Revolt will fail. He describes it as "a sideshow of a
sideshow" (a phrase used by Lawrence). Moreover, Murray is
apprehensive about encouraging Arab insurgents, since that may make the
Arabs more difficult to govern once the war is over.
Lawrence enters
(0:13:47), fails to salute, and behaves in a mannered, effeminate and
generally unmilitary fashion. Murray evidently loathes him: "You're
the kind of creature I can't stand". He agrees to let Dryden send
him to Arabia for six weeks: "Who knows, it might even make a man
out of him." The meeting is interrupted when an A.D.C. brings in a
signal, which reveals that Murray is short of artillery. Murray gives
his attention to the signal, though Dryden manages to persuade him to
let Lawrence go for three months. Lawrence leaves, after giving a
grandiose and impertinent salute.
Comment:
The scene is entirely fictitious. No one who met Lawrence at this time
described him as either effeminate or mannered. His standing in Cairo,
at any rate within the Intelligence community, was higher than his rank
implied. He was an expert on events in the Arab areas and the prospects
for a revolt. Already, in the spring of 1916, he had been sent with
Aubrey Herbert on a delicate and important mission to Kut. Murray, the
G.O.C., may or may not have been involved in the decision to send him to
the Hedjaz. There is nothing to suggest it in Seven Pillars.
At that stage no
British officer corresponding to Colonel Brighton had been sent to act
as a military adviser to the Revolt. In reality, British military
liaison with the Revolt was more complicated than the film could be
expected to reveal. The officer responsible was not General Murray in
Cairo but General Wingate in the Sudan, while McMahon, the British High
Commissioner in Cairo (a Foreign Office appointee) was responsible for
political aspects. More generally, it is correct that the Cairo Staff
doubted that the Revolt would succeed, and some would also have doubted
the wisdom of encouraging it.
7.
Lawrence with Dryden. Starts 0:15:49
What
happens:
Dryden takes Lawrence back to his office, which is elegantly decorated
with antiquities. Lawrence confidently announces that he is the man for
the job, and then asks what the job is. Dryden replies that he must find
Prince Feisal, discover what sort of man he is, and what his long-term
intentions are. Lawrence thanks Dryden, saying: "This is going to
be fun."
Dryden disagrees,
because of the climate. Lawrence lights a cigarette for him and prepares
to repeat his match trick. Dryden comments: "It is recognised that
you have a funny sense of fun."
Lawrence blows out the
match, and the scene cuts to the desert.
Comment:
The scene is entirely fictional. Lawrence already knew as much as anyone
in Cairo about the fortunes of the Revolt (which had begun four months
earlier) and the personalities involved. He was not sent specifically to
meet Feisal, but to report on the fortunes of the revolt, its forces and
its leaders. Even this is disguised in Seven Pillars, where
Lawrence states that he accompanied Ronald Storrs to the Hedjaz while on
leave, as a joy-ride.
-
In these fictitious
early scenes the film presents a highly simplified historical
account. That is unavoidable in a drama; but no one should based
their understanding of the background to the Arab Revolt on this
film.
-
The portrait of
Lawrence presented here is even more questionable.
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