Watching one of the great films in the history of the art form always fills me both with excitement and trepidation, particularly when the film was made a long time ago. Some films are timeless; others translate very poorly from the past into the present. Gone with the Wind bored the teenage me beyond belief because I felt that it was always clear that the actors were acting rather than truly experience the emotions of their characters. I thought the love story that allegedly existed between Scarlett O’Hara and Rhed Butler was simple fake, destroying the entire film for me.  Many years ago I saw segments of Lawrence of Arabia but only now have I been able watch this three-and-a-half hour movie marathon in its entirety.  One feels that the film was shot a few decades ago but this does not take away from its power. The Middle East is still in a political quagmire.

Only the actors have changed.  I enjoyed particularly the first half with its breathtaking scenes in the Arab desert. Watching Peter O’Toole intense portrayal of Lawrence is a real treat. O’Toole’s blue eyes constitute a spectacle all on their own against the background of the desert landscape.