Lawrence of Arabia

The middle east has always been ducked. Various tribes all fighting for bare necessities in a barren trek of land between the rivers and seas. Under an oppressive sun and outside interests, pride and religion clashing like calvary swords, under the cloak of brotherhood . The ideas of brotherhood, of loyalty is what Lawrence of Arabia explores.

The graphic scenes of bloodshed, of true wartime battle, are explicitly and exquisite shot, literally moving pictures, where each scene is a photograph. Lighting, set design, and costuming drive the point of fine art home. The contrast of settings, from the barren deserts to the lush seaside of Damascus and Aqaba. Seeing the conditions that the Arab tribes live in, barren, bleak desert, makes them more understandable, the thirst for blood like that of water. The loathing of members of rival tribes, the disdain and fear of the different.

Costume design plays a key roll, visually separating British commanding officers in their tight pants from natives in their flowing robes. The costuming also designates change of loyalty, the inter-battle going on in Lawrence is captured in his wardrobe. His loyalty to Britain is first shown when in Officer regalia; his change of loyalty shown as a change of clothes, his rebirth from a bastard son of Britain to an Honorary Arab. His change from trousers, lapels and buttons to flowing traditional garb visually captures his change of sides, where his loyalty then lies. But he switches back into pants, back to his old life after war changes him, the gallons of blood he and his own little army spilled, piling on him. Then his loyalty is tested, his own judgment change; during one of the first vividly homoerotic, openly sadistic scenes where his is captured and beating because no matter what he wears, under the keffiyeh he still has blue British eyes, and he will never be an true Arab.

Lawrence of Arabia captures the inner battle between Lawrence and his loyalties, his loyalty to Britain, to his moral code, and to the Arab tribes.