On December 26, the Daily Dialogue featured the movie The 400 Blows. In comments, the conversation wound around to TCM and great movies like Lawrence of Arabia, whereupon OutOfContext (John) posted this:
Speaking of Lawrence of Arabia, one of my favorite scenes ever is from that movie–funny, plot advancing, and absolutely character establishing. Also, “the trick is not minding that it hurts” is the wedding advice I give to all my friends.
I read that and a light bulb went off. What if I invite John to handle the next Great Scene post, providing his analysis of a scene from Lawrence of Arabia? John agreed and here we are with a GITS first: Someone other than yours truly taking command of a post!
BTW, John has his own blog oocRadio in which blog host OutOfContext opines on contemporary culture, including movies — so be sure to check it out. Now without further adu, here is a Great Scene from Lawrence of Arabia along with John’s commentary.
First let me say thanks to Scott for letting me share one of my favorite scenes with the readers of one of my favorite blogs. Like Auda in the movie we look at today, Scott is a river to his people–just don’t ask to see his “twenty-three great wounds.”
In this early scene from Lawrence of Arabia, first-time screenwriter Robert Bolt does a fine job igniting the plot, theme and character of his story. We are shown Lawrence beginning literally at the bottom and craving the nobility of the conflict that a sane, common man is happy to avoid. He understands what is going on in the Arab theater better than any other Englishman, and he is frustrated at the foolishness of his country’s conduct in this part of the world and his own marginalization.
Running through the scene is Lawrence ’s match trick which illuminates a serious side of his character in a light, humorous way. His ability to overcome pain and adversity is a sign of his singular will, the will that allows him to do what other men consider impossible, the will that allows him to remake himself. In a later scene, Bolt elegantly bookends this entire sequence in the British Military Headquarters with another lit match. This time Lawrence performs a cinematic trick; he brings the match to his lips and blows it out, in one of the most famous transitions in cinema (it’s in the script), into a shot of the burning desert sands and the true beginning of the adventure. If I were symbolically inclined, I might say that the match epitomizes Lawrence ’s catalytic impact on the firestorm that follows. Thankfully, I’m not so inclined.
As for the script, you’ll notice that Lean and the actors don’t pay too close attention to Bolt’s parentheticals, but remain faithful to the dialogue. The whole subtext of the lack of formality in respect of rank is not portrayed or, arguably, portrayable, in this scene. Also note Peter O’Toole’s delicate, easy and precise delivery and Bolt’s slightly odd use of the entire names of the two other characters in Lawrence’s dialogue, which, while lighthearted and warm in delivery, is distancing in principle.
First the script and then the scene:
INT. MAPPING ROOM. BRITISH H.Q. CAIRO
CLOSE SHOT: LAWRENCE is neatly tinting a map with water colour. He sits back to look at it, patiently, but without enthusiasm. A shadow falls across him and he looks up, interested.
CLOSE SHOT: LAWRENCE’s point of view of a basement window. Outside, the lower half of a camel walks by.
MED SHOT: We now see that LAWRENCE is seated in a long narrow room, hardly more than a glorified passage. At each end a hole has been knocked high up in the wall and a massive bundle of electric cables proceeds in from one to the other and out again, dimming the already inadequate light which comes through a series of semi-circular windows high up in the wall of the basement. There are six drawing boards with pots of paint, brushes, T squares, protractors, compasses, pens and ink, pencils, piles of rolled maps and whatever else cartographers need.
Above the boards hang lamps with metal shades, and before each board is a stool. At one of these sits the only other OCCUPANT of the room, a SERGEANT.
LAWRENCE
(gloomily)
Michael George Hartley, this is a nasty, dark little room.
SERGEANT
‘T’s right.
LAWRENCE
We are not happy in it.
SERGEANT
(thinking of the trenches)
I am.
LAWRENCE
Then you are an ignoble fellow.
SERGEANT
‘T’s right.
He lights a cigarette, throwing down the packet and box, while LAWRENCE watches him, and goes on with his work. It is a relationship not uncommon in the Forces; the gulf of class and rank has been bridged by means of a ritualised parody. There is a the sound of boots on stone floor. LAWRENCE looks up.
CLOSE SHOT. The door opens and a chirpy CORPORAL enters with a folded newspaper. Beyond him we catch a glimps of a telephone exchange and a flight of stairs leading upwards from the basement.
MED. SHOT. The CORPORAL walks over towards LAWRENCE. The phlegmatic SERGEANT takes no notice at all.
LAWRENCE
Here is William Potter with my newspaper.
CORPORAL
Here y’are tosh.
LAWRENCE takes the paper, paying for it with a coin from his pocket.
LAWRENCE
(quite simply)
Thanks.
(back to the act)
Would you care for one of Sergeant Hartley’s cigarettes?
CORPORAL
Ta.
It is part of the game that no-one shall smile. The CORPORAL takes one of the SERGEANT’s cigarettes as Lawrence unfolds hi paper.
SERGEANT
Is it there?
CLOSE SHOT. LAWRENCE holds up the paper at the front page. It is in Arabic. He is instantly absorbed. The SERGEANT and CORPORAL regard him with the respect which everyone feels for the man with a passion, even uncomprehended.
LAWRENCE
Of course it is. Headlines.
(grimly)
But I’ll bet it isn’t mentioned in The Times.
(he indicates)
“Bedouin Tribes Attack Turkish Stronghold.” And I’ll bet there’s no-one in the whole of this Headquarters who even knows it’s happened.
(he throws down the paper)
Or would care if he did.
MED. SHOT. LAWRENCE finds their sympathetic, bovine gaze upon him and laughs.
LAWRENCE (CONT’D)
Allow me to ignite your cigarette.
He strikes one of the SERGEANT’s matches and lights the CORPORAL’S cigarette. Then, he extinguishes the match by very slowly closing his finger and thumb upon the flame, his face very attentive the while. It is a trick the other two have evidently seen before but which evidently still fascinates.
SERGEANT
(dispassionately)
You’ll do that once too often. It’s only flesh and blood.
LAWRENCE returns to his work, murmuring:
LAWRENCE
Why, Michael George Hartly, you’re a philosopher.
CORPORAL
(amiably)
You’re barmy.
CLOSE SHOT. The door opens and an M.P. SERGEANT enters.
M. P.
Mr. Lawrence?
LAWRENCE
(courteously)
Yes?
M. P.
Flimsy, sir.
He goes towards LAWRENCE.
CLOSE SHOT. The CORPORAL sits down on his own stool, as the M.P. enters the picture, hands the flimsy to LAWRENCE, and exits. LAWRENCE unfolds the flimsy and his expression changes. The SERGEANT takes no notice, assuming it to be a routine order of some kind. LAWRENCE puts down the flimsy and takes his hat from a nail driven into the wall within reach, and gets down from his stool, his face very still, his eyes excited. The CORPORAL is preoccupied with a burning match which he proceeds to extinguish between his fingers.
CORPORAL
Ow!
(indignantly)
It damn well’urts!
LAWRENCE
Certainly it hurts.
CORPORAL
(cajoling)
Well what’s the trick then?
LAWRENCE
The trick, William Potter, is not minding if it hurts.
THE CAMERA IS PANNING with him on the way to the door. He opens it and turns.
LAWRENCE (CONT’D)
Oh, if Captain Gibbon
(he articulates the name with special politeness)
should enquire for me, tell him I’ve gone for a chat with the General.
He turns to go.
CLOSE SHOT. The SERGEANT and the CORPORAL.
SERGEANT
(not looking up)
Right you are, tosh.
CORPORAL
(with just a shade of resentment)
He’s barmy.
SERGEANT
He’s all right.
(he slips from his stool and glances at the flimsy)
Good Lord, he has too.
CORPORAL
What?
SERGEANT
Gone to see the General.
Thanks, John! And in comments, I’d like to not only see your thoughts on this Great Scene, but also if you’d be interested in doing like John did – guest analyzing on GITS one of your own favorite scenes? I’d be most happy to see if we can increase the level of movie analysis and group discourse by ‘democratizing’ the process! So let me know if you’re interested.
