Lawrence isn't an Arabian name! How droll.

I saw it as a teenager (14) and was duly impressed with the heroics.
Great photography, intrigueing setting, mysterious personality (strength of character, masochism?).
As I'm older now I view it a bit differently:
- having read a bit about T.E. Lawrence I came away with the impression that he was quite possibly a pathological liar and his role constructed by the then equivalent of the CIA to involve the american public in WWI.
- of course there are elements of cheesiness in the movie. The music, the lingering shots of O' Tooles blue eyes, blond hair and tan face, the slowness. A certain measure of cheesiness goes with a popular movie. But I don't think I want to hear that music again.
- part of that cheesiness is that it's another tale of a westerner encountering an 'uncivilised' tribal people. Winning their respect by their standards and becoming their leader. That's ok; we need to identify with someone, with a hero. But I guess I'm a bit too old to lose myself in that fantasy totally anymore.

having read a bit about T.E. Lawrence I came away with the impression that he was quite possibly a pathological liar and his role constructed by the then equivalent of the CIA to involve the american public in WWI.

More recent scholarship shows that isn't the case and he most likely did exactly what he said he did. British WW1 documentation wasn't released into the public sphere until the 70s/80s so any scholarship before that is lacking quite a bit of information.

I've read that scholarship as well. Have read his letters. I even have an original copy of the hagiography by Lowell that created the original story about him.
He still strikes me as somebody who had a talent for telling stories people wanted to hear.

I don't usually worry too much about the historical accuracy of a movie, especially an older one. The practice of glossing over historical facts in drama goes back to The Song of Roland and probably farther. It's a great movie, I love Lean's epics especially this on and Bridge on the River Kwai which isn't terribly accurate either.

I love the slow, deliberate pace of movies like that, I've just never adjusted my brain's clock to be able to enjoy the pace of movies made after the early eighties.

While I like the film a lot, and agree that it's one of the greatest ever made, I can definitely see reasons to not like it. Chief among them, imho, is O'Toole's performance. "Affected" doesn't begin to describe it. But, it's O'Toole, and that sort of comes with the territory. You either go with it, or sit and endure it. FWIW, Lawrence is not my favorite of his performances. I far prefer his tearing-up-the-scenery with Kate Hepburn in The Lion in Winter. Hell, I'll go so far as to say I prefer that entire movie to Lawrence.

And, then, there's the length of the movie. Ye, gods, it goes on forever. Definitely something that makes the film unfriendly for today's ADD audience. Made even more insufferable with those "Overture" and "Intermission" orchestral section. But, those were sort of the thing for the bigger movies of the time.

Surely, though, she can appreciate the camerawork? Some of it is simply stunning.

I far prefer his tearing-up-the-scenery with Kate Hepburn in The Lion in Winter. Hell, I'll go so far as to say I prefer that entire movie to Lawrence.

Yes and Yes. One of my top-5 movies, that one. I still like LoA, though.

Hm, I'd never heard of The Lion in Winter. I'll see that one. Tx.

You're in for a real treat, jouke.

It's rare that I can sit through an old movie let alone like it - I love Lawrence of Arabia. It has nothing to do with the authenticity of the story, it's the film itself.

The Lion in Winter is one I've been wanting to watch. I need to track down the DVD.

For many years I considered it my favorite movie. It is breathtakingly beautiful and I love the pace and the tone and everything. I suspect I was also drawn to the queerness of it all too (there isn't a single female in the movie - no wait - I think there is one woman shown for a moment in a group scene - obviously not a speaking part).

These days I doubt I'd be able to tolerate it's politics, but I can still recognize the wonderful things about it.