... On David Lean's EPIC 'Lawrence of Arabia':
The role of Sherif Ali was originally intended for Horst Buchholz but he was forced to turn it down owing to his commitment to Billy Wilder's movie One, Two, Three. Second choice Alain Delon tested successfully but suffered problems with the brown contact lenses required for the role. Maurice Ronet was then cast but was replaced after difficulties with his French accent and his Arabian dress (Lean complained "He looked like me walking around in drag").
Marlon Brando was signed for the role of T.E. Lawrence in 1960 but dropped out to take the role of Fletcher Christian in Mutiny on the Bounty. After that, Anthony Perkins was also briefly considered.
While filming, Peter O'Toole bonded with co-star Omar Sharif. Recalls Sharif, "Peter and I were like brothers immediately. He said to me, 'Your name is not Omar Sharif - no one is called Omar Sharif. Your real name is probably Freddy something!' And for the rest of the film and the rest of our lives, he's never called me Omar. He calls me Freddy."
To film Omar Sharif's entrance through a mirage, Freddie Young used a special 482mm lens from Panavision. Panavision still has this lens, and it is known among cinematographers as the "David Lean lens". It was created specifically for this shot and has not been used since.
Peter O'Toole finally mastered his camel-riding technique by adding a layer of sponge rubber under the saddle to ease his bruised backside...a practical innovation quickly adopted by the actual Bedouin tribesmen acting as extras during the desert location filming.
Peter O'Toole is considerably taller and better looking than the real T.E. Lawrence (6'3" to Lawrence's real life height of 5'6"). Noel Coward is rumored to have said, on seeing the premiere, "If he'd been any prettier, they'd have had to call it Florence of Arabia."
Alec Guinness had a life-long interest in T.E. Lawrence, and had played him in a production of Terence Rattigan's play "Ross" on stage. Guinness wanted very much to play Lawrence, but David Lean and Sam Spiegel both told him he was too old. Laurence Olivier was the original choice for Prince Feisal, and Guinness was shifted to that role when Olivier turned it down.
Peter O'Toole was nearly killed during the first take of the Aqaba scene. A gun (used to signal the beginning of the scene) went off prematurely, and O'Toole's camel panicked, throwing him to the ground, while the extras on horseback began charging. Fortunately for O'Toole, his camel stayed still and stood over O'Toole, saving him from being trampled.
The film took longer to make than it did for the real T.E. Lawrence to go from lieutenant to colonel, to see the desert tribes united and tip the balance in the Allies' favor against the Turks in World War I.
Alec Guinness was made up to look like the real Faisal as close as possible. When they were shooting in Jordan, several people who knew the man mistook him for the real thing. Guinness shaved his head for his role.
Anthony Quinn applied his own make-up and would often arrive in real Arab clothes. At one point, David Lean mistook him for a native on the studio lot and so he sent his assistant to tell Quinn that he had replaced by this new arrival.
The film was banned in many Arab countries as they felt they were misrepresented. Omar Sharif arranged with President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt to view the film to show him there was nothing wrong with the way they were portrayed. Nasser loved the film and allowed it to be released in Egypt where it went on to become a monster hit.
Peter O'Toole claimed that he learned more about acting from his few days of filming with José Ferrer than he did in all his years at drama school.
At one point when filming was progressing far too slowly for his liking, producer Sam Spiegel invited William Wyler to visit the set. He wanted Wyler to encourage Lean to rely more on his second units for filming additional scenes, as he had done on Ben-Hur. The visit was to no avail, however, as Lean was too much of a perfectionist to relinquish control.
The film missed out on a 11th Oscar nomination - for Best Costume Design - because someone forgot to submit Phyllis Dalton's name for consideration.
Dalton devised a subtle way to indicate T.E. Lawrence's failing grip. As the film progresses, his robes become thinner and thinner until they are virtually translucent.
It does sound incredibly like the John Barry classic stuff! I like it! I don’t think I have a favourite score but I’m really hoping that Mendes and his team are going to take Bond to extroardinary new levels.
Yeah, I think Mendes should bring something fresh to the table. I mean he’s already brave enough to say that he’s going to kill off one of the major characters!
I have never been a big Bond fan…until “Casino Royale”. LOVE this new grittier take on Bond. And you’re right, the soundtrack is really, really good.
Glad to hear that Keith. I think CR definitely brings a lot of new fans to the franchise, and the soundtrack is definitely one of the best even amongst other films, not just from this series.
Great choice of track from Casino Royale’s score. It definitely is a beautiful bit of music and you can hear it in other tracks, just quietly somewhere.
Really looking forward to what Thomas Newman’s going to do. He’s done some solid stuff in the past and hopefully, do some good stuff for Skyfall.
Yeah, I do like Newman’s work. He did an amazing job in ‘The Road to Perdition,’ no wonder he’s a long-time collaborator w/ Mendes.
Love everything about Casino Royale, music included, and especially your City of Lovers pick.
Yay! I could watch that movie over and over, and the scenes in Venice are really one of the highlights for me.
Yea I would say Casino Royale is my favorite James Bond movie! Great track
Really looking forward to Skyfall.
Yeah, Skyfall should be great! I know you’re not a big Bond fan Castor, but glad you enjoyed Casino Royale.
these days the soundtracks are better than the films with some exceptions as the 60′s and 70′s brought us a better caliber of artists than of recent years. As the clip is more theme music than anything I think most rarely get to hear it. a-ha’s “The Living Daylights”, Sheena Easton’s “For Your Eyes Only” and Madonna’s “Die Another Day” as well as Garbage “World is not Enough” etc.. I prefer the more jazz end of Bond films as it suits the Bond character giving it class unlike the pop versions. Shirley Bassey and Nancy Sinatra and Tom Jones even did better. But I can say I agree that most of the films the theme music was very well done.
Hi Stella! Oh yeah, Shirley Bassey and the two others you mention are definitely classics, I always associate miss Bassey with Bond, especially Goldfinger. I think you’ve got a point there about the jazzy ones sound more ‘elite’ than the pop stuff. I do like For Your Eyes Only and World is Not Enough though, they both have a nice melody.
Love the Bond movies, and I always enjoy the opening Bond Theme.
Really did like the Casino Royale movie with Craig, but still like the 1967 Burt Bacharch score and main theme the best of the Royale movies.
Yeah, when I was a kid I’m always so fascinated by the opening themes. But growing up in a largely-Moslem country, they often block out the women’s parts in the videos, ahah.
I liked the soundtrack all right but “Bond Falls in Love” music’s melody reminded me of the film “The Way We Were.” Not that that is necessarily a bad thing. Just sayin’.
Bond music will always likely be on top form. The big question is the signature tune.
Ahah, ‘The Way We Were’?? I never would imagine, but o-kay
I think the signature tune is brilliant as it somehow still holds up well even today and can be incorporated into the more contemporary themes.
That’s a good theme from Casino Royale, my only disappointment was that the Bond theme didn’t play till the end credits.
Yeah I can’t wait to hear what Thomas Newman does with the soundtrack for Skyfall, since the film will be quite emotional, Newman’s a perfect composer for it. Hopefully he’ll at least include the Bond theme during the movie and not wait till the end credits Arnold did for the last two films.
Y’know, normally I’d feel the same way Ted but I guess I love the CR score so much that I don’t mind that I don’t hear the Bond theme until the end. You’re right though, it’d be nice to hear it a few times during key moments of the movie. Perhaps Newman will do that in ‘Skyfall.’
Lovely post for me to read / listen to on a Friday Morning!! thanks my friend.
Happy Weekend to you and yours!
Glad to hear matey, always nice to see you pop by. Enjoy your weekend w/ Lyn and the girls!
Ruth, you know I am a big movie score fan! I haven’t heard this one before. It’s a nice listen. thanks for sharing. I can’t wait for 007: Skyfall. My favorite Bond score…I think Dr. No will always be my fave. It is my ringtone on my phone!
Woo hoo! I’m pleased that you haven’t heard this before and loved it. I should watch Dr. No soon. My friend lent me her dvd, part of a 3-disc set w/ 2 other Bond films.