White Knight of Arabia



On this day in nineteen thirty five

T. E. Lawrence lost his fight to survive

After years leading war on Arabian desert

He'd lose his life on a road ... paved, yet



In a small town in the Dorset countryside

Swerving to avoid a cyclist on his right ...

Sending his speeding motorbike hurtling thru space

Causing the Colonel to land right upon his face



Creating a major skull fracture and brain contusions

Which (had he survived) would've caused major confusion

For he wouldn't have been able to see, think, or to speak

So, perhaps, said the doctors, it's better he only lasted a week



A not very fitting end to the life of the great Lawrence of Arabia

Who rallied so many Arabs behind him in their fight to be freer ...

From the might of the Turks, who were controlling their lives

And Lawrence understood their plight and gave them pride ...



- Tristram



© Christopher W. Thomas

9:15am Wed. May 19th, 1999



Books by Thomas Edward Lawrence:

The Wilderness of Zin (1915)

Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1926)

Revolt in the Desert (1927)



NB

Peter O'Toole - who played Lawrence in the film, 

was given the part by David Lean (the director) 

only after the following were considered ...

Marlon Brando, Anthony Perkins, Albert Finney 

(the latter actually had started filming) 



The film earned seven Oscars in 1962:



Best Picture - Sam Spiegel (Producer)

Best Director - Sir David Lean

Cinematography - Freddie Young

Film Editing - Anne V. Coates

Music Score - Maurice Jarre

Sound - John Cox (Shepperton Studios)

Art Direction/Set Decoration 



and Nominations for:



Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif (supporting)

and Robert Bolt for screenplay adaptation

(from Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom)