T.E. Lawrence is British, but he is sort of an oddball. Some have attributed this to his alleged homosexuality, some to his wisdom. Some have said that maybe he was supposed to be born an Arab instead of a Caucasian. Indeed, in one of the scenes of this film, Lawrence rips open his shirt. "We don't want the same things," he says, jabbing a finger to the skin on his chest. "This decides what we want." Lawrence feels more comfortable in the desert than in the cities, and his adventures there could never be understood by his British superiors back home. That's why it's so sad when he dies in Britain, confined alone. He was truly alive when he journeyed with the Arabs in their quest against the Turks, so that's where the film follows him.
The movie is gripping, but is not for those with the short attention span. It drags in places, and often times feels longer than its 3 1/2 hours (I watched it in two days). But the acting is perfect, the visuals outstanding, and the story epic.
Violence is the biggest issue in the movie. Several people are shot, stabbed, and some blood is seen. The good news: Lawrence himself has an aversion to bloodshed. He haunts himself after killing men in a battle where no prisoners were kept. So, the violence is not condoned. Language is some "d**n"s and "h*ll"s. In general, though Lawrence is kind and respectful to them, Arabs are treated less than whites.