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A Pillar

Peter O’Toole (1932-2013) – the last of the original pot war actor rebels who knew how to drink and regale like the best of ’em (and that includes Button, Harris, Reed and other imbibous gents of the theater) . he made his name as The Only True TE Lawrence in one of the most magnificent cinematic outings: Lawrence of Arabia.
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As we all know Larry met his end one of the bucolic country lanes near his countryside escape at Clouds Hill near Wareham Dorset. The film opens with this scene the retreats to his middle eastern endeavors during the Great War.
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The motorcycle was the Brought Superior SS100, ride of voice by TEL.
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Here’s our Bristol Old Vic pal Peter cutting a dashing figure as always on one for some movie promotion.
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Here’s Larry on (one of) his bikes…
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Smashing film about a situation that we’re still seeing the heavy ripples from that time. O’Toole is outstanding in this most perfect of roles. A giant until the end.

Posted on December 16, 2013 at 8:04 pm in Military, Movie, Vintage   |  RSS feed |   Reply   |   Trackback URL

7 Comments to “A Pillar”

    
  1. WILLIAM FERRY
    December 17, 2013 at 9:35 am

    Larry.!?
    What on earth are you on my man..?
    Larry.!! fgs..
    Larry.?
    I have read everything I could lay my hands on, devoured it since teenage.. and have my own small library of books on this most remarkable man.. surely the best of Englishmen.. tho’ in truth.. Irish/ Welsh.?
    But, c’mon.. he is only ever Lawrence or TE..
    Larry.!
    He was remarkable for all the best reasons, his war service was exemplary and that was in part, his downfall, for in glory and being close to power, mixing with Kings.. he was unable to prevent the victorious allies from carving up the Ottoman empire into the countries we see today.. and which have led to such desperate situations from time to time.
    He foretold all that has resulted even to the disaster we see in Syria today.. he desperately did not want the formation of Syria, but the French demanded it.. and had their way. And what we have is a disaster.
    Did you know that Lawrence’s writings on the old Arabia, the arabs, his tactics and foretellings, are standard reading at many military academies today and issued to every officer in the US army and British army.. this man is no lightweight, even today.
    It was in overwhelming disappointment, I fully believe, that he hid himself away in the lower ranks of the military..
    I believe he felt he had let down, betrayed even.. Faisal and the Arabs who relied so much on him at the peace conferences.. the truth is the deals were cut and dried behind closed doors before the conferences ever started. And what a price we pay today for that
    He kept up his friendships with the great and mighty in Anglo society.. Churchill was a long-time friend.. and led the procession at his funeral. George Bernard-Shaw bought him his succession of 5 [FIVE,!] Broughs.. in the day they literally were Rolls chassis money..an enormous kindness.. or a recognition of a debt that could never be paid.?
    He accepted very little, a promotion to Lt Colonel was his by right and a DSO was pretty much forced on him, in other circumstances and to another man.. not Lawrence.. a VC would have been appropriate. But the offered KCB was refused as was a later offer of a title.. he simply wanted to disappear..
    In my lifetime I have become aware of remarkable men, as you work your way thro’ military bio’s etc.. you turn up another amazing character.. I learnt about Sir Bertram Ramsey, Sir Keith Park, Lord Dowding, Sir Brian Horrocks [mega.!] Churchill.. others, without whom this country would have folded and we would have been consumed by the wicked and cruel black maw of Hitler’s mental Reich.
    These people and so many more saved us.. they really did.
    As did Lawrence in an earlier time.. a national treasure.. one of the few we could consider as our greatest warrior.
    And then as an irreverant berluddy colonial.. you YOU! have the temerity to call this hero.. Larry!
    Gawd help us all..
    lol
    Today I have ordered 3 books about.. the 4 great aces of the Luftwaffe on the western front.. another on HJ Marseille..the Star of Africa, another on Johnnie Johnson.. the top UK and allied ace of WW2.. that should last ’til Boxing Day then.! lol.
    However.. if I could impress on you just ONE book, it would be this..
    HERO.. The life of TE Lawrence by Michael KORDA.. published about 2010.. it is in paperback now and copies can be had from Amazon here, but with you in the US it would be approx $12-$15. I promise you will never read a better history bio’
    It really is Magnificent.
    Try it.. but it is no lightweight at 700 ish pages..
    Larry.. whatever next.?
    Regards ever
    B
    And he IS coming..

    Reply
    • geordiebiker
      December 17, 2013 at 10:22 am

      Bill, absolutely no disrespect to this British of Englishmen. Go to a dictionary under the entry British and it’ll say “TE Lawrence”

      I Will get that biographical book, like you wartime tomes give great insight into the daring that worthies before us went through. It’s a century since the Anglo-French debacle that is Syria and countless still suffer. He was a pawn in a much larger ‘game’… Sadly.

      Reply
  2. WILLIAM FERRY
    December 17, 2013 at 9:53 am

    Further to the above..
    The Lawrence film with Peter O’toole is a stunning piece of work and always in my top 5 movies.. others come and go,, but Lawrence is a constant.
    Strangely, in a career of highs [few] and lows [far too many..] it always has been for me O’Tooles standout part.. his very best work.
    I have seen all of his other movie work , but oddly, I cannot warm to it or him .. Lawrence spoiled me for any other film work from O’Toole..
    And in case you were wondering..in the ongoing list of MY great movies..
    No 1: The Quiet Man. the John Ford repertory Co. a constant No 1 since childhood. I just loved M.O’Hara.
    No 2: How Green was my Valley. The John Ford etc Miss O’Hara again, but a superb story and film.. a shoe-in for best ever.?
    Hey ho.. happy days.
    B

    Reply
  3. WILLIAM FERRY
    December 17, 2013 at 12:18 pm

    Lawrence on a big movie house screen.. spot on Cus.. that is the way.
    Lawrence really was a hands-on warrior.. right there in the battle.. a warrior.. oblivious to pain and reputedly utterly fearless,
    The others I named, were leaders, managers, providers, doers.. without whom.. and all the better for that. Their stories make amazing reading..
    But Lawrence.. a man full of inner demons and tormented.. he was and IS the real deal.
    Try that book.
    B

    Reply
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