This article explores the epic dramas of The Godfather and Lawrence of Arabia, two movies that have stood the test of time and continue to captivate audiences with their stunning grandeur and thematic journeys. From the Corleone crime family to the desert landscapes of Lawrence of Arabia, these films showcase the power of cinema to explore human morality and present iconic visuals in the history of the medium.
Released in 1972, The Godfather is one of the most defining triumphs not only of Hollywood but of the history of cinema at large. The American crime epic follows a period of transition in the Corleone crime family, with the aging Don Vito Corleone hoping to hand over power to his reluctant son, Michael.
When rival gangs sense weakness, they launch a series of attacks on the Corleone family, forcing Michael into a difficult decision and setting the scene for what is one of the most monumental and epic dramas ever made. The Godfather is epic for its stunning grandeur, with the relentless brilliance of its filmmaking beauty and its fierce thematic journey that deals with ideas of corruption, power, and the corrosive nature of the American dream.
It is easy to make a case that The Godfather is the biggest, most substantial drama cinema has ever seen. Still, there have certainly been other movies, both before and since, that could rival Francis Ford Coppola's Academy Award-winning crime classic in terms of sheer scale.
Interestingly, all three of these movies center on war, using the terrible scope of conflict as a canvas to explore human morality while presenting some of the most iconic visuals in the history of the medium. Between an Old Hollywood classic, a '60s masterpiece of epic cinema, and a '90s triumph that remains one of the most emotionally overwhelming movies ever made, these three films can all rival The Godfather's grandiosity in terms of both sheer runtime and captivating substance.
Lawrence of Arabia, heralded by many as being the single most astonishing and awe-inspiring movie ever made, makes exceptional and groundbreaking use of location-shot Super Panavision cinematography to present what is arguably the most defining epic experience cinema has ever produced. The biographical war drama follows the exploits of T. E. Lawrence, a lieutenant in the British Army who is tasked with uniting the warring Arab tribes to fight as one force against the Turks in WWI.
The physical journey of the movie alone is epic, emphasizing both the beauty and hostility of the desert that Lawrence and the Arabs must brave. However, it also finds a piercing and powerful depth in the struggle Lawrence faces internally as he finds his loyalties divided between the British Army and his Arab companions. As this latter point is emphasized, the monumental film takes on an endlessly enticing psychological complexity.
It explores Lawrence's fragmenting psyche as he not only finds himself torn between two groups-a point that becomes an incredibly puncturing ideological and political one when the British betray the Arabs' efforts to secure independence-but begins to be affected by the trauma of war as well. Lawrence of Arabia is a ravishing achievement of technical filmmaking defined by David Lean's intensive illustration of the desert landscapes, Anne V. Coates's faultless editing, and a litany of exceptional performances.
Yet, it is also a fascinating and nuanced examination of the human condition under duress. Even 64 years on from its release, it remains one of the greatest feats cinema has ever seen, a timelessly gorgeous masterpiece that tackles wartime morality with astonishing depth while dramatizing one of the most impressive and complex figures in modern history.
The Godfather Lawrence Of Arabia Epic Dramas Cinema History Francis Ford Coppola David Lean War Movies Human Morality
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