World War One found its raison d'etre only after the war was declared. The assassination of a Serbian Archduke was the catalyst, but the war itself became a grab for resources, and in the mid-east, a continuation of the Great Game the superpowers had been playing for years. Rather than restricting the game to Afghanistan though, the entire region opened up for a land-grab of huge proportions, and the ill-fated peace conference in Versailles became the ultimate playing field. Lloyd George and Clemenceau represented "old Europe's" wheeling, dealing, and chicanery; while Woodrow Wilson represented the somewhat bumbling, idealistic, and ridiculed ideals of American self-determination as an unrealistic alternative to a world steeped in colonization. Lawrence and his Prince Feisal were the wild cards, and they played their cards like world-class sharks.

"A Dangerous Man," is a top-notch movie, intelligently written, flawlessly directed, and superbly acted. It's one of the few celluloid histories that find fact more interesting than fiction, and it also serves as an interesting primer to recent events.

My recommendation is unqualified; this is a movie worth seeing and talking about.

How accurate is this movie? (Rating: 4.00)
Review : Spoiler alert.

I just finished reading the chapter about the Arab Revolt in the book "Paris 1919," which details the events of the Paris Peace talks after the end of the Great War. There is nothing in that chapter about this letter documenting a British promise of Arab independence, which Lawrence was to have released to the press. Was that true? I would like to know.

Long overdue on DVD (Rating: 5.00)
Review : Follows up on where "Lawrence of Arabia" left off. It's 1919, WWI has ended. Lawrence and Feisel travel to the Paris Peace Conference in hopes of gaining independence for the Arabs but become entangled in diplomacy and political intrigue.

This film was made for television so don't expect a majestic, wide-screen David Lean production. But what is here is very well done indeed and centers on the man behind the legend and touches on the psychological angst that drove him.

Very well written and acted. Cast includes: Ralph Fiennes as Lawrence and Siddig El Fadil as Feisal. Highly recommended.

Immitation of the wonderful Lean epic! (Rating: 1.00)
Review : There is no way anyone can compare this movie to the superb David Lean version, Lawrence of Arabia. If you're looking for the greatest film of all time, Lawrence of Arabia is it! It gives the viewer insight into Lawrence's personality as well as the history of the time. Ralph Fiennes is not a bad actor, but he has a tendency, both in this movie and in The English Patient, to immitate Peter O'Toole! By the way, I suggest you watch Lawrence of Arabia first and then The English Patient in order to see how much the David Lean epic has influenced modern movies. The English Patient is a rip-off of Lawrence of Arabia....the only thing that is original is the love story!

A little research will help you (Rating: 4.00)
Review : This movie does not have the sweeping cinematography that "Lawrence of Arabia" had, but this is still a good movie. The viewer will see what happened behind closed doors after Lawrence returned to Europe in an attempt to further the Arab independence cause.

Fiennes is a great choice for T.E. Lawrence. His expressions speak volumes of all the things running through Lawrence's head as he tried to fight the agenda of France and Great Britain. In his interaction with his Arab counterpart, you see that he does not always share what he is thinking and that his fame is beginning to cause some trouble for him.

Although a fine movie, you really need to know a bit about this time and the events to really understand it all. Mentioned in the movies is Lawrence's book "Seven Pillars of Wisdom," which would be helpful.

I would recommend watching this movie.