An exceptional piece of British cinema history associated with David Lean’s monumental epic Lawrence of Arabia (1962). This important production-used screenplay, dating from circa 1962, is a remarkable surviving artefact from the making of one of the most celebrated films in motion-picture history.

The opening page bears handwritten cast and character references relating to several of the film’s principal performers, including Peter O’Toole, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quayle, Claude Rains and José Ferrer. These contemporary production annotations give the script considerable character and provide a fascinating insight into its practical use during the period of the film’s production.

The script originated from the set of Lawrence of Arabia and is associated with the collection of the film’s director, Sir David Lean. It  later passed through Ardmore Studios, Bray, Co. Wicklow, where it was reportedly acquired during the 1970s, before entering an important private South Dublin collection. David Lean travelled to Ireland in 1969, where he worked on Ryan's Daughter. He used Ardmore Studios for the interior scenes of the film.

David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia stands among the defining achievements of twentieth-century cinema. Its sweeping desert landscapes, extraordinary cinematography, Maurice Jarre’s unforgettable score and Peter O’Toole’s career-defining performance combined to create a film of extraordinary scale, beauty and ambition. The picture won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and has remained a benchmark for epic filmmaking ever since. More than six decades after its release, its visual language and sense of cinematic spectacle continue to influence filmmakers and captivate audiences around the world.

Original production-used scripts are among the most desirable forms of film memorabilia because they are working objects directly connected with the creation of a motion picture, rather than material produced later for publicity or promotion. A surviving screenplay associated with a film of the stature of Lawrence of Arabia is particularly significant, and the handwritten references to its celebrated ensemble cast add an additional layer of production history and individuality. With its recorded provenance linking it to the production to Sir David Lean’s collection, this script represents a highly evocative opportunity for collectors of classic cinema, British film history and important screen-used material.

A rare and highly atmospheric production artefact associated with one of the greatest motion pictures ever made.

This script remains in excellent production-used condition and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Availability: In Stock