Lawrence of Arabia

The film that put the wide into wide screen, “Lawrence of Arabia,” winner of seven Oscars including Best Picture of 1962, plays the Sebastiani Theatre on Monday, May 16 at 7 p.m., and May 18 at 1 p.m.

Peter O’Toole gave a career-making performance as T.E. Lawrence, the dashing and controversial British military figure leading an Arab revolt. With sweeping shots that capture the impossible vastness of desert and sky – not to mention O’Toole’s piercing baby blues — the cinematography is “National Geographic” come to life.

For this film as with few others, the cliché is absolutely true: you gotta see it on the big screen.