AllMovie

Originally aired on PBS, Lawrence of Arabia: The Battle For the Arab World delves into the life of Thomas Edward Lawrence, i.e., the man who inspired 1962's Academy Award-winning Lawrence of Arabia. Told from both Western and Arab perspectives, Lawrence, a 24-year-old British spy, would eventually become a figurehead in the Arab's struggle for independence. After uniting the Arab tribes in 1916, Lawrence led them in a war against the Turks, who ruled over them for more than 400 years. Though widely deemed a hero in Western culture, the impact of his various successes and failures can still be seen today.