Lawrence of Arabia (Columbia, 1962). Roadshow 24 Sheet (104" X 232").
Could any poster possibly be more majestic and breath-taking than this 24 sheet for David Lean's masterful epic recounting the Arab uprising against the Ottoman Empire? This poster, for one of the most inspiring films ever made, is extraordinarily rare, and is for the first roadshow release. Peter O'Toole created his legendary performance as Sir Lawrence, the British officer who led the Arab revolt and the supporting cast was magnificent with Omar Sharif, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, Claude Rains and Jose Ferrer. The poster is in remarkable condition; especially when one considers that almost all 24 sheets were destroyed simply by displaying them. The process usually involved mounting the poster with glue to a wall or billboard. This example, which may be one of a few sole surviving copies, has extremely bright color and does show slight signs of use. The section that ends by Peter O'Toole's image is slightly ruffled. The panel with the beginning of the title has a slight stain in the background, some separation and brown paper tape on the verso. The panel with the end of the title has some chipping on the edge and overall the poster has a few minor tears along the edges. Overall, these imperfections are minor when takes in the magnificence of this classic image. Fine/Very Fine.