LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) Movie Poster, Original Daybill, R1970's
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Original Australian Daybill Movie Poster starring Peter O’Toole, Alec Guinness, Omar Sharif and directed by David Lean is in Very Fine Condition. Movie Poster and Condition...
Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Original Australian Daybill Movie Poster starring Peter O’Toole, Alec Guinness, Omar Sharif and directed by David Lean is in Very Fine Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition
Condition: This Original Vintage Movie Poster is presented in Very Fine Condition with some minor edge bumping on the top of poster and a couple of small texta marks at the bottom right hand side. This poster is currently stored flat but will be rolled and carefully packed and shipped in a cylinder. This is an authentic Australian original daybill from the film’s original 1962 release, highly sought after by collectors for its taller format and striking visual impact. The artwork is based on the iconic international campaign imagery created for this epic production, featuring bold desert tones and minimalist design elements that perfectly capture the scale and ambition of the film.
Movie Synopsis
Lawrence of Arabia (1962) is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, an epic historical drama that chronicles the extraordinary life of British officer T.E. Lawrence during World War I. Directed by the legendary David Lean, the film is based on Lawrence’s autobiographical account, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and blends history, myth, and character study into a cinematic experience of breathtaking scope.
The story follows the enigmatic and unconventional Lawrence, portrayed in a career-defining performance by Peter O’Toole in his first major film role. Assigned to gather intelligence in the Arabian Peninsula, Lawrence becomes deeply involved in the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkish rule. What begins as a military posting evolves into a personal obsession, as Lawrence forges alliances with Arab leaders such as Prince Faisal, played with quiet authority by Alec Guinness, and the proud and charismatic Sherif Ali, portrayed by Omar Sharif in a breakout role that launched him to international stardom.
The film is renowned for its sweeping desert cinematography, captured in Super Panavision 70 by cinematographer Freddie Young. Vast sandscapes, shimmering heat haze, and meticulously composed wide shots give the film an operatic visual scale rarely equalled. Equally iconic is Maurice Jarre’s soaring musical score, which has become synonymous with epic cinema and remains one of the most recognisable soundtracks in film history.
Beyond its technical achievements, Lawrence of Arabia is a complex psychological portrait. It explores themes of identity, colonialism, heroism, and the corrosive effects of power and violence. Lawrence’s transformation from idealistic officer to conflicted, haunted figure is depicted with nuance and restraint, making the film as intimate as it is monumental.
The production itself has become legendary. Filmed across Jordan, Morocco, and Spain, the shoot was arduous and often dangerous, contributing to the film’s raw authenticity. Upon release, the film was both a critical and commercial triumph, winning seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and securing its place as a cornerstone of world cinema.
Today, Lawrence of Arabia (1962) remains a benchmark for epic filmmaking, and original vintage posters from its initial release are prized by collectors worldwide for their historical significance, artistic merit, and enduring cultural impact.
To find out more about Lawrence of Arabia (1962) click here to go to IMDB.com.
Special Notes
Images may have a small 'MPA' digital watermark and this does not appear on the poster. Posters are being held by magnets in the corners to take photographs, so you may see some magnet and shadows from the magnets in these areas. The magnets are not included in the sale of the item.
Postage, Insurance & Your Country Taxes
Postage costs are quoted for this item, include insurance up to AUD$100, but if you reside outside of Australia, the price does not include any import taxes/fees that you may be required to pay when the item reaches your borders. Please check with your local authorities for any additional taxes or fees. If you would like full insurance coverage for your purchase, please message me and I would be happy to quote the additional cost (estimate is AUD$2.50 p/AUD$100 or 2.5% of the item value, up to a maximum item value of AUD$5,000).
FAQ
At Movie Posters Australia, the love and conservation of movie posters comes first, and we like to share this passion. Our commitment to quality means we will provide high quality memorabilia to our customers. Posters are carefully chosen and authenticated to ensure originality and value. We want our customers to trust MPA, so we always try to be as open and transparent as we can, provide detailed condition information and images, to ensure customers are comfortable and confident in their purchase.
While the industry does have a few condition rating standards, there is no movie poster condition rating system that has become the accepted standard world wide. This unfortunately makes condition terms vary from movie poster dealer to movie poster dealer. Terms like Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, seem to be universal to most condition rating standards, but most standards still lack definition about what and how many flaws/defects/damage defines a specific condition level. For more information on how Movie Posters Australia grades the condition of its movie posters, daybills, lobby cards and other ephemera please see out Movie Poster Condition and Grading page.
In the early days of cinema, posters were primarily hand-drawn and printed in various sizes, often tailored to fit the available space in theaters or promotional areas. In the United States, the "One Sheet" size (some times called '1 Sheet' or '1SH' approximately 27" x 41", became the standard during the 1930s. This size was manageable for theater display and suited the needs of a growing film industry.
Different countries developed their own poster sizes and styles, which also changed sometimes over the decades, and were influenced by local preferences and practical considerations, like available paper sheet sizes and how many posters could be printed on one sheet.
In Australia, the most popular size, the Daybill, has evolved over the decades. Australian Daybills sizes in chronological order are:
- Long Daybills (15" x 40"), from 1920's to pre-WW2 or pre-1941, were printed two to a sheet, longer than current Daybill versions. There were size variances in width from 14.5" to 15" and in height from 39.5" to 40".
- War Time Daybill (10" x 30"), during WW2, for a short time to conserve paper during a war time shortage, four Daybills were printed on one sheet. Information from Press Sheets also referred to these War-Time sizes as "New Size Daybills".
- Post-War Daybill (13" x 30"), this 13" x 30" Post-War size carried through until the 1980's, but also varied in size from 13"-14" x 29.75"-30.25".
- Post-80's Daybill (33cm x 66cm, or 13" x 26"), over a few years in the late 80's, the size changed again to a metric 33cm x 66cm, although these have also varied from 32-33cm x 64.5-66cm. New sizes from the late 80's were created, sometimes called a Mini Daybill or Mini Poster, in 9" x 12", 11" x 17" and 13" x 20".
In the UK, the somewhat unique 'Quad' poster, measuring 30" x 40", became popular, offering a larger landscape format that allowed for more elaborate designs.
In Japan, movie poster sizes were smaller, such as the "B2" (20" x 28"), which suited the more compact living environment of larger cities, smaller advertising spaces, and unique aesthetic sensibilities.
The 1970s and 1980s, witnessed the rise of the "six-sheet" (81" x 81") format, reflecting a trend towards larger and more visually impactful advertising.
Overall, the variation in movie poster sizes across different countries and decades highlights the interplay between technological printing advancements, paper resource availability, paper sheet size changes, cultural preferences, and the evolving nature of movie marketing.
At Movie Posters Australia we tag each poster we sell with a 'size' and 'condition' description at the very top of the page for our customers to easily see. There may however be some slight variations to sizes by up one inch due to variations in production and guillotine methods by printers over the decades.