Lawrence of Arabia, the historical epic based on the life of T.E. Lawrence, is turning 60 years old. The dramatic film, which was a massive undertaking, was directed by David Lean, who had helmed such hits as Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and The Bridge on the River Kwai. It starred an incredible cast that included Peter O’Toole, Alec Guinness, Omar Sharif, Anthony Quinn, and Claude Rains.

O’Toole starred as British Lieutenant T.E. Lawrence who is tasked with finding Prince Faisal (Guinness) in Arabia where he will serve as a liaison between the British and Arabs in their conflict with the Turks. But, Lawrence rebels against his orders and with the help of Sherif Ali (Sharif), he sets out on a harrowing journey across the desert to attack a Turkish port.

Principal photography took over a year to complete, starting in May 1961 and ending in September 1962. Filming took place across Jordan, Morocco, and Spain, with frequent delays due to script changes. The lengthy shoot translated to a very long film, originally clocking in at 3 hours and 42 minutes. It originally premiered in London on December 10, 1962, then was released in the US on December 16.

Lawrence of Arabia was a huge success with both critics and audiences, and has since been lauded as one of the greatest films of all time. It won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, director, cinematography, art direction, sound, film editing, and score. It was nominated for three more Oscars with O’Toole nominated for Best Actor, Sharif for Best Supporting Actor, and writers Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson were nominated for the screenplay. The American Film Institute ranked it No. 7 on their list of 100 Years…100 Movies and the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.