Epic: The Life And Times Of David Lean
Synopsis
David Lean is widely considered one of the greatest film directors of all time. His films, Brief Encounter (1945), The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957), Lawrence Of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965), Ryan’s Daughter (1970) and A Passage To India (1984), mark him out as a Master of both the large-scale epic and the more intimate romantic drama.
It is an extraordinary achievement from a man born in Croydon, a dreary suburb of London, to a Quaker family, who didn’t approve of the cinema, and to a father who described his own as a ‘dullard’.
His personal life was chaotic. He was married six times. He had a son and two grandchildren, from whom he was estranged. He left England as a young man roam the world, mostly living in hotels, not returning to his home country until late in life.
He was a master of his art, able to impose great form, order and beauty on the stories he told. Yet, the great David Lean failed to impose on his own life, which was often messy, difficult, rootless and painful, in spite of his great career success. This is the definitive story of one of the greatest Hollywood directors, responsible for films captivating audiences and directors alike across all generations.
Director
Barnaby Thompson