Lawrence of Arabia

Available for over a year

It's the moment every movie director and actor dreams of. The gold envelope is slowly opened and the Oscar goes to... them! Paul Gambaccini reveals how David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia won the Best Picture Award in 1963. But - away from the red carpet and the bright lights and the tearful speeches - what do the Academy's decisions tell us about the state of America? Are the awards a hotline to the American psyche, revealing an array of political, cultural and social calculations - conscious or unconscious - behind what are presented as purely artistic judgements. Producers: Sara Jane Hall & Paul Kobrak First broadcast on Radio 4 in February 2008.