Director
David Lean
Born 25 March 1908 · Croydon, Surrey, England, UK — died 16 April 1991
Sir David Lean (1908–1991) was an English director, screenwriter and editor. He moved from intimate British dramas and Dickens and Coward adaptations to sweeping widescreen epics such as The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia. He is regarded as one of British cinema's greatest directors.
Key films
Brief Encounter (1945)
Restrained, much-loved romance that established Lean as a leading British director.
Great Expectations (1946)
Acclaimed Dickens adaptation, often ranked among the finest literary films.
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Wartime epic that won him his first Best Director Oscar and international fame.
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)On Cinespective
Landmark desert epic and a second Best Director Oscar, a high point of large-scale filmmaking.
Doctor Zhivago (1965)On Cinespective
Lavish romantic epic set during the Russian Revolution and a major box-office success.
Key awards
- 1957: Academy Award for Best Director (The Bridge on the River Kwai)
- 1962: Academy Award for Best Director (Lawrence of Arabia)
- 1965: Golden Globe for Best Director (Doctor Zhivago)
- 1990: BAFTA Fellowship
- 1990: AFI Life Achievement Award
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 37
- 1942In Which We ServeDirector
- 1944This Happy BreedDirector
- 1945Brief EncounterDirector
- 1945Blithe SpiritDirector
- 1946Great ExpectationsDirector
- 1948Oliver TwistDirector
- 1949The Passionate FriendsDirector
- 1950MadeleineDirector
- 1952The Sound BarrierDirector
- 1954Hobson's ChoiceDirector
- 1955SummertimeDirector
- 1957The Bridge on the River KwaiDirector
- 1958The Rise and Fall of a Jungle Giant · as SelfActor
- 1958...On Seeing Film · as SelfActor
- 1962Lawrence of Arabia · as Motorcyclist by Suez Canal (uncredited)Actor
- 1962Lawrence of ArabiaDirector
- 1963Wind, Sand and StarActor
- 1965Doctor ZhivagoDirector
- 1965Pasternak · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1965Zhivago: Behind the Camera with David Lean · as SelfActor
- 1965Moscow in Madrid · as SelfActor
- 1965David Lean's Film of Doctor Zhivago · as SelfActor
- 1970Ryan's DaughterDirector
- 1971David Lean: A Self Portrait · as SelfActor
- 1971Ryan's Daughter Featurette · as SelfActor
- 1979Lost and Found: The Story of Cook's AnchorDirector
- 1979Lost and Found: The Story of Cook's Anchor · as himselfActor
- 1984A Passage to IndiaDirector
- 1985The Golden Gong: The Story of Rank Films - British Cinema's Legendary Studio · as SelfActor
- 1985David Lean: A Life in Film · as SelfActor
- 2001The Making of Lawrence of Arabia · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2010Doctor Zhivago: A Celebration · as Self (Archive Footage)Actor
- 2017Nostromo: David Lean's Impossible Dream · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2019Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast · as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)Actor
- 2019E. M. Forster: His Longest Journey · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2020Omar Sharif: Citizen of the World · as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)Actor
- 2026Maverick: The Epic Adventures of David Lean · as Self (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.