MAVERICK - THE EPIC ADVENTURES OF DAVID LEAN © Alamy
Maverick: The Epic Adventures of David Lean, the man behind cinema’s greatest films
Shown as part of the Cannes Classics selection, Maverick: The Epic Adventures of David Lean doesn’t simply retrace the career of the director of Lawrence of Arabia. In this documentary, British director Barnaby Thompson seeks above all to understand the man behind the filmmaker. Using archival material, testimonials from contemporary filmmakers and the voice of Cate Blanchett, the film is both a look at David Lean’s legacy and an intimate portrait of his fragility.
How is it possible for the director of Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on the River Kwai and Doctor Zhivago, the very embodiment of the cinema epic, to actually be a somewhat tormented man who was unable to find stability in his own life? This is the question posed in the documentary. “Initially, I thought I was making a film about this great man who had directed all these great films”, explains Barnaby Thompson. The director says he was fascinated by Lean’s own story, a child raised in a very strict Christian community, forbidden from going to the cinema until his teens, dyslexic, and who struggled at school. “The cinema literally opened up the whole world to him”.
The documentary constantly draws parallels between Lean’s filmmaking and his personal life. A scene showing a marital argument mirrors a break-up. A desert crossing mirrors his loneliness. Ironically, although Lean had directed some of cinema’s greatest love stories, he seemed unable to find lasting happiness in his own life. “I think he could control everything in his films. Real life, on the other hand, is a lot more complex. He could create romance on screen, but he may not have really known what love was like in real life”, states Thompson.
“ What David Lean’s work represents is the big-screen experience in all its glory. His films remind us why we go to the cinema. ”
This intimate portrayal contrasts with the huge legacy left by the British filmmaker. The documentary features several contemporary directors, from Alfonso Cuarón to Céline Song, as well as Francis Ford Coppola, Wes Anderson, and Greta Gerwig (President of the Feature Films Jury in 2024). They all share what they still owe to Lean. “At a time when cinema is constantly competing with streaming and small screens, what David Lean’s work represents is the big-screen experience in all its glory. His films remind us why we go to the cinema”.
Thompson says he was particularly struck by the discussions he had with the directors he interviewed about the solitary nature of the profession. “We often imagine filmmakers as being extremely self-confident, but many of them actually talk about fear, anxiety, and uncertainty”. One example he gives is Alfonso Cuarón’s confession about the anxiety he feels every day before he steps onto set, something that really moved him.
Thompson chose the voice of Cate Blanchett to accompany his narrative, a choice intended to act as a counterpoint to the voice of Lean, as portrayed in the film by Kenneth Branagh. “I wanted a woman’s voice because a big part of David Lean’s story revolves around his relationships with women. Cate brings something very special to the role – compassion, but no judgement”. So the actress acts as a bridge between Hollywood’s golden age and the contemporary take on this icon of classic cinema.
“What I’m really hoping is that the documentary will inspire viewers to rewatch his films. The documentary is a declaration of love to cinema”, concludes Thompson. A tribute to David Lean, of course, but also a tribute to all filmmakers who, even today, continue to explore, via images, a way of understanding the world—and, ultimately, themselves.
