A sad farewell. A fond farewell.

Omar Sharif has passed away, for which I feel a genuine sadness. Which is strange to me, because with all the horrible things to be sad about in this world, why would the passing of a complete stranger affect me? I think it's because of how we were introduced.

I remember feeling absolutely mesmerized as he made his entry to the film "Lawrence of Arabia." It is one of the greatest entries of a character in a movie ever filmed. Who has ever taken longer to enter a film (and I've read that David Lean wanted it even longer but was talked out of it)? 

His entry left me stunned not only because of the wonderful drama of it, but because of how gutsy it was to film for that long without a word spoken as Omar gradually grew from a speck to a fuzzy mirage to a solid form that gradually became a recognizable man. And as that man entered, he entered with a force of principle that left one man dead and another man aghast. 

But it didn't take long for Omar to shift from menace to ally to friend, until he made his exit from the film, disappearing into the darkness, in tears. 

As any of my friends know, this movie has made a significant impression on me, and I am thankful to Omar Sharif for his part in that.

© 2015 by Ken Peters