 After deciding to cast an unknown actor in the role of Lawrence,  David Lean (I) (qv) arranged a screen test for  Albert Finney (qv) shortly before the release of  _Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)_ (qv), which made Finney a  star. The extensive screen test involved costumes, sets and included  actors Ferdy Mayne (qv) and Laurence Payne (qv), and was shot  over four days at a cost of £100,000. In addition to Lean, the test  was attended by cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth (qv), assistant  director Gerry OHara (qv), editor Anne V. Coates (qv), producer  Sam Spiegel (I) (qv) and Anthony Nutting (qv), an expert on  Arabian history. It was unanimously agreed that the screen test was  excellent, and Finney was offered the part of Lawrence but turned it  down, as he did not want to be committed to the long