In 'Lawrence of Arabia,' the quote 'Nothing is written' captures the protagonist's defiance of fate. To represent the shimmering heat and the vast, alien nature of the desert, composer Maurice Jarre used the Ondes Martenot. This early electronic instrument, invented in 1928, uses a keyboard and a sliding ring to produce eerie, wavering tones similar to a theremin but with more melodic control. Jarre used it to add a 'supernatural' sheen to the orchestral score. This choice was legendary for blending traditional symphonic music with avant-garde electronics, showing how a rare instrument can define the 'mythic' quality of a movie legend and his philosophical dialogue.