Lost Horizon (film)
"Lost Horizon" is a 1937 film directed by Frank Capra, adapted from James Hilton's 1933 novel of the same name. The story follows British diplomat Robert Conway, who, amid the turmoil of war-torn China, ends up in the mystical village of Shangri-la after a plane crash. Shangri-la is depicted as a serene utopia where inhabitants live in peace, free from the troubles of the outside world. The film explores themes of idealism and the conflict between personal desires and communal responsibilities, especially through Robert's growing attachment to Shangri-la and the woman he loves, Sondra.
Despite a troubled production marred by a disastrous early screening and subsequent studio interference, "Lost Horizon" received critical acclaim and went on to win two Academy Awards for Best Art Direction and Best Film Editing. The film is noted for its rich attention to detail, supported by extensive research, including the use of photographs of Tibet. Over time, "Lost Horizon" has entered popular culture, introducing the term "Shangri-la" to signify a remote paradise, and influencing figures such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who named his retreat Camp David after it. The film has undergone various edits since its release, with efforts to restore its original length resulting in a version that was finally shown in 1986. Today, it is regarded as a classic of American cinema, reflecting both Capra's directorial prowess and the era's longing for escapism.
Lost Horizon (film)
- Release Date: 1937
- Director(s): Frank Capra
- Writer(s): Robert Riskin
- Principal Actors and Roles: Ronald Colman (Robert Conway); Jane Wyatt (Sondra Bizet); John Howard (George Conway); Sam Jaffe (High Lama); Isabel Jewell (Gloria Stone); Thomas Mitchell (Henry Barnard)
- Book / Story Film Based On: Lost Horizon by James Hilton
Director Frank Capra was at a newsstand looking for something to read when the novel Lost Horizon caught his eye. Recalling a rave review of the book, he picked up a copy. By the next morning, Capra was ready to turn it into a film.
Lost Horizon, by British writer James Hilton, was published in 1933, in England. At first it was a minor success. The next year, New Yorker writer Alexander Woollcott applauded the book on radio, turning it into a big seller. With the world in the midst of the Great Depression and fascism spreading in Europe, Lost Horizon offered audiences a welcome escape.
In the story, an Englishman ends up in Shangri-la, a peaceful Tibetan village surrounded by towering mountains. Capra did copious amounts of research along with his screenplay writer, Robert Riskin. He also hired the explorer Harrison Forman as his technical advisor. Forman had hundreds of still photographs of Tibet that informed Capra’s sets, costumes, and even the musical instruments that appear in the film. Riskin collaborated with the director on the story, adding some characters, more romance, and humor.
Capra chose to shoot in black and white because he wanted to use stock photos of soaring mountains, avalanches, and voluminous snowfall, not available in color at that time. The director initially edited his extensive footage to three hours. A disastrous early screening led to additional editing that included slashing a long opening sequence. The film premiered at 132 minutes.
Plot
British diplomat Robert Conway struggles to evacuate fellow citizens at the Baskul airport in war-torn China. He ends up on the last plane to Shanghai along with his brother, George, and three others. Their adventure is only beginning: the airplane is hijacked and crashes in the snow-filled mountains near Tibet.
Help miraculously arrives, leading them to a sheltered village in the mountains, where they are indulged guests—or prisoners—in a building full of books, artwork, and music. This beautiful edifice is also the home of two mysterious men, a guide named Chang, and the High Lama. The High Lama shows special interest in Robert. Gradually Robert learns the story of Shangri-la. It is a utopia where there is no money, no crime, and no war, where people live to very old age. As Robert falls in love with beautiful Shangri-la, he also grows enamored of a woman named Sondra. His brother, too, finds love, with Maria. Even so, George becomes unhinged by his feelings of being imprisoned against his will.
Meanwhile, the High Lama reveals his vision of preserving Shangri-la as a wellspring of peace and a safe haven for art in a world doomed to destruction. Ultimately, he explains how Robert fits into his plan. The High Lama hopes that Robert will take over for him, because he is about to die.
As the High Lama passes away, Robert is on the verge of assuming his mantle. And then George barges in, and Maria confirms his belief that Shangri-la is a terrible place, the High Lama’s story a hoax. Porters are about to leave for Shanghai. After hearing Maria’s story and George’s pleas, Robert agrees to join them.
The journey to Shanghai turns out to be a nightmare: The weather is savage, and the porters shoot at them, causing an avalanche. Maria and George die, causing Maria’s old age to be revealed. Somehow, Robert makes it back to Shanghai. But he is no longer content in the "civilized" world. En route to London, he escapes. The final shots of the film show Robert closing in on Shangri-la and his true love.
Significance
Frank Capra was already a distinguished director with two Oscars when Columbia Pictures released Lost Horizon in 1937. The studio had invested over two million dollars in the film—a kingly sum in those days. The disastrous sneak preview, followed by unauthorized studio editing, led Capra to sue Columbia Pictures and the studio to suspend Capra, refusing to release him from his contract.
Despite this messy business, Lost Horizon received critical praise. The New York Times critic, Frank S. Nugent called it "a grand adventure film." He noted "the satisfying attention to large and small detail." The film also turned a modest profit. Director and studio soon made up, and Capra moved on to You Can’t Take It With You. Furthermore, Lost Horizon went on to win two Academy awards, for best art direction and best film editing. The movie also received nominations for three additional categories, including best picture.
As for the book, it was chosen to be the number one title on the first list by Pocket Books in 1939. It remained in that spot for 21.5 years.
The notion of Shangri-la, a remote paradise on Earth, worked its way into popular consciousness—as people buffeted by Depression and instability dreamed of a better world. The word Shangri-la entered the English language. What’s more, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who was president at the time, called his presidential retreat Shangri-la (later renamed Camp David). The book may deserve more credit for these cultural influences than does the movie.
Re-editing of Lost Horizon did not end with the film’s release. Over time, about 25 minutes of film were cut, and several shortened versions of the movie were issued. During World War II, for showing to the armed forces, it was reduced to 110 minutes and titled Lost Horizon of Shangri-la. This same version appeared on television in the early 1950s. Other prints for television were even shorter.
By 1967, no full-length copies of the original film still existed. The American Film Institute began an extensive restoration project in 1973. The process involved a world-wide archive search. The result was a 132-minute soundtrack with a 125-minute picture. Freeze-frame images and still photos were used to fill in the seven-minute gap in the film. The restored film was shown in 1986, after a thirteen-year effort.
Frank Capra has fared better than those original copies of Lost Horizon. Today he is ranked near the top of best director lists, while Lost Horizon is considered a classic from his greatest period.
Awards and nominations
Won
- Academy Award (1937) Best Film Editing
- Academy Award (1937) Best Art Direction
Nominated
- Academy Award (1937) Best Picture
- Academy Award (1937) Best Supporting Actor: H. B. Warner
- Academy Award (1937) Best Score
- Academy Award (1937) Best Sound Recording
- Academy Award (1937) Best Assistant Director
Bibliography
Von Gunden, Kenneth. Flights of Fancy: The Great Fantasy Films. Jefferson: McFarland, 1989. Print.
Kehr, Dave. "Restoration Revives Lost ‘Lost Horizon’." The Chicago Tribune. 21 Aug. 1986.Web. 28 Aug. 2015. <http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1986-08-21/features/8603020618‗1‗high-lama-lost-horizon-shangri-la>.
Lewis, Kevin. "The Battle Over ‘Lost Horizon’." Editor’s Guild Magazine. The Motion Picture Editors Guild, 2005.Web. 28 Aug. 2015. <http://www.editorsguild.com/v2/magazine/archives/0507/columns‗history.htm>.
Nugent, Frank S. "Lost Horizon (1937)." The New York Times 4 March, 1937. Web. 28 Aug. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=EE05E7DF1738E36FBC4C53DFB566838C629EDE>.
Schickel, Richard. Frank Capra: A Life in Film. N.p.: New Word, 2011. Electronic.
Stableford, Brian. Yesterday’s Bestsellers: A Journey Through Literary History. Reading: Wildside, 2008. Print.