When a revered diplomat's plane is diverted and crashes in the peaks of Tibet, he and the other survivors are guided to an isolated monastery at Shangri-La, where they wrestle with the invit... Read allWhen a revered diplomat's plane is diverted and crashes in the peaks of Tibet, he and the other survivors are guided to an isolated monastery at Shangri-La, where they wrestle with the invitation to stay.When a revered diplomat's plane is diverted and crashes in the peaks of Tibet, he and the other survivors are guided to an isolated monastery at Shangri-La, where they wrestle with the invitation to stay.
- Won 2 Oscars
- 3 wins & 6 nominations total
Norman Ainsley
- Embassy Club Steward
- (uncredited)
Chief John Big Tree
- Porter
- (uncredited)
Wyrley Birch
- Missionary
- (uncredited)
Beatrice Blinn
- Passenger
- (uncredited)
Hugh Buckler
- Lord Gainsford
- (uncredited)
Sonny Bupp
- Boy Being Carried to Plane
- (unconfirmed)
- (uncredited)
John Burton
- Wynant
- (uncredited)
Tom Campbell
- Porter
- (uncredited)
Matthew Carlton
- Pottery Maker
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe year after this film was released the owner of a prosperous theater chain hired an architect who designed a mansion that was inspired by the Shangri-La lamasery in this film. Located in Denver, Colorado, it still exists today.
- GoofsEchoing the words of the critic, James Agate: 'The best film I've seen for ages, but will somebody please tell me how they got the grand piano along a footpath on which only one person can walk at a time with rope and pickaxe and with a sheer drop of three thousand feet or so?'
- Crazy creditsBob Gitt of the UCLA Film & Television Archives claims the original opening sequence in 1937 had title cards "Conway has been sent to evacuate ninety white people before they're butchered in a local revolution" was changed in 1942 for a special reissue during WWII. The title cards read "before innocent Chinese people were butchered by Japanese hordes." This was to bolster propaganda against the Japanese.
- Alternate versionsSome of the music in the restored version is dubbed into different sections than the ones in the 118 minute cut version. For example, the moment in which Robert Conway ('Ronald Colman') discovers that the High Lama is really Father Perrault i accompanied by soft music in the cut version, while in the restored version this moment is played with no music.
- ConnectionsEdited from Stürme über dem Mont Blanc (1930)
- SoundtracksWiegenlied (Lullaby) Op. 49 No. 4
(1868) (uncredited)
Composed by Johannes Brahms
English translator unknown
Sung a cappella by children at Shangri-La
Featured review
I think I was about seven or eight years old when I first saw this film, and has always lingered in the back of my mind. This is pure movie magic of a rare kind, and it is surprising how well it holds up today. The story is handled with just the right balance of seriousness and humour, with fine performances throughout, and the timeless message it sends is truly profound. The middle part may be lacking a bit in pacing, but it is a minor quibble, since this, for my money, is a masterpiece. And it still looks great, with impressive set design and an abundance of atmosphere. The finale is simply sublime, and stays in the mind for a long time afterwards, one of my favorite movie moments of all time. A movie everyone should see.
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Lost Horizon of Shangri-La
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $4,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 12 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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