At last! The masterpiece of America's foremost film genius blazes to the screen!
British diplomat Robert Conway and a small group of civilians crash-land in the Himalayas, where they are rescued by the inhabitants of the hidden, idyllic valley of Shangri-La. Protected by the mountains from the world outside, where the clouds of World War II are gathering, Shangri-La provides a seductive escape for the world-weary Conway.
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Capra adapts James Hilton's Utopian novel with grace and beauty. It's so nice to be able to see something resembling the original vision Capra had for this story, the wonders of science gives us a cracking restoration to enjoy at our want. Robert Conway is a British diplomat who helps a group of people (one his younger brother) escape from a Chinese revolution in a passenger plane, all doesn't go to plan, though, as the plane has been skyjacked and is heading into the Himalayas, and Tibet. The plane crash lands due to the pilot becoming stricken, and after the passengers get out they are greeted by a party of people belonging to the Valley Of The Blue Moon, to which is a beautiful and peaceful world known as Shangri-La. Shangri-La is gorgeous, there is no illness there, no war or hostility, the landscape is paradise on earth, people live far longer than is deemed possible in the outside world, it is utopia in everyone's wildest dreams. Here Conway and the group, after initial scepticism, come to love the place and have no desire to leave this haven that is shut off from the outside world. That is, all except the younger Conway (George), and as is always the case in large social communities, cracks begin to emerge and questions remain unanswered. The film has a wonderful dreamy quality about it, it's filmed firmly with romantic fantasy intention, and the quality of the production really helps to emphasise this intriguing story. The sets are gorgeous, the music is perfectly on tempo throughout, and the acting is top notch, while the love Capra had for the topic is evident in every frame. Thankfully all of the great work on the film has the story to match, and it's the story, and the subsequent turn of events in the last third, that is ultimately the film's crowning glory. Magical. 9/10
Having managed to arrange the evacuation of ninety-odd British civilians from the clutches of the marauding Chinese army, diplomat “Conway” (Ronald Colman) is now on a plane with his brother “George” (John Howard) and a few others heading for the safety of Shanghai. What they don’t realise, though, is that their plane was hijacked on the airfield and is heading in completely the wrong direction. After a whistle-stop refuelling pit-stop, the plane crash-lands high in the Himalayan mountains and things look bleak with the ill-equipped party reduced to eating grass and sheltering in their broken fuselage. Then, as if by magic, they encounter some fur-clad travellers, one of whom speaks fluent English, and are safely conducted to a paradise on Earth. Shielded by the jagged mountains, the beautiful “Shangri La” thrives peaceably and offers these folks a promise of salvation. “Conway” is fascinated by this magical place, by his enigmatic host (HB Warner) and by what appears to be a substantial slowing of the ageing process. He also takes quite a shine to “Sondra” (Jane Wyatt) who might just have been instrumental in their rather all-too-convenient rescue! Meantime, his colleagues are becoming more restless and with “Barnard” (Thomas Mitchell) discovering quantities of gold they begin to pressure their leader to go home. With a conflict now brewing between the brothers, and the temptations of staying and leaving weighing heavily on “Conway” he must make a tough choice. This isn’t maybe Colman’s most active role, indeed this whole film is a bit more of a cerebral one rather than an adventure one. Much of the writing quite clearly suggests the benefits of mankind living in harmony with each other and with nature and of abandoning the capitalist system of bartering that leaves people wanting - a source of crime that doesn’t exist in this high-altitude Elysium. There is some chilling snowscape photography to add a bit of authenticity to the story and though at over two hours it is a bit on the long side, it’s a little reminiscent of “She” (1935) as it entertainingly mixes philosophy and fantasy and warns of being careful what you wish for.
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