Lost Horizon

Ronald Coleman and Jane Wyatt star in this lavishly-produced classic about the enchanted paradise of Shangri-La where time stands still. Frank Capra's enduring masterpiece, 'Lost Horizon' (based on the best-selling novel by James Hilton) had a running time of 132 minutes upon it's initial release in 1937. For a World War II re-issue, 24 minutes were cut to tone down the film's pacifist message. Film preservationist Robert Gitt, working over a period of twenty-five years, has utilized footage found all over the world to restore a number of missing scenes. With extraordinary art direction, the set of Shangri-La is considered the largest ever built in Hollywood - winning designer Stephen Goosson a 1937 Academy Award ('Lost Horizon' won two Oscars: Art Direction-Set Direction and Film Editing). Furthermore, the budget for the picture was staggering and cost almost four times the amount of any Columbia film at the time. 'Lost Horizon' is considered an exception among Capra's work for its deviation from his usual upbeat 'American' theme, and continues to capture the imagination of the viewing public today.