Rating: 
Summary: Effective Utopian Fantasy
Review: James Hilton's source novel is a perfect marriage to the idealist sensibilities of director Frank Capra. The film concerns itself with a group of Westerners escaping war-ravaged China whose plane is deliberately diverted to a closed-off society where there is no greed or avarice and time seems to stand still. This film must have been the perfect tonic for audiences who were reeling from the after effects of the Great Depression and leery of the forboding Axis power grab. The film is sumptuously designed and filmed and has a great score by Dmitri Tiomkin. The cast is uniformly solid with a strong lead performance by Ronald Colman and good support by veterans Thomas Mitchell, Edward Everett Horton, H.B. Warner, and Sam Jaffe. A quibble I have is the film does beat into the ground it's message of love and mutual respect, but that may be my own cynicism. Another quibble is that the denizens of Shangri-La are predominately Asian yet it's most prominent citizen, Mr. Chang is played by an Anglo(Warner). It's also convenient that the love interests for Colman and co-star John Howard are played by the only two Western women in Shangri-La, Jane Wyatt and Margo.
Rating: 
Summary: Magnificent Example of Professional Movie Making
Review: This is one of the great romantic movies; perhaps the best movie of Frank Capra's career; probably the best of Ronald Colman's. It runs about 2 hours and 34 minutes and never seems slow, even in the reflective scenes.
Robert Conway (Ronald Colman), a diplomat and soldier, his brother and three others escape on the last plane out of a war-torm Chinese town. The plane is highjacked and heads for the Himilayas, where it crashes. The crew is dead, the passengers stranded in freezing weather and deep snow. A band of natives appears with warm clothing, rescues them and they set out on a long trek. Eventually they come to a nearly inaccessible crevice in the mountains. They go through and find a valley that is warm and green, with people working cooperatively and happily, where streams run and fields are tilled, where governance is from monks who are wise and fair. They have been brought to Shangri La, but for what purpose?
Conway is curious, meets a young woman with whom he falls in love, has discussions with one of the monks he assumes is the one in charge. His brother is resentful, unhappy and longs to go back to civilization. The other three at first agree, but gradually they find themselves discovering a kind of peace within themselves. And then Conway is brought to meet the High Lama (Sam Jaffe), an ancient man who, he realizes, is the person who first discovered the valley and began the community...over two hundred years ago. The High Lama describes Shangri La as a place where time has slowed to the point where it is meaningless, where peace is the natural condition. "It came to me in a vision, long, long ago," the High Lama tells Conway. "I saw all the nations strengthening, not in wisdom, but in the vulgar passions and the will to destroy. I saw the machine power multiplying, until a single weaponed man might match a whole army. I foresaw a time when man, exalting in the technique of murder, would rage so hotly over the world, that every book, every treasure, would be doomed to destruction. This vision was so vivid and so moving, that I determined to gather together all things of beauty and of culture that I could, and preserve them here, against the doom toward which the world is rushing. Look at the world today. Is there anything more pitiful? What madness there is! What blindness! What unintelligent leadership! A scurrying mass of bewildered humanity, crashing headlong against each other, propelled by an orgy of greed and brutality. A time must come, my friend, when this orgy will spend itself. When brutality and the lust for power must perish by its own sword. Against that time, is why I avoided death, and am here. And why you were brought here. For when that day comes, the world must begin to look for a new life. And it is our hope that they may find it here. For here, we shall be with their books and their music, and a way of life based on one simple rule: Be Kind!" He tells Conway that even in Shangri La death comes, and that he is dying. He chose Conway to be his successor, hoping that Conway would find the same peace which he had, and that Conway would agree.
But Conway's brother is determined to leave with a young woman from Shangri La. Conway reluctantly agrees to go with them because he knows his brother couldn't survive the trek without him. Tragedy occurs but Conway survives and is returned to civilization. But then he disappears. He will search for as long as it takes to find Shangri La again.
I've gone on about this movie because it is a near-perfect example of the kind of sweeping, romantic, powerful film Hollywood could make in its prime. The combination of, especially in the Thirties, the idea of a Shangri La with Frank Capra's immense gifts as a director able to hit people in their hearts and Ronald Colman's skill at portraying noble, brave and believeable heroes all comes together in this movie. An equal player in the excellence of this emotional film is Sam Jaffe's portrayal of the High Lama. He is intensely believeable as a gentle and wise man.
The movie pulls you emotionally. It has an ending that might make you tear up and will certainly satisfy you.
The film for the most part looks great. It had been chopped and diced after it was released to reduce playing time and, during World War II, to reduce the pacifist elements. The original negative and about seven minutes of film were never found. This restoration was pulled together from several sources and, except for a handful of places, looks just fine. Where the bits of film were lost, the soundtrack was kept with stills inserted to match who was speaking. This works very well. There are extras about the restoration that are interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Hypocritical place is Shangri-La
Review: They can force folks at gunpoint to get there. Then once there so many blab about following your heart and such. The movie is uneven but still very good thanks to faultless performances and beautiful direction. Hard to believe a Sicilian born man directed these wasps.
Rating:
Summary: BOUNTIFUL HARVEST IN THIS CLASSIC WEEPIE!
Review: One of the all time great four hanky tearjerkers, "Random Harvest" (1942) is a bittersweet tale of love and sacrifice, set against that mythical backdrop of jolly ol' Britain that never was. It stars Ronald Colman as Charles Rainier, a war veteran who is suffering from amnesia. Paula Ridgway (Greer Garson) is the unfortunate dance-hall hostess who falls in love and marries Charles - renamed John Smith. But true love never runs a straight course and John and Paula's brief chance at divine happiness is overturned when a car accident jogs John's memory. He returns to the life he once knew, oblivious that his new and fragile world with Paula ever existed. Colman's gentlemanly congeniality, as always, astounds with genuine canter and frank grace and maturity - qualities soarly lacking from the leading men of today's cinema. Garson is charming; blowing in as a summer's breeze and just as passionate, divine and charming as Colman. Director Mervyn LeRoy modulates each plot point and circumstance with subtle panache and quiet rectitude for his subject matter. There's never a point at which the melodrama becomes cheap, exploitive or overwrought. Ah, but the years may pass and memories fade, but "Random Harvest" has proven to be that rarest of eternal cinematic treasures - genuine and outstanding in every way. Warner Home Video delivers a marvelous DVD transfer. The gray scale has been impeccably rendered with fine tonality and attention to fine detail. The picture is generally sharp and pleasing on the eyes. Blacks are very rich, deep and solid. Whites are on the whole clean. Occasionally one will detect a note of edge enhancement and the odd age related artifact, but these are bare quibbling on an otherwise flawless presentation. The audio is mono and very nicely balanced. A hint of background hiss is detected in quiescent scenes, but again, for a film element that is pushing 70 plus years, there's really nothing to complain about here. Two vintage short subjects, a trailer gallery and audio only broadcast of the film round out the extras. A very nicely put together trip down memory lane from the good people over at Warner Brothers. Top marks and highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Life Lesson
Review: One of the best movies I've ever seen, despite its poor condition. Though a bit trite and dated in style, the message is clear: be careful what you wish for; the truth is often beneath your feet! The characters are stylized and somewhat predictable, but this works; you can see yourself or poeple you know in the cast. This caricaturing aspect seems to be necessary to "type" the different reactions to Shangri La. Very entertaining!
Rating:
Summary: A Timeless Message
Review: I won't add to the many positive reviews of this terrific film. I do tend to focus, at times, on the smaller items. While the mission of Shangri-La is altruistic, do the ends justify the means? Kidnapping is kidnapping. Also what became of the pilot Fenner? He was mugged and obviously not on the plane after it took off. Forced off the plane, he was put in significant harm's way as the
threatening opposition was closing in fast. They were firing at the plane carrying Conway and the others as it taxied down the runway.
I value the message of this film and find that it renews my spirit every time I watch it. I just wonder if Fenner made it out? I'm sure some people would think it silly to ponder, but the thought is there.
Rating:
Summary: A sweet, enduring classic
Review: I was surprised how much this classic touched me. Afterwards, it reminded me of John Lennon's lyrics: "Life is what happens to you when you are busy making other plans." For example, one stranded traveller, who is initially bequiled by the gold he found at Shangri-La, gradually has his heart opened wide by the children of Shangr-La, and he sees/feels the real riches around him. The old sage's only rule, "Be kind" was simple and great. I didn't balk at the fact that the two "Hollywood nymphets" (as referred to by another Amazon.com reviewer) were not Asian; because the old sage, himself, was a Belgian missionary and many of Shangri-La's inhabitants were supposed to have been lost foreign travellers who had been rescued. The idea of Shangri-La as a sanctuary for the meek who shall inherit the earth after the strong destroy the strong mysteriously forebode World War II's horrors that happened not too many years after this 1937 film was released. With today's Global Positioning Satellite technology, a hidden, physical Shangri-La could probably never be in the cards. However, it can dwell where it most should--inside us. (No, they don't make 'em like they use to.)
Rating:
Summary: An early Capra directed movie
Review:
Director: Frank Capra
Format: Black & White
Studio: Columbia/Tristar Studios
Video Release Date: June 28, 1994
Cast: Ronald Colman ... Robert Conway
Jane Wyatt ... Sondra
John Howard ... George Conway
Margo ... Maria
Thomas Mitchell ... Henry Barnard
Edward Everett Horton ... Alexander P. Lovett
Isabel Jewell ... Gloria Stone
H.B. Warner ... Chang
Sam Jaffe ... High Lama
Dennis D'Auburn ... Aviator (We Can't Take More Than Seven)
Val Durand ... Talu, Hijacking Pilot with Gun
Neil Fitzgerald ... Radio Operator
Willie Fung ... Bandit Leader at Fuel Stop-over
Lawrence Grant ... First Man
Joe Herrera ... Candle Maker
Boyd Irwin ... Assistant Foreign Secretary
Noble Johnson ... Leader of Porters (Return Journey)
Manual Kalili ... Servant
Richard Loo ... Shanghai Airport Official
Richard Master ... Servant
John Miltern ... Carstairs (Club)
Ray Mitchell
Henry Mowbray ... Englishman
Leonard Mudie ... Foreign Secretary with Prime Minister
John T. Murray ... Meeker (Club)
Wedgwood Nowell ... Englishman
Milton Owen ... Fenner, Hijacked Pilot
Max Rabinowitz ... Seiveking, Pianist with Sondra
Arthur Rankin ... Passenger
Richard Robles ... Porter
Chief John Big Tree ... Porter
Alex Shoulder ... Servant
Wyrley Birch ... Missionary
James Smith ... Porter
Norman Ainsley ... Steward (Club)
Carl Stockdale ... Missionary
John Tettener ... Montaigne (Club)
David Torrence ... Prime Minister
Eric Wilton ... Englishman
Barry Winton ... Englishman
Victor Wong ... Bandit Leader
Ernesto Zambrano ... Servant
Hugh Buckler ... Lord Gainsford (Toast at St. George Club)
Sonny Bupp ... Young Boy in Sondra's Choir
John Burton ... Wynant (Club)
Eli Casey ... Porter
George Chan ... Chinese Priest
Darby Clark ... Radio Operator
David Clyde ... Steward (Club)
Robert Cory ... Englishman
Margaret McWade ... Missionary
Ruth Robinson ... Missionary
Beatrice Blinn ... Passenger Patricia Curtis ... Passenger
Mary Lou Dix ... Passenger The story of Shangri-La is a fantasy tale. Robert Conway (Ronald Colman), his brother George (John Howard), Alexander Lovett (Ed Horton), Henry Barnard (Thomas Mitchell), Gloria Sone (Isabel Jewell) and their Tibetan pilot crash land in Tibet. The pilot dies. Then, their adventure begins. They are taken to a monastery, where despite the winter weather, it is spring inside the valley. They are told that they were abducted, and that they will not leave. The story goes on from there, with love interest and Colman's realiztioon that he has met his destiny. This is a good story, well acted. Well directed by Capra. Although released in video in 1994, it is an old black and white. Franklin Roosevelt, when asked where Doolittle's Tokyo bombers came from, in 1942, said "Shangri-La." Joseph (Joe) Pierre
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Rating: 
Summary: Worst Adaptation Ever
Review: This film should have been left to the ravages of age and studio neglect. Why anyone would want to restore this abortion of an adaptation is beyond me. Although the story line is largely intact, many of the characters have been changed. The Chinese girl ... I don't have the book before me so can't remember the name ... is replaced by a Hollywood nymphet with a supposedly nude bathing scene. I defy anyone to suspend disbelief when confronted with this sort of baggage in deepest Tibet or wherever. Another problem is the rather hysterical acting although some of the actors are credible and sympathetic.
This book has not fared well in Hollywood ... this adaptation is the worse of any film I have seen ... the later musical [!!] adaptation is the next worst.
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