Lost Horizon

The DC3 is hijacked during flight as the group flees a bloody revolution. The plane crash-lands in a previously unexplored region of the Himalayas. The survivors are rescued and taken to the secluded lamasery of Shangri-La, where their journey into a strange, tranquil world begins.

They arrive at Shangri-La, a sheltered valley described as a temperate paradise amid snowbound peaks. The community offers perfect health, extreme longevity, and a youthful appearance that belies time. The newcomers must learn the valley's rules of moderation and harmony.

Richard Conway, a UN peace negotiator, begins adjusting to life in Shangri-La. He forms a romantic connection with Catherine, a schoolteacher whose parents died during a mountain hike. Their relationship tests the boundaries of the valley's rules on attachment.

Sally Hughes, a drug-addicted photographer, is initially suicidal but meets the lamas Chang and To Len who offer guidance. Through counseling she learns to channel her pain and gradually finds inner peace. Her transformation mirrors the community’s broader healing process.

Industrialist Sam Cornelius discovers gold in a local river, tempting him with wealth. Sally convinces him to use his engineering skills for better irrigation to help Shangri-La’s farmers instead of smuggling the gold. He starts implementing irrigation projects that improve life for many residents.

Harry Lovett, a comic and song-and-dance man, brings humor and warmth to Shangri-La. He forms bonds with the valley’s children, entertaining and teaching them with performances. His presence adds lightness to daily life in the utopian community.

Maria, a dancer who arrived in Shangri-La over eighty years ago at age twenty, carries a secret: if she leaves, she would age rapidly to her real years. George, Richard’s younger brother, falls in love with her and wants to take her with him when he leaves. The couple’s bond highlights the tension between attachment and Shangri-La’s timeless rules.

The High Lama calls Richard to a private meeting and reveals that the hijacking was designed to bring him here because he is destined to succeed the Lama. He has been watching Richard’s actions in the United Nations for years. This revelation sets up a looming question of leadership and loyalty.

After the High Lama dies, George and Maria urge Richard to depart Shangri-La, claiming everything taught by the Lama and Chang was a lie. They persuade him that the outside world—where power and responsibility lie—offers a real life. Richard is torn between duty and the pull of the valley.

In shock, Richard leaves Shangri-La with George and Maria, not even saying goodbye to Catherine. The departure marks a turning point as he abandons the possibility of leadership in favor of the immediate lure of the outside world. The emotional cost of leaving hangs over the remaining days in Shangri-La.

The trio struggles to keep up with local guides as a blizzard closes in. An avalanche buries the guides and strands them in the mountain storm. Maria ages and dies in the chaos, and George dies while frantically searching for her.

Richard survives the avalanche and ends up in a hospital bed in the Himalayan foothills. The United Nations learns of his survival and dispatches a team to return him to the Western world. In a defiant moment, he escapes the rescue party and heads back into the mountains.

Richard runs back into the mountains and discovers the hidden portal to Shangri-La once more. He stands at the threshold of the utopian valley, torn between returning to its peace and facing the outside world again. The cycle of attraction and escape continues to define his fate.