Sondra, watching from the railed mountain pass, sees Conway crossing a snow-covered hill, calls out his name and waves to him he waves back. Original ending, following Riskin's screenplay and shown at Santa Barbara Preview, November 22, 1936.Ī strange warm light fills the horizon beyond a snow-covered hill as Conway disappears behind its summit.Įnding imposed by Harry Cohn and shown at the film's opening engagements during the first half of March 1937. The three endings might be summarized schematically as follows: Close shot of Conway who visibly reacts to what he sees, finally breaking into a smile.Conway's p.o.v.: the familiar stone archway with its wooden railing and the lamasery visible in the background.Medium shot of Conway, leaning on an ice axe and looking up at something (off-screen) that has caught his eye.Long shot of Conway, making his way over a wind-swept glacier.This third ending, followed by the same bell montage as in the previous one, consists of four shots and is the one audiences have seen since the middle of March 1937: cities during the first half of March 1937.Ĭapra and Riskin finally prevailed on Harry Cohn, obtaining his acceptance that a new ending be cut on the basis of existing footage. These seven shots are followed by a montage sequence which includes bells ringing in a steeple, the façade of the lamasery and the words "The End." This was the ending on the prints of the film seen in major U.S. Close-shot of Sondra, waving and calling out: "Bob, Bob," then rushing out of frame.Medium shot of Sondra, as two Tibetans join her from behind, and Sondra says to them: "It is he.Medium shot of Conway looking up and waving back.Close shot of Sondra, who joyously waves, calling out "Bob.".Long shot of Conway making his way over a snow-covered mountain.Medium shot of Sondra standing at the railed mountain pass, with the lamasery visible in the distance behind her.This second ending consists of the following shots: Here the snow-pelted Conway is sighted in the distance by Sondra (Jane Wyatt), his love-interest in Shangri-La, as she stands at the railed mountain pass the viewer had recently seen in the same scale when Conway bade his wordless farewell to the Valley of the Blue Moon. The ending Harry Cohn subsequently required of Capra, and which was shot on January 12, 1937, is fortunately included in the bonus material on the Lost Horizon DVD. Conway's figure - in silhouette -ĭisappears over the hill - bells ring - and as the musicĪccording to one commentator: "That was deemed too indefinite a finale for a film with such doubtful box-office prospects." Incline - and we see that beyond it the horizon is filled He has now ascended to the middle of the steep hill - his Steady step - his head held high - his eyes sparkling -Īs he walks away from the CAMERA, and we STAY WITH HIM a long time as he approaches a hill. ![]() MOVING IN FRONT OF CONWAY - as he walks forward with a
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