A terrible re-make. Bacharach and David had absolutely no feel for the content of this movie, nor did the director. All the genuineness of the book is missing. First task in undertaking a re-make: 1. Read the book, 2. View the original movie.
It really looks like Ross Hunter did neither. The book "Lost Horizon" by James Hilton transported people out of their everyday lives and into the world of Shangri-La without effort. Shangri-La just appeared and there was a deep longing to be there with the characters in the book. The 1937 film was not capable of generating this passion, but it remained as true as film can. Thirty some years later it's as if there was no classic book and no original movie that made the most out of the book. Anyone reading, seeing, or hearing the originals would be quite offended by the 1973 re-make since they "tried" to make it the same film, without coming anywhere near.
It really looks like Ross Hunter did neither. The book "Lost Horizon" by James Hilton transported people out of their everyday lives and into the world of Shangri-La without effort. Shangri-La just appeared and there was a deep longing to be there with the characters in the book. The 1937 film was not capable of generating this passion, but it remained as true as film can. Thirty some years later it's as if there was no classic book and no original movie that made the most out of the book. Anyone reading, seeing, or hearing the originals would be quite offended by the 1973 re-make since they "tried" to make it the same film, without coming anywhere near.