James Hilton

Following a plane crash in the Himalayan mountains, a lost group of Englishmen and Americans stumble upon the dream-like, utopian world of Shangri-La, where life is eternal and civilization refined.

First published in 1941, Random Harvest is a novel written by James Hilton. The novel was immensely popular, placing second on 'The New York Times' list of best-selling novels for the year. It is set in the period immediately preceding the outbreak of the Second World War. It is told in the first person of Harrison, and by means of two extended external analepses tells the story of Charles Rainier, a wealthy businessman and politician, from the time...

Brilliant but naïve country doctor David Newcome courts tragedy when he invites a stranger into his home   In the English factory town of Calderbury, few figures are as respected as the "little doctor" David Newcome. His talents as a surgeon attract more renown than anything else associated with the tiny village. Kind to a fault, Dr. Newcome sees no problem with housing Leni, a nineteen-year-old dancer from Germany adrift in England-even over the...

Mr. Chipping is transformed from an awkward, withdrawn schoolmaster to a passionate, well-respected headmaster.

Fleeing war-torn China, a small planeload of people are hijacked to an idyllic valley in the Himalayas where time has virtually stopped. There Conway, a British diplomat, falls in love with a beautiful woman, and is asked to remain in Shangri-La as its new leader.

A shy British school master named Mr. Chipping devotes his life to teaching "his boys" after the death of his lovely, energetic American wife Katherine. Told via flashbacks, the film features an aged Mr. Chipping looking back nostalgically at his long career, taking note of the people who've touched his life over the years.

"Five young adults apply to live in an isolated house together for six months while their every move is filmed by numerous cameras. Each has their reason for wanting to be there -- fame, money, adventure. The prize is one million dollars. The rules are simple -- if one person leaves the house for any reason, everyone loses. But what dark secret does the house harbor that leaves them feeling as though they are being watched by more than just a million...