Plot synopsis
In 1935, a group of white westerners escape from an uprising in the Chinese town of Baskul on a small plane, but it crashes in the Himalayas killing the pilot.
A group of Tibetans rescue the survivors and take them back to Shangri-La, a place where time has slowed right down. A Catholic missionary called Father Perrault arrived in the region back in 1880 and eventually became the head lama of the hidden society. He is now a very old man and about to die.
Robert Conway, a British diplomat, soon realises that their arrival was no accident; he had been bought there to take over from the lama. Initially, the other survivors all wish to leave, but one by one grow to like it there. Except for Robert’s brother, George, who arranges a way out for his local girlfriend and him.
He convinces Robert to come with them, even though Robert has fallen in love with Sondra, another local girl. Once out of the region, George’s girlfriend ages dramatically and dies. George is so distraught, that he commits suicide. Robert struggles on through the snow and is eventually rescued but has suffered a severe memory loss.
Whilst on a ship back to London, he remembers everything and decides to jump ship and head back to find Shangri-La. After several years of trying, he finally arrives at Shangri-La where he reunites with Sondra.
My comments
In this special region, people are ageing more slowly relative to the outside world. When they leave the region, they appear much younger than a person of their age who has never entered the region. This is a similar effect to time dilation as described in the Twin Paradox.
When they leave the region, their ageing process accelerates quickly. But according to the laws of physics, you would expect them to begin ageing at the same rate as everyone else around them, not quicker.
Note: nothing from their past can change due to them entering this region.
Similar concepts of time slowing right down are discussed in the film reviews of Clockstoppers (2002), A Matter of Life and Death aka Stairway to Heaven (1946) and Cashback (2006).
Summary of time travel
When a person enters this special region, time slows down for them. So, they are moving slowly forwards through time relative to the timeline of the outside world and are effectively time-travelling forwards to their future.
Once out of the region, they begin to age very quickly so are effectively time-travelling back from their future. This causes their future years to pass extremely quickly, meaning that their future would be very different.
Although backwards time travel takes place in this film, no one travels back in time past their initial present moment, so the past is undefined.
Category of time travel
Fantasy: unexplained
Model of time
Undefined past, open future with a diverging timeline.
