Amazon.com: Briefed by the Ministry of Information to make a film that would foster Anglo-American relations in the post-war period, innovative filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger came up with A Matter of Life and Death, an extravagant and extraordinary fantasy in which David Niven stars as a downed pilot who must justify his continuing existence to a heavenly panel because he has made the mistake of falling in love with an American girl (Kim Hunter) when he really should have been dead. National stereotypes are lampooned as the angelic judges squabble over his fate. In a neat reversal of expectations, the Heaven sequences are black and white, while Earth is seen in Technicolor. Daring cinematography mixes monochrome and color, incorporates time-lapse images, and even toys with background "time freezes" 50 years before The Matrix. Roger Livesey and Raymond Massey lead the fine supporting cast. This is one of the undoubted jewels of British cinema. --Mark Walker
Consider this, and know Hollywood as it is now. Five unequivocal stars, 57 reviews and counting, and the nitwits at Sony Pictures have decided to discontinue the DVD of this seminal film. Consider this and understand why Hollywood now gives us the crap they do.
Well worth a viewing... This 60-year-old fantasy about a British pilot who escapes death through no fault of his own, but who becomes the object of, for want of a better term, an angel hunt to get him to give up his life as scheduled, is intelligent and literate, humorous and thought-provoking. Niven falls in love with Kim Hunter, and she with him, which provides the pilot with an argument that he should be allowed to remain on earth and in the flesh. Who prosecutes him, who defends him, who judges him forms the core of the fantasy portion of the film. While the special effects are dated, as is some of the rhetoric, overall, this one satisfies.
Heaven v. Peter D. Carter David Niven stars in 1946 British classic film, A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH (US release originally titled STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN), where he plays a British RAF pilot, Peter D. Carter, who happens to fall in love with Kim Hunter (June), an American WAC, during the last battle of the European theater of World War II. Carter's plane is about to go down, and June is speaking to him over the radio hoping to keep his spirits up despite the imminent - death. However, Carter tests Heaven despite the fact that has his name on its roster.
Although the title may sound grim, A MATTER OF LIFE OF DEATH is not at all presented with that in mind. The film has a tongue-in-cheek quality with plenty of humor and satire. Indeed, there are displays of stereotypes and clash of cultures between the British and Americans that have existed since the British landing in the New World and the proceeding wars that occurred thereafter, but Directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger subtly and intelligently show examples of each respective group's culture through radio broadcasts, one has the voice of Winston Churchill and the other has Jazz blaring through the speakers, but are both counterbalanced with positive paradigms.
The interesting aspect of the film that interconnects history, literature, and philosophy and science. Before the war, Peter Carter studied at Oxford and specialized in European history. How fitting because his guide to heaven is the humorous character, Conductor 71 (Marius Goring), who may have been Voltaire, French literary critic and Philosopher known for his historical novel, CANDIDE, and imbibes the philosophical and scientific references to the film with his succint mention of the time and space continuum. In addition, when Carter is put on trial, the prosecuting counsel is Abraham Farlan (Raymond Massey), an officer in the Revolutionary War, who was hit by a British bullet during the battle at Lexington and Concord in 1775.
Overall, A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH speaks of the premise that love conquers all. Although somewhat romanticized and fictional, the film uses that stance with references to the historical past, and how the past may effect critical events in the present. In the case of Peter and June, the verdict was in their favor. So, for an enlightening and thought-provoking film with a little reference to history, this is the one to watch.
Available version is perfectly fine I've loved this movie since I was young and only would catch it from time to time when it came on tv. From a note somewhere in searching for it (maybe here, maybe another site), I did find the Time-Warner oldies version in DVD and it was great... and readily available (Region 1) for a reasonable DVD price. I'm not sure why that version is not sold here. It's funny how you see things years later and it's rather slow paced from my memory, but it still "got it". Really wonderful movie... should be up there with Casablanca and Robin Hood in those classics.
A Matter of Life and Death - a great film - among the best Careful, though this is one of the greatest films, it is NOT available for use in American DVD systems - only European. We have to wait for it to be issued for use in American DVD players. It is one of the most beautiful films ever made - one of the best movies ever.
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