A Matter of Life and Death -- What Makes This Movie Great? (Episode 140)

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Disclaimer: All reasonable comments are welcome, including reasoned disagreements. You will be banned for foolish talk, harassment, and hate speech on sight; it's a tremendous waste of life. I believe in freedom of association and, by extension, freedom of dissociation from you.

[@beechnut8779]

The ambiguity of the film as to what's real and what isn't gives it a truly magical quality. I love the idea that the naked boy is somehow spanning both worlds.

[@christianzafiroglu6705]

I finally saw this just last night. Like many Powell/Pressburger films, it’s something of a miracle of imagination and vision. I couldn’t take my eyes off it.

[@Raelspark]

me too, but I've seen it many times and it never gets old.

[@numberstation]

Hard to decide, but probably my favourite film.

[@Mrkmotr]

What an absolute gem this movie is!

[@e.y.2383]

Finally, one of my favorites. Firecracker entertainment from front to back, complete with ahead-of-its-time visuals and thrilling use of color. Think of the degree of difficulty in only getting about five minutes to establish the romance that drives this story - you only get essentially a prologue to get the audience to believe in these two lovebirds, and that romance has to justify a celestial court martial with stakes as grave as national identity and the mysteries of the cosmos. Against all odds, the Archers pull it off - thanks to smooth chemistry between Niven and Hunter and the winning dialogue and pace.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

well put. And the way you wrote that, it makes it sound like the movie would be impossible to pull off. A thousand ways for it to be hokey and syrupy.

[@cakeorpurse]

Great review! Coincidentally I am going to be showing my husband this film tonight as he is convinced he "doesn't like 1940s movies", I hope to change his mind

[@cakeorpurse]

Also, I love David Niven too :)

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you! I wonder what he thinks.

[@cakeorpurse]

@@LearningaboutMovies he ended up loving the movie, the opening scene made him teary eyed! I think the next Archers movie I will show him is Black Narcissus 😊

[@timcarpenter2441]

A fantastic film with people I admire and characters I identify with. Dr Reeves, Conductor 71 and Bob (Sparks) in particular. I am a mash-up of them.

[@gage6209]

One the best blind buy criterions I ever purchased.

[@thomaswilke6312]

I actually learned about “A matter of life and death” from watching an interview with Steven Spielberg talking about his movie Always. He said he got quite a lot of his inspiration from watching the movie quite a few times when he was doing the remake of “A guy named Joe” into his movie Always. He said the Powell and pressburger movie was way ahead of its time

[@danalvear7977]

Interesting review, with me just now reading two years after it was posted. I'd originally watched this movie on TV during the late 1970's under the title "Stairway to Heaven" (much more romantic, imho, and evocative of the acutal stairway in the film). I felt then, and still do, it was one of the most captivating movies I've watched. All these years later, when I've finally found it under the correct title, it's been interesting to watch it with older eyes, and will confess the waterworks started flowing right at the beginning. The airman trying to face his imminent death so bravely with all his declarations, not to mention trying to make one final heart connection to usher himself out. And the corresponding emotions of the WAC being witness to the death of another man in the bloom of his youth. (Speaking of youth - David Niven, so fresh and vulnerable! ❤) When Conductor 71 was introduced with his coy Pepe Le Pew-esque persona ("I lost my head"), I knew for sure we weren't in Kansas anymore, Toto! Loved his subtle magic tricks, never used maliciously! As the review mentions, so much symbolism, social, religious and political commentary were woven into the fascinating story, along with pure fantasy. I found the tie-in to Peter's survival hinging on his successful acquittal an interesting parallel to the belief that one can't survive dying in our dreams. Not surprisingly, other movies have drawn from this one, with an obvious example being the game of chess between the protagonist and Death, in "The Seventh Seal". I could go on and on... Incredible how this masterpiece is almost 80 years old and still stands on its merits more than just a musty 'old classic'. "PEET-aire, dont forrget yorr buke!" 😍

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you

[@freddiemarshall769]

A brilliant film for its day - you don’t need Disney when you’ve got this!

[@alanwatson4249]

Powell and Pressburger plus Jack Cardiff created magical stories and an amazing and unique visual sense in three or four movies. Love these films, their detail and inventiveness. Kathleen Byron in this, and of course, Black Narcissus, is so good. P and P made the most glorious Technicolour films ever. Whenever I see that last scene in 'Taxi Driver' where De Nero glances at his rear view mirror at an empty cab, I always think of Deborah Kerr, at the end of 'Blimp' looking in her rear view mirror at the elderly Blimp in the rear. I always feel that Powell should be in the back seat of De Niro's cab. Like only one or two directors, P and P created magic. Terrific ideas and food for thought from interesting perspectives that I hadn't thought of Josh. Keep it up.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you. that is a fantastic connection between Blimp and Driver.

[@thecountofmontecristo2796]

I'm a fan of David Niven in general and this is a classic.

[@CcJjGg_]

Looks fun. Queued up, thank you

[@LearningaboutMovies]

you're welcome. have fun!

[@edkiely2712]

Have not seen this! Thx Josh! Looks interesting!

[@LearningaboutMovies]

yes! have fun.

[@sanidhyasingh227]

Haven't seen this one yet. But I have liked every Powell and pressburger movie I have seen. Red Shoes, Black Narcissus and Peeping tom. Is Theif of Baghdad worth watching?

[@LearningaboutMovies]

yes, definitely is.

[@alanwatson4249]

The Thief of Baghdad is wonderful.

[@bioshock6935]

A fantistch film full off charm and a nice romantic story i believe or hope they did but marval done the same thing with the ending of captain america the first avenger as a homage to this film or it feels like they did and when i first watched it it put a big smile on my face. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f57WmnprYqmCpJI kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6jco3WEqraieJI

[@tejnoortj4448]

It looks like trippy science fiction must be interesting to watch will being high

[@LearningaboutMovies]

I'd call it theological fantasy. Not sure about the high -- probably don't need drugs to get the same effects.

[@tejnoortj4448]

@@LearningaboutMovies noted

[@JHarder1000]

@@LearningaboutMovies, Of course, you don't. Without chemicals, you point!

[@123rockfan]

One of the rare movies in your “What Makes this Movie Great” series that I genuinely dislike. I love the first and second act, but the council/courtroom scene is extraordinarily tedious to sit through

[@LearningaboutMovies]

I get that. Historically, it's interesting, since it's a model UN-type scene, the UN just forming at that point. A hint of global governance? I think a scholar might have a field-day with how this movie relates to its time period.

[@alanbehrens4231]

@@LearningaboutMovies Disagree with 123 rock. This is a great movie from beginning to end. Powell and Pressburger were greats. Jack Cardiff's work and the score are also topnotch.

[@Raelspark]

Here's a question ---- In heaven we see a lot of dead soldiers and nurses from WW2 ... but none of them are Germans and Japanese ... so where in the Other World do you think They are? ... Hmmmmm.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

I doubt the British population could handle seeing Nazis in heaven at this point in time. Probably a historical-context matter.