A Matter of Life and Death (1946) PART 13

★★★★★ (All Movie Guide):
Also known as Stairway to Heaven, A Matter of Life and Death is the remarkable British fantasy film that became the surprise hit of 1946. David Niven stars as Peter Carter, a World War II RAF pilot who is forced to bail out of his crippled plane without a parachute. He wakes up to find he has landed on Earth utterly unharmed...which wasn't supposed to happen according to the rules of Heaven. A celestial court argues over whether or not to claim Carter's life or to let him survive to wed his American sweetheart (Kim Hunter). During an operation, in which Carter hovers between life and death, he dreams that his spirit is on trial, with God (Abraham Sofaer) as judge and Carter's recently deceased best friend (Roger Livesey) as defense counsel. The film tries to have it both ways by suggesting that the heavenly scenes are all a product of Carter's imagination, but the audience knows better. Among the curious but effective artistic choices in A Matter of Life and Death was the decision to film the earthbound scenes in Technicolor and the Heaven sequences in black-and-white. The film was a product of the adventuresome team known as "The Archers": Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.

[@browsertab]

This is the best section of the film.

[@lairddougal3833]

I love the American exceptionalism. It’s interesting to reflect on the substance and hypocrisy of Massey’s pompous soliloquy now in 2021.

[@JonJaroker]

"American citizen". Not a hyphenated citizen. Just "American". I remember this transformation of the jury from when I saw this film on TV in the 70s or 80s as a boy. Considering the way America is being balkanized into ethnic tribes and "intersectionalities" by the ill-liberal groups, this transformation is worth remembering. Tribal warfare of gender, race, diversity, inclusivity, equity is meant to divide America so that an authoritarian group can seize power. The jury transformation scene in this film is in stark contrast to today's so-called liberalism.

[@trollmanthatrollington6407]

the tribal warfare is consumerist individualism. Corporations and capitalism pacifies the masses by telling us to "be ourselves" while extracting profit and privacy from us and giving us no alternatives. intersectionality brings people and identities together and seeks to get rid of the forms of oppression that keep us divided. we are all affected by and contribute to social injustice, and instead of being guilted by corporations into donating to charities as a bandaid, intersectionality empowers us to understand the roots of the problem, to not blame our individual actions but rather to fight for systemic change through democratic means.

[@R_Jackson]

The film was made right at the end of the Second World War. The need for unity then must have been greater.

[@lastyeehaw715]

This is my favorite scene!

[@56music8]

This world now needs a big helping of Love Truth and Virtue, more than ever I would have thought!

[@larrysingleton2864]

I love the end of this segment morphing from the amphitheater of a courtroom to the solar system.

[@paulrobison1182]

Yeah. Psychedelic, isn't it?

[@hinkle2earth]

@5:03 "america, sir, is the only place where a man is full grown" (applauds)

[@toomasoopik7035]

Life is a court.

[@AZ29174]

I find it ironic when this film was made 1946 that the American "Abraham Farlan" expounds on American rights, freedom and equality that in1946 America was segregated even in the Armed Forces (Harry Truman desegregated it in 1948), "Jim Crow Laws" were the rule in American South at that time and Dr. Frank Reeves did not use that argument in rebuttal.

[@jeffreyrobinson6988]

I was thinking the same thing. But that speech would have been too close to the truth and hypocrisy of it for the general American audience and it's film censors in post WWII period. Hell, even now in the current climate it would come under heavy scrutiny.

[@deejaybundst1671]

The new jury selection was part of the doctor's argument. Remember the black american soldier. A better rebuttal than mere words, in my opinion.

[@SamBuddwing]

You just knew what kind of jury Doctor Reeves was going to ask for, didn't you?

[@paulrobison1182]

Can't help but laugh at these segments. The "Court of Heaven" looks more like a bunch of looneys having a costume party. Doctor Reeves ought to be their shrink, trying to get 'em over their historical delusions. Heh-heh-heh.

[@paulrobison1182]

That guy at 1:03 looks like the lead singer of Paul Revere and the Raiders! LOL! Must be the uniform. Anyone agree?

[@PercivalBlakeney]

Mebbe it's where he got the idea. 😉

[@paulrobison1182]

@@PercivalBlakeney Wasn't that their shtick? Dressing up in Revolutionary War costumes? I assume you know who Paul Revere and the Raiders are?

[@paulrobison1182]

@@PercivalBlakeney See what I mean? kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXOzcp2NhLR4j9k

[@PercivalBlakeney]

@@paulrobison1182 He's the horse "The guy says can do, can do. This guy says the horse can do." 😉 Okay, okay... Paul Revere anyhis midnight ride to deliver a message to (I presume) Gen. Washington. Am I right sir?

[@PercivalBlakeney]

@@paulrobison1182 By way of thanks... kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJeuhp2YgcqtjNk

[@lastyeehaw715]

He didn't even have to elaborate on "Irish"...

[@johnhorse5551]

USA and the native Indian's,the trail 👣 of tears,starving them and when Sitting Bull turned up for negotiations not forgetting Crazy Horse murdered em 😳 👏

[@PercivalBlakeney]

Labour to keep alive in your breast, that tiny spark of Celestial fire known as conscience. Those words could never have been said by an Englishman. Sir what was George Washington? Conscience Mr. Farlan.