A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

 

                “A Matter of Life and Death” is a fantasy romance that some call a war movie.  It was written, produced, and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp).  The motivation behind the film was to improve relations between the British public and the Yanks who were “overfed, oversexed, and over here”.  The plot salved British servicemen’s egos by having the main character woo an American woman.  The movie was a big hit with the public and the critics.  It was #78 in “The Sight and Sound” Greatest Films of All Time, released in 2002.  It played in America with the title “Stairway to Heaven”, a reference to the escalator to the afterlife depicted in the film. The title was changed because the American distributors insisted that no film with “death” in the title ever did well at the box office.  The escalator was called Operation Ethel by the construction crew.  It took 3 months to build and consisted of 106 stairs, each 20 feet wide.

                The movie takes place in 1945.  The opening credit music tells you it’s a romance.  And we are informed that it is a fantasy.  “This is the story of two worlds – one in this world and one in the mind”.  We see a tour through the Universe narrated as though we are at a drive-in for a sci-fi movie.  It is one of the weirdest openings of any war movie.  A Lancaster bomber is returning from a raid on Germany when it is crippled.  The pilot, Peter Carter (David Niven), remains with the bomber while his crew bails out.  He talks to a woman on the radio.  He and June (Kim Hunter) bond immediately.  It’s love at first voice.  Too bad it is not meant to be.  When it comes his turn to jump, Carter’s parachute is damaged, so he plunges to earth.  He comes to on a beach in England.  He should be dead, but the guide to Heaven misses him in a fog.  Since Carter meets Kim and they fall in love, it is deemed that he should have the chance to plead his case in heavenly court.  The prosecuting attorney is an American Revolution patriot who hates the Brits.  Carter can have any deceased lawyer, but he chooses a recently deceased British doctor.  Odd choice, but why bother with Clarence Darrow when you know the movie is destined for a happy ending?

                “A Matter of Life and Death” is a beloved British movie, similar to “The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp”.  I am a fan of British movies and tv shows, but both those movies leave me scratching my head.  I just don’t get the love they get from critics.  They are nice movies and certainly tapped into the British psyche of the time they were released, but are far from great.  To start with, “A Matter of Life and Death” is not a war movie.  It is a fantasy set in wartime.  No one would call “It’s Wonderful Life” a war movie.  As a fantasy/romance, “Matter” is entertaining.  It has some good effects and its rendering of the afterlife shows some noteworthy creativity.  The concept of a trial to continue your life to continue your love is an appealing one.  You will root for Peter and June, but you won’t be on the edge of your seat.  The plot is predictable.  The dialogue tends to be word-heavy.  However, that dialogue is often witty, even to non-Brits

                I have seen “A Matter of Life and Death” twice, so I feel I gave it a second chance.  I just don’t see it as one of the best war movies.  It appears on some 100 Best lists.  I personally would not have it in the top 200.  And that’s even if I buy into it being a war movie.  With that said, it is a must-see movie.  See it and make up your own mind.

GRADE  =  C