A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
When a young RAF pilot miraculously survives bailing out of his aeroplane without a parachute, he falls in love with an American radio operator. But the officials in the other world realise their mistake and dispatch an angel to collect him.
- Emeric Pressburger
- Michael Powell
- Parry Jones Jr.
- Michael Powell
- Emeric Pressburger
Rating: 7.7/10 by 409 users
Alternative Title:
Stairway to Heaven - US
Neste Mundo e No Outro - BR
A vida o muerte - ES
Irrtum im Jenseits - DE
Une question de vie ou de mort - FR
Een Zaak van Leven en Dood - NL
Een zaak op leven en dood - BE
Въпрос на живот и смърт - BG
Pitanje života i smrti - HR
Otázka zivota a smrti - XC
En sag om liv eller død - DK
Kysymys elämästä ja kuolemasta - FI
Ζήτημα ζωής και θανάτου - GR
Diadalmas szerelem - HU
Scala al paradiso - IT
天国への階段 - JP
Escalera al cielo - MX
En sak om liv og død - NO
Sprawa życia i śmierci - PL
Caso de Vida ou Morte - PT
Лестница в небо - SU
Störst är kärleken - SE
太虛幻境 - TW
Aşk ve ölüm - TR
Escalera al cielo - UY
삶과 죽음의 문제 - KR
Country:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Français
Pусский
Runtime: 01 hour 44 minutes
Budget: $0
Revenue: $0
Plot Keyword: court case, england, angel, world war ii, heaven, bicycle, lighthearted, witty, whimsical, adoring, cheerful
Jack Cardiff shows off the cinematographers art to beautiful effect in this Powell and Pressberger tale of a WWII pilot (David Niven) who cheats death, falls in love (with Kim Hunter) and then argues before a heavenly court why he should not have to die (yet) after all. The story is tinged with humour and pathos and poses some fairly basic "human rights" questions. Marius Goring - "Conductor 71" is slightly menacing and totally charming as he tries to persuade Niven to volunteer for his fate - a thankless task in itself. Roger Livesey is superb arguing for Niven with an equally impressive - if somewhat anti-English - Raymond Massey as his opponent. The stark contrast between the monochrome scenes on Earth and the vibrant colours of the celestial world bring much to this stylish, clever and at times almost dreamily presented joy.