A matter of Life and Death (Film)
I remember my Father telling me stories about his exploits in the Western Desert during WW2.
Every morning, or after every Battle, they would do a role call. The names would be called out to a loud “Here”.
But all too often the name was called and no reply was heard.The ‘rule’ seemed to be that if your name was down on a piece of paper for that day, then that would be your day.
It was one of the first things that came into my head when I first watched the amazing Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s production of ‘A Matter of Life and Death’, a 1946 Classic well ahead of it’s time in special effects and sheer ‘Art’.
Squadron Leader Peter Carter (David Niven) is returning home on a stricken Plane after a flight over Europe during WW2. All it seems he has left is to tell the young and beautiful American W.A.C. called June (Kim Hunter) his last thoughts, his only hope it seems is to jump from the Plane with no parachute into the unknown.
Despite June trying to prevent this, he jumps and to his amazement he wakes, washed up on a Beach. After finding dry land
he is then confronted by a Man who strangely is in ‘black and white’ . The man turns out to be Conductor 29, a Heavenly Messenger (Marius Girling) who explains that according to Heaven’s records, he should have died and he had been sent to escort him there.
Carter refuses and argues the case that it is Heaven’s fault, not his and as he was now in love with the young WAC, so the situation should be re-considered.
Carter gets some ‘extra time’ and is put under medical supervision of a Dr. Reeves (Roger Livesay) and after a while it is decided a brain operation is needed. Whilst leading up ti this, his relationship develops with June and they do indeed, fall in love.
The plot thickens even more when Dr. Reeves, whilst going to perform the operation, loses his life in a motorbike accident. Carter, unaware of the Doctors death is put under anesthetic where he goes into a dream (or is it a dream!).
He finds himself on a moving staircase to heaven and arrives at ‘Reception’, still proclaiming his innocence as he is, at last, booked in.
After more protests it is decided that a Trial should take place to determine whether he should remain in Heaven or go back to Earth.
Looking for a Defence Lawyer, to his astonishment, he finds Doctor Carter who accepts the offer of defending him and the Trial begins.
The technical effects of the film, especially the Giant ‘stairway to heaven’, the huge Trial scene showing many races and creeds sat as one and the fact that all scenes on Earth are in colour, but in Heaven, black and white, make this film go down in the records as one of the top 50 films ever made.
Some say the film had the purpose of soothing over some difficulties in post-war Anglo / American relations and the mixture of American and British Actors could confirm this.
There was an obvious absence of ‘foes’ in Heaven and the theme seemed to be ‘never give in, there is always hope’.
But regardless of any under current themes, the film is still studied and respected by Film Producers all over the World.
The Cast
David Niven – Peter Carter Kim Hunter – June Roger Livesey – Dr. Frank Reeves
Raymond Massey – Abraham Farlan Richard Attenborough – English Pilot
Robert Coote Bob – Trubshawe Kathleen Byron – Angel
Marius Goring – Conductor 71
Buy the DVD at a bargain price from Amazon HERE
Production
Director: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Asst Director: Parry Jones Jr.
Producer: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Asst Producer: George R. Busby.
Script: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Cinematography: Jack Cardiff.
Special Effects: George Blackwell, W. Percy Day, Henry Harris and Douglas Woolsey.
Art Direction: Arthur Lawson.
Editing: Reginald Mills.
Production Design: Alfred Junge.
Costume Designer: Hein Hockroth.
Makeup: George Blackler.
Sound: C.C. Stevens.
Music Score: Allan Gray.
Music Direction: Walter Goehr.
