A Matter of Life and Death

1946 – UK – 104 min. – colour and B&W 35

Director: Michael Powell & emeric Pressburger

Robert Atkins, David Niven, Kim Hunter, Marius Goring, Raymond Massey, Richard Attenborough
one of, if not the, most complex film to come out of World War II: a Matter is both a comedy that can leave its viewers in tears and a romantic drama that can have that same audience laughing out loud. It’s multi-layered script makes it a highly literate film but it is the dazzling visuals that ultimately set it apart. David niven, in his best role, plays a World War II RaF pilot forced to bail out without a parachute. he wakes up to find he has landed on earth utterly unharmed – something that wasn’t meant to happen according to the rules of heaven. a celestial court argues over whether or not to claim his life or to let him survive to wed his american sweetheart. Utterly compelling at every level, a Matter has a strong claim to be considered one of the greatest of all British films.