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A Matter of Life and Death
1946 104 min United Kingdom PG 12+
★7.9
Romance, Fantasy, Drama, Comedy
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Trailers
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Description
A British wartime aviator who cheats death must argue for his life before a celestial court, hoping to prolong his fledgling romance with an American girl.
Budget:
$450,000
Worldwide:
$1.75M
Starring
David Niven
Actor
Kim Hunter
Actor
Robert Coote
Actor
Awards
5 wins & 2 nominations total
Key opinion
A Matter of Life and Death is widely celebrated as a visually inventive masterpiece that masterfully contrasts Technicolor reality with monochrome afterlife. While the film is praised for its imaginative direction and emotional depth, some viewers find its dated dialogue and deliberate pacing to be potential barriers to modern enjoyment.
| Cinematography | Jack Cardiff’s pioneering cinematography dazzles by effectively contrasting vibrant Technicolor earth with a surreal, monochrome afterlife. | |
| Direction | The direction by Powell and Pressburger creates a triumphs of imagination that feels distinct and grand in scale. | |
| Acting | Marius Goring and Roger Livesey provide standout, charismatic performances that anchor the fantastical narrative. | |
| Theme | The film blends tender, non-vulgar romance with existential inquiry, marking it as a unique exploration of love between life and death. | |
| Pacing | While some find the film to be a timeless masterpiece, others feel the dialogue is dated and the pacing reflects a bygone era of storytelling. |