A Matter of Life and Death Backdrop Blur
A Matter of Life and Death Poster

A Matter of Life and Death

"Neither Heaven nor Earth could keep them apart!"

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.

Top Cast

  • David Niven

    David Niven

    Peter Carter

  • Kim Hunter

    Kim Hunter

    June

  • Roger Livesey

    Roger Livesey

    Doctor Reeves

  • Marius Goring

    Marius Goring

    Conductor 71

  • Robert Coote

    Robert Coote

    Bob Trubshawe

  • Kathleen Byron

    Kathleen Byron

    An Angel

  • Richard Attenborough

    Richard Attenborough

    An English Pilot

  • Bonar Colleano

    Bonar Colleano

    An American Pilot

  • Joan Maude

    Joan Maude

    Chief Recorder

Overview

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.

Rating

7.8 / 10
468 Reviews
2 Popular

1 Reviews

  • CinemaSerf
    CinemaSerf
    7 Jul 7, 2022

    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.

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