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A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
aka: Stairway to Heaven
Directors: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
A Matter of Life and Death is the type of film that I often seek out to watch. I've seen a number of 'afterlife' fantasy/drama movies where the idea of a person entering the 'afterlife' is explored. This was a popular theme after WWII, most likely because so many people were grieving over the untimely loss of so many friends and loved ones and films like these gave them hope.
Some of my favorites in this sub genre is A Guy Named Joe (1943), Heaven Can Wait (1943) and Between Two Worlds (1944)...So I do like this sub genre.
A Matter of Life...sorry to say it was one of the worst constructed movies I've seen. The title credits followed by a long exposé of the mysteries of the universe, made for a slow and cumbersome start. That type of opening worked for Frank Capra in It's a Wonderful Life, but here it just sucked the energy out of the all important establishing 1st scene.
I did enjoy the next scene where David Niven is about to die as he jumps out of a burning aircraft and without a parachute. His waking up confused on a beach, but somehow miraculously alive from the jump, was done well...But why oh why was a naked boy needed on the beach scene? I'm befuddled by the reasoning for that? We don't see any nudity but it's clear from the side profile that the 10-12 year old boy is setting on the beach naked? Why?
But the first real faux pas was the instant love when the pilot spots the U.S. Army flight control woman he'd talked to as his plane went down (Kim Hunter). I mean he just kisses her after only a few words between them. Sure I know they had this emotional connection as he told her his farewells before dying...But geez, I just didn't buy that instantaneous jumping into each others' arms. That scene needed some room to breath. It should've been expanded as it's ALL important to the theme of the movie. Even another 60 seconds could've made their love seem real.
But my real complaint was the totally daft ending in heaven, with the trial to determine if David Niven gets to remain alive or has to be called to heaven. The trial should've been about the unbridled strength of love and it's power to rise above it all. Instead we get this silly fight between a dead American revolutionary patriot (Raymond Massey) who hates the British. Oddly the jury is made up of dead members of countries once dominated or defeated by Britain. A very heavy handed message. Heaven seems to be very politicized!..and all the soldiers are carrying guns
To still a line from my friend & fellow MoFo reviewer Gideon, the movie was a 'hot mess'.
A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
aka: Stairway to Heaven
Directors: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
A Matter of Life and Death is the type of film that I often seek out to watch. I've seen a number of 'afterlife' fantasy/drama movies where the idea of a person entering the 'afterlife' is explored. This was a popular theme after WWII, most likely because so many people were grieving over the untimely loss of so many friends and loved ones and films like these gave them hope.
Some of my favorites in this sub genre is A Guy Named Joe (1943), Heaven Can Wait (1943) and Between Two Worlds (1944)...So I do like this sub genre.
A Matter of Life...sorry to say it was one of the worst constructed movies I've seen. The title credits followed by a long exposé of the mysteries of the universe, made for a slow and cumbersome start. That type of opening worked for Frank Capra in It's a Wonderful Life, but here it just sucked the energy out of the all important establishing 1st scene.
I did enjoy the next scene where David Niven is about to die as he jumps out of a burning aircraft and without a parachute. His waking up confused on a beach, but somehow miraculously alive from the jump, was done well...But why oh why was a naked boy needed on the beach scene? I'm befuddled by the reasoning for that? We don't see any nudity but it's clear from the side profile that the 10-12 year old boy is setting on the beach naked? Why?
But the first real faux pas was the instant love when the pilot spots the U.S. Army flight control woman he'd talked to as his plane went down (Kim Hunter). I mean he just kisses her after only a few words between them. Sure I know they had this emotional connection as he told her his farewells before dying...But geez, I just didn't buy that instantaneous jumping into each others' arms. That scene needed some room to breath. It should've been expanded as it's ALL important to the theme of the movie. Even another 60 seconds could've made their love seem real.
But my real complaint was the totally daft ending in heaven, with the trial to determine if David Niven gets to remain alive or has to be called to heaven. The trial should've been about the unbridled strength of love and it's power to rise above it all. Instead we get this silly fight between a dead American revolutionary patriot (Raymond Massey) who hates the British. Oddly the jury is made up of dead members of countries once dominated or defeated by Britain. A very heavy handed message. Heaven seems to be very politicized!..and all the soldiers are carrying guns
To still a line from my friend & fellow MoFo reviewer Gideon, the movie was a 'hot mess'.