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A Matter of Life and Death

1946 • 1h 44m •
Romance Fantasy Drama Comedy
MOVIEVIBE Rating
★ 7.7/10
480 reviews
Your Rating
A Matter of Life and Death

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.

"Neither Heaven nor Earth could keep them apart!"

Top Billed 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

Detailed Critic & Audience Reviews

C CinemaSerf Verified TMDB Critic
2022-07-07

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...