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.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.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.
- Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations
Bonar Colleano
- An American Pilot
- (as Bonor Colleano)
Robert Arden
- GI Playing Snout
- (uncredited)
Robert Beatty
- US Crewman
- (uncredited)
Eric Cawthorne
- Goatherd
- (uncredited)
- Directors
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe huge escalator linking this World with the Other, called "Operation Ethel" by the firm of engineers who constructed her under the aegis of the London Passenger Transport Board, took three months to make, and cost three thousand pounds sterling (in 1946). "Ethel" had one hundred six steps, each twenty feet wide, and was driven by a twelve horsepower engine. The full shot was completed by hanging miniatures.
- GoofsAfter Peter's second encounter with the Heavenly Messenger, this time in Frank's library, the doctor and June desperately attend to Peter's condition. June kneels in front of Peter and begins to giggle uncontrollably, then expertly hides herself behind Frank to avoid the camera.
- Quotes
Doctor Frank Reeves: A weak mind isn't strong enough to hurt itself. Stupidity has saved many a man from going mad.
- Crazy creditsForeword (Scrolled up the screen at the start of the film): This is a story of two Worlds the one we know and another which exists only in the mind of a young airman whose life & imagination have been violently shaped by war [Pauses, then scrolls up to reveal] Any resemblance to any other world known or unknown is purely coincidental.
- Alternate versionsThe US release was cut to avoid showing the naked shepherd boy in the sand dunes.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Story of Making the Film They're a Weird Mob (1966)
- SoundtracksScherzo
(1842) (uncredited)
from "A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61"
Written by Felix Mendelssohn
Played on a record at the Shakespeare rehearsal
Featured review
A Matter of Life and Death had me stunned when I first saw it. The marvellous opening, makes you feel like you are floating among the stars in a place of your own. Then it moves to the horrors of war and the down side of life, men dead and more to follow. The story has already been told a thousand times by other reviewers who were as enchanted by this film as I was. The cinematography, the story, everything was just right. In my book it is the greatest film ever made. I liked the way that the earth is in sometimes beautiful, sometimes gritty Technicolour, then what is above is in mystical Black and White. To my dying days I will always love this film. See it before you die.
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Escalera al cielo
- Filming locations
- Saunton Sands, Devon, England, UK(beach: The Burrows)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- £320,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $179,059
- Runtime1 hour 44 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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