MICHAEL POWELL, EMERIC PRESSBURGER | UK | 1946 | 104 MIN | ENGLISH | 4K
This WWII-set romantic fantasy from legendary filmmaking duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (known for classics including The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus, and The Red Shoes) stars David Niven as RAF pilot Peter Carter, who miraculously survives a plane crash after a celestial mix-up. In what he believes will be his final moments, Peter develops a quick connection with American radio operator June (Kim Hunter), and this romance continues to bloom when Peter washes ashore near June’s base. Determined to right this error, heavenly emissary Conductor 71 (Marius Goring), encourages Peter to accept his death, but the lovestruck man refuses. Summoned to stand trial in the Other World, Peter must argue for his right to live and continue his romance with June. Known for its imaginative storytelling and a pioneering visual scheme that juxtaposed the Technicolor romanticism of Earth with the striking, black-and-white modernism of the afterlife, A Matter of Life and Death remains a classic of British cinema and a high-water mark in Powell and Pressburger’s singular oeuvre. Presented in a beautiful new 4k restoration, this screening is dedicated to the memory of our beloved friend and fellow programmer Doug Jones (1960 - 2023).
Cast: David Niven, Kim Hunter, Roger Livesey, Raymond Massey
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