History Film / AMatterOfLifeAndDeath

* ThePowerOfLove: The big question, is the power of love alone enough to outweigh the weight of heaven and history. Ultimately it is the most powerful force in the universe.

'''''A Matter of Life and Death''''' (1946) is a romantic fantasy film set in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII by the British writer-director-producer team of Creator/MichaelPowell and Emeric Pressburger. It was released in the United States under the title ''Stairway to Heaven''[[note]] which Michael Powell hated and felt was against the secular aspect of the film [[/note]], which was derived from the film's most prominent special effect: a broad escalator linking the Other World and Earth. Reversing the convention of ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', the supernatural scenes are in black and white, while the ones on Earth are in Technicolor.

''A Matter of Life and Death'' (1946) is a romantic fantasy film set in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII by the British writer-director-producer team of Creator/MichaelPowell and Emeric Pressburger. It was released in the United States under the title ''Stairway to Heaven''[[note]] which Michael Powell hated and felt was against the secular aspect of the film [[/note]], which was derived from the film's most prominent special effect: a broad escalator linking the Other World and Earth. Reversing the convention of ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', the supernatural scenes are in black and white, while the ones on Earth are in Technicolor.

* ComicallyMissingThePoint : Michael Powell felt this way about the American title of ''Stairway to Heaven'' which he feels ruined the entire meaning of the film, which was an emphasis on life on earth in the here and now, which was why the afterlife was black-and-white and earth or life was in colour.

* BigNameFan : Creator/JKRowling of HarryPotter fame considers this her favorite film of all time. As does Creator/DanielRadcliffe.

''A Matter of Life and Death'' (1946) is a romantic fantasy film set in WorldWarII by the British writer-director-producer team of Creator/MichaelPowell and Emeric Pressburger. It was released in the United States under the title ''Stairway to Heaven''[[note]] which Michael Powell hated and felt was against the secular aspect of the film [[/note]], which was derived from the film's most prominent special effect: a broad escalator linking the Other World and Earth. Reversing the convention of ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', the supernatural scenes are in black and white, while the ones on Earth are in Technicolor.

* AstronomicZoom: From space to the battered WW2 bomber.

''A Matter of Life and Death'' (1946) is a romantic fantasy film set in WorldWarII by the British writer-director-producer team of Creator/MichaelPowell and Emeric Pressburger. It was originally released in the United States under the title ''Stairway to Heaven''[[note]] which Michael Powell hated and felt was against the secular aspect of the film [[/note]], which was derived from the film's most prominent special effect: a broad escalator linking the Other World and Earth. Reversing the convention of ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', the supernatural scenes are in black and white, while the ones on Earth are in Technicolor.

* BigNameFan : JKRowling of HarryPotter fame considers this her favorite film of all time. As does DanielRadcliffe.

''A Matter of Life and Death'' (1946) is a romantic fantasy film set in WorldWarII by the British writer-director-producer team of Creator/MichaelPowell and Emeric Pressburger. It was originally released in the United States under the title ''Stairway to Heaven'', which was derived from the film's most prominent special effect: a broad escalator linking the Other World and Earth. Reversing the convention of ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', the supernatural scenes are in black and white, while the ones on Earth are in Technicolor.

** It should be pointed out that MichaelPowell [[BerserkButton hated]] the American title.

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: The movie makes a substantial part of its premise being the advancements of the various arguments on either side.

* PatrioticFervour: Farlan is more offended by Carter daring to fall in love with an American woman than by his defying heaven.

* StairwayToHeaven: '''TropeNamer'''

* OrWasItADream: The obligatory counter point to the AllJustADream narration

* AllJustADream: We are told it is, probably.

* LawfulGood: The heavenly authorities are Type 3. That's what causes the drama.

* OurAngelsAreDifferent: Officious and incompetent (and [[AcceptableTargets French]])

* AllJustADream -- We are told it is, probably.
* AstronomicZoom -- From space to the battered WW2 bomber.
* BalancingDeathsBooks -- June is told during the trial that if she wants Carter to live she must be prepared to take his place, because ''someone'' has to die.
* CelestialBureaucracy -- The afterlife arrival area is a massive customer service desk dedicated to making sure every arrival is filed at the right time. If they aren't then the alarms that have never sounded will sound...
* DeadToBeginWith -- Played with thoroughly throughout.
* DeliberatelyMonochrome -- The scenes on Earth are in full color, while those in Heaven are in black and white.

* {{Eagleland}} -- Farlan is a classic type one with a PatrioticFervour, persuaded eventually to become something of a type 3.
* JuryOfTheDamned -- The jury of dead souls initially selected by Farlan is designed to be biased against the English.

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane -- The movie makes a substantial part of its premise being the advancements of the various arguments on either side.
* OfficerOHara -- One of the second jury is an Irish-American cop.
* OrWasItADream -- The obligatory counter point to the AllJustADream narration
* OurAngelsAreDifferent -- Officious and incompetent (and [[AcceptableTargets French]])
* PatrioticFervour -- Farlan is more offended by Carter daring to fall in love with an American woman than by his defying heaven.
* StairwayToHeaven -- '''TropeNamer'''
* ThePowerOfLove -- The big question, is the power of love alone enough to outweigh the weight of heaven and history. Ultimately it is the most powerful force in the universe.
* TrialOfTheMysticalJury -- Two such juries in fact, to see if the PowerOfLove is enough to hold back death. The first one rejected by being too prejudiced as it is composed only of historical enemies of Britain. It is then replaced by an all American jury...of first generation immigration from historical enemies of Britain, so as to prove a point.

In 2004, ''A Matter of Life and Death'' was named the second greatest British film ever made by the magazine ''Total Film'' in a poll of 25 film critics, behind only ''GetCarter''.