A Matter of Life and Death
A dazzling romantic fantasy where love defies the laws of the universe. Vivid Technicolor life clashes with a pearlescent black-and-white afterlife, creating a cinematic masterpiece that celebrates the preciousness of existence.
A Matter of Life and Death
A Matter of Life and Death

"Neither Heaven nor Earth could keep them apart!"

15 December 1946 United Kingdom 104 min ⭐ 7.7 (451)
Director: Michael Powell Emeric Pressburger
Cast: David Niven, Kim Hunter, Roger Livesey, Marius Goring, Robert Coote
Drama Fantasy Comedy Romance
Love vs. Law Life vs. Death (Technicolor vs. Monochrome) Reality vs. Hallucination Anglo-American Relations
Budget: $450,000
Box Office: $1,750,000

A Matter of Life and Death - Movie Quotes

Memorable Quotes

This is the Universe. Big, isn't it?

— Narrator

Context:

The very opening line of the film, spoken while panning across the star-filled cosmos.

Meaning:

Sets the cosmic scale of the story immediately, juxtaposing the vast indifference of space with the intimate human drama about to unfold.

One is starved for Technicolor up there.

— Conductor 71

Context:

Spoken by the Conductor when he visits Peter on Earth and admires the vibrancy of the living world.

Meaning:

A meta-commentary on the film's visual style, explicitly acknowledging the reversal where Heaven is black-and-white and Earth is colorful.

I love you, June. You're life and I'm leaving it.

— Peter Carter

Context:

Peter's final radio transmission to June before he jumps from his burning plane.

Meaning:

Captures the tragedy and romance of the opening scene, linking the character of June directly to the concept of 'Life' itself.