Martin Scorsese on A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

Comments · 77

• JE

  @jefthing · 1 year ago

  18 September 1980 was the day my grandmother died. This film was on BBC2 that night and I remember my mum saying “I’ve had enough of death today” but after a few minutes we all settled down and watched it through in silence. It had the most wonderful calming effect and I have always imagined it had a similar impact on the families of those killed in the war. An incredible, beautiful film.

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• RY

  @RyanGrille · 5 years ago

  One of the best British films ever made

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• JA

  @jacksonmaloney8520 · 3 years ago

  Honestly, watching A Matter of Life and Death in 2023 still feels as if it's from the future. It's completely mind-boggling that it was released in 1946.

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• PE

  @peterd788 · 4 years ago

  Powell and Pressburger were insanely ambitious for the time on what they wanted to put on the screen and more often than not it worked. Audiences found themselves looking at a kind of filmmaking they hadn't seen before and A Matter Of Life And Death is a prime example of that. They sneakily made ordinary people like art.

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• SA

  @sands7779 · 5 years ago

  the cinematography, the shot of the eye closing over the lamp, the music, technicolour v black and white, the man against the system - all made this a good film

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• AV

  @avrongordon1310 · 5 years ago

  Among my ten most favorite. Great special effects. Solid story. I wish more people would discover this film.

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• AP

  @AppleTreeAdam · 5 years ago

  The best film of all time.

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• SO

  @soily-sound · 2 years ago

  Martin Scorsese’s devoted love of Michael Powell is one of my favourite things

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• LE

  @lemorab1 · 9 months ago

  I had heard about "A Matter of Life and Death" for years. Finally, in the 1980's, I was lucky enough to see it on the big screen at the local Repertory Cinema. This film is one of the most unique movies I have ever seen. It introduced me to Roger Livesey. It further holds a special place in my heart because at 16 years old, my father survived a traumatic brain injury that should have killed him. Doctors advised his father that if dad lived, he'd be a "vegetable." The family was told to make funeral arrangements. Dad survived 3 weeks in a coma and came out of it with his mind intact. Medically, no one could explain it. It was 1932, and medicine was still very primitive. He went on to have a career, marry the woman he wanted, and become a father himself. He lived to be 94 years old. Next to "I Know Where I'm Going," this is my favorite Powell Pressburger film.

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• RI

  @richiethemage2646 · 6 years ago

  One of my favourite films. Love it.

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• OR

  @orvillerichardson2603 · 5 years ago

  A Canterbury Tale is another magical  P&P film. Probably my favourite.

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• DA

  @davidnorthdale1164 · 1 year ago

  I had the pleasure of meeting Marius Going in Paris about 30 years ago. I was having a drink on the terrace of the Brasserie Lipp, when he arrived with his wife for his birthday lunch. We had a couple of drinks,and talked of this wonderful film. I even got his wife to take a picture of us. A lovely,chance meeting. Won't forget it.

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