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A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven) (1946)

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Critic Reviews: 1
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 0

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Also known as Stairway to Heaven, A Matter of Life and Death is the remarkable British fantasy film that became the surprise hit of 1946. David Niven stars as Peter Carter, a World War II RAF pilot who is forced to bail out of his crippled plane without a parachute. He wakes up to find he has landed on Earth utterly unharmed...which wasn't supposed to happen according to the rules of Heaven. A celestial court argues over whether or not to claim Carter's life or to let him survive to wed his

Jun 24, 2008

Universal Pictures

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All Critics (23) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (20) | Rotten (1) | DVD (5)

What today's audiences will find amazing is the sheer energy of its invention.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comment
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Although it's undeniably a great-looking film, I just found A Matter of Life and Death to be too harebrained to take seriously as a piece of important cinema.

November 8, 2010 Full Review Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune | Comment

Though the writer-directors and the actors may be the first names you notice, the cameraman also helped A Matter of Life and Death become one of the most moving movies ever made.

September 19, 2010 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | Comment
Slant Magazine

The duo put so much care and love into the film that in the end we know they're right: Love really is the greatest of all virtues.

February 22, 2009 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | Comment
Filmcritic.com

In spite of its thematic bleakness, A Matter of Life and Death succeeds in being a sparkling fantasy picture ....

February 9, 2009 Full Review Source: DVD Review | Comment
DVD Review

A Matter of Life and Death / Age of Consent Michael Powell Collector's edition review.

January 9, 2009 Comment
Buzzine Magazine

(The filmmakers') creativity is both fantastic and organic, their imagery spellbinding and gorgeous, and their scripting clever and witty.

January 5, 2009 Comment
Parallax View

Pretty bizarre fantasy set in WWII era starring David Niven.

March 2, 2008 Comment
Video-Reviewmaster.com

A very pleasing fantasy film from the team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.

September 18, 2005 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | Comment
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

One of the most enchanting movies you'll ever have the pleasure to see.

February 28, 2005 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | Comment
Combustible Celluloid

Probably Powell and Pressburger's best film.

December 4, 2002 Comment
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven)

A lament for the dead and an exquisite fairy tale for the living. I would have loved to have been a Brit in the time when this movie was released. Rarely do you see such national pride on display with such heart and such technical majesty that you forgive the moments that could be seen as pro-west propaganda.

November 30, 2011
axadntpron
Reid Volk

Super Reviewer

Yet another magnificent, beautiful film from the Archers. I'm starting to run out of ways to properly convey the genius of Powell/Pressburger's ouerve. A Matter of Life and Death just continues to prove that their canon is truly one of cinema's greatest treasures. Their visual imagination knows no bounds -- every frame

November 12, 2011
JonathanHutchings
Jonathan Hutchings

Super Reviewer

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Foreign Titles

  • Stairway to Heaven (DE)
  • A Mattter Of Life And Death (UK)
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