Classic Movies on Sky Arts: Series 6 Episode 1: The Story of ... A Matter of Life and Death

The first in this new series of Classic Movies on Sky Arts was a film that was so familiar. Apart from my review on "Movies at Home" on 21st May 2021, it was discussed in "The Films of Powell and Pressburger" (post of 17th December 2024) and on other programmes. So I did wonder if this episode was worth watching. In the end it most definitely was. For the new series, we have the five presenters sitting round a table instead of being filmed separately. At the head, and in the lead, is Ian Nathan. He is accompanied by Neil Norman, Steven Armstrong, Christina Newland and Bonnie Greer. Missing from the first series was the now-deceased and missed Derek Malcolm.

We are told that this is "a very original love story". Amongst the clips from the movie, the best was when the two stars in the poster above met for the first time. "You're June ....... You're Peter." The film is so clever when the scenes in heaven are in black and white whilst the rest is in a vivid colour. Neil Norman liked how this was so unusual. Heaven is missing a dead pilot; these scenes are funny and strange.

Steven Armstrong talks about the 1946 film and how it relates to the cold war that followed world war 2, and how it portrays the UK and USA getting together. There is so much about America in the film and hjow, in heaven, they bring out all these foreigners to complain about Britain. (It's actually very funny but American audiences would love it). Ian Nathan says the film is a "magisterial poetic work with groundbreaking special effects. 

Steven Armstrong talks about David Niven and how he gave up acting at the outbreak of the war and was six years away, so his comeback was quite symbolic. Kim Hunter was an American stage actress, and when she met Powell and Pressburger, they knew instantly she was the one. Roger Livesy, who played the doctor, was a P&P regular. (See post on Colonel Blimp). We are told about the cinematography and the production design and about how there has been no other film like it before or since. Neil Norman said it was "completely unique" and Ian Nathan was "so moved by it". I must watch it again.