A Matter of Life and Death

A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

–A weak mind isn’t strong enough to hurt itself. Stupidity has saved many a man from going mad.

 

Last semester I reviewed one of Michael Powell’s first films, The Edge of the World. His most famous works were in collaboration with Emeric Pressburger. Together they made some of Britain’s most beloved films: The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus, and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. They called themselves “The Archers,” and for a time, as Martin Scorsese reminds us in the introduction to a new US DVD release of A Matter of Life and Death, they were little known in the States. Scorsese recalls seeing films like The Red Shoes and Black Narcissus and bonding with other American directors of his generation over their admiration for them, but being unable to find any information about Powell or Pressburger at the time. In the years since, The Archers’ reputations have been restored and this recent transfer of one of their most famous films is resplendent. I’ve rarely seen a 1940s film looking this fabulous outside of Blu-ray.

The film stars David Niven as Peter Carter, a RAF pilot who is shot down. In his last minutes he talks to June (Kim Hunter), an American air traffic controller, and the two of them manage to connect in an intense way. Carter is forced to bail out of his plane knowing that his parachute is no longer functional. He expects to die, but wakes up on a beach near the building where June is staying. It turns out that because of the thick English fog, his “conductor” angel (Marius Goring), who should have collected him for heaven, was late finding him. Sent back to Earth to rectify his mistake, the conductor is taken aback to learn that Carter refuses to go. He and June have fallen in love and he challenges his right to stay on earth and build a life with her.

Scorsese mentions that the story, though fantastic, was inspired by a true story. There was a pilot forced to jump from his airplane without a parachute who lived. Powell and Pressburger take that fact and concoct a beautifully lush fantasy which is heavily implied is playing out in the injured man’s mind. His fight for life is quite literal, and shown metaphorically in the heavenly trial deciding his fate.

The cast are all superb. Niven and Hunter are moving in their roles while Marius Goring is a delightful Gallic imp with a twinkle in his eye. Roger Livesey plays a doctor who fights for Carter’s life on Earth as well as in heaven. Raymond Massey nearly steals the show at the end as the American prosecutor with a grudge. He was the first American to die at the hands of the British in the American Revolution and he doesn’t like the idea of this English pilot being allowed to live and make a life with a fine Boston girl.

As I mentioned earlier, the movie is very beautiful. All of the earthly scenes are shot in three-strip Technicolor that is vibrant and joyful. The heavenly scenes are shot in black and white – perhaps a bold and controversial choice until one remembers that this is not supposed to represent a “real” heaven. This is Peter’s mind at work and the black and white is another clue that this is true since we supposedly don’t see color in our dreams.

This movie is an easy recommendation and comes packed with Powell’s last film, The Age of Consent. It is a part of his post-Pressburger years and stars James Mason and Helen Mirren, in her first film. I’m looking forward to viewing it, as I’m rapidly becoming a fan of Michael Powell.

 

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The Edge of the World

The Edge of the World (1937)

The slow shadow of death is falling on the outer isles of Scotland.

If you are unfamiliar with the great classic directors of British films beyond Alfred Hitchcock, there are four names you should know: Alexander Korda, Carol Reed, David Lean, and Michael Powell. Michael Powell is primarily known for his collaborations with Emeric Pressburger which include The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus, A Canterbury Tale, The 49^th Parallel, and I Know Where I’m Going. Powell has been cited as an influence on such filmmakers as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and George A. Romero. The Edge of the World is pre-Pressburger; in fact, it is Powell’s first original work.

Powell was intrigued by the story of the evacuation of St. Kilda, one of the islands in the Scottish Hebrides. By 1930 its population had dwindled to the point that it asked to be relocated to the mainland. Powell wanted to film on St. Kilda, but was denied permission as authorities were afraid that the crews would disturb the birds as the island was now a bird sanctuary.  Instead, Powell went to the Shetlands and an island named Foula, called Hirta in the film.

The story is simple. The young residents of Hirta are being seduced by better jobs and modern conveniences on the mainland. This is represented by two families, the Mansons and the Grays. Peter Manson (John Laurie) is a traditionalist who stubbornly clings to the old ways. His son, Robbie (Eric Berry) wants to move away while his sister, Ruth (Belle Chrystall), is engaged to Andrew Gray (Niall MacGinnis) who like Peter wants to remain on Hirta. As a result of a tragedy, the two families become estranged and Andrew leaves the island. In his absence, events conspire to make the inhabitants of Hirta even more aware of the precariousness of their lives in such a bleak place.

This is not a long film, but it leaves a lasting impression. It’s shot in black and white with a mostly documentary feel. Powell does use some camera tricks to create mystical impressions of ghosts haunting the now deserted island, but what you will remember the most are the rocky slopes, the wind and the sea. Most of the extras in the film are actual residents of Foula and we observe the old ways of life: raising sheep, grinding corn, harvesting peat for fuel. Going to church on Sunday was serious business, but also the social event of the week. The birth of a child calls for a celebration by all and the illness of one affects the entire community.

This was not an easy shoot. It was difficult to get the equipment up the steep cliffs, and the crew was forced to build most of their shelters and they were stranded on the island for weeks at a time. The lead actor was injured which resulted in delays. There were no stunt people and so all of the characters that we see climbing and hanging from ropes are the actual actors…scary stuff.

In the end, this movie stands as a valuable record of a way of life long gone and a testament to those hardy men and women who persevered for so long against the odds. How heart-breaking it must have been for them to make the decision to move their entire community away from their home. I think that many communities who see their young people move away in pursuit of employment and opportunities can recognize and empathize with the pain of this story.

This film is also important as the first major step in such a distinguished career. Michael Powell would make many of Britain’s most beloved films until the 1960s when he directed Peeping Tom. The controversy created by that project would tarnish his name for many years, but he is now being rediscovered and recognized as one of the most important directors of the 20th Century.

It’s interesting to note that after the discovery of North Sea oil, the inhabitants of Foula are thriving much better than their counterparts in The Edge of the World. Still, that way of life has faded away into memory just as log cabins and covered wagons have in this country. While we enjoy the benefits of our modern lives, this movie reminds us to pay our respects to the pioneer spirit of the past.

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