Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, a MATTER of LIFE and DEATH/ STAIRWAY to HEAVEN (1946, 104 Min)
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December 8 (XXXI:15) Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH/ STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN (1946, 104 min) (The version of this handout on the website has color images and hot urls.) Written, Produced and Directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger Music by Allan Gray Cinematography by Jack Cardiff Film Edited by Reginald Mills Camera Operator...Geoffrey Unsworth David Niven…Peter Carter Kim Hunter…June Robert Coote…Bob Kathleen Byron…An Angel Richard Attenborough…An English Pilot Bonar Colleano…An American Pilot Joan Maude…Chief Recorder Marius Goring…Conductor 71 Roger Livesey…Doctor Reeves Robert Atkins…The Vicar Bob Roberts…Dr. Gaertler Hour of Glory (1949), The Red Shoes (1948), Black Narcissus Edwin Max…Dr. Mc.Ewen (1947), A Matter of Life and Death (1946), 'I Know Where I'm Betty Potter…Mrs. Tucker Going!' (1945), A Canterbury Tale (1944), The Life and Death of Abraham Sofaer…The Judge Colonel Blimp (1943), One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942), 49th Raymond Massey…Abraham Farlan Parallel (1941), The Thief of Bagdad (1940), Blackout (1940), The Robert Arden…GI Playing Bottom Lion Has Wings (1939), The Edge of the World (1937), Someday Robert Beatty…US Crewman (1935), Something Always Happens (1934), C.O.D. (1932), Hotel Tommy Duggan…Patrick Aloyusius Mahoney Splendide (1932) and My Friend the King (1932). Erik…Spaniel John Longden…Narrator of introduction Emeric Pressburger (b. December 5, 1902 in Miskolc, Austria- Hungary [now Hungary] —d. February 5, 1988, age 85, in Michael Powell (b. September 30, 1905 in Kent, England—d. Saxstead, Suffolk, England) won the 1943 Oscar for Best Writing, February 19, 1990, age 84, in Gloucestershire, England) was Original Story for 49th Parallel (1941) and was nominated the nominated with Emeric Pressburger for an Oscar in 1943 for Best same year for the Best Screenplay for One of Our Aircraft Is Writing, Original Screenplay for One of Our Aircraft Is Missing Missing (1942) which he shared with Michael Powell and 49th (1942). He was nominated for the 1959 Cannes Film Festival Parallel (1941) which he shared with Rodney Ackland. Mr. Palme d'Or for Luna de miel (1959) and in 1951, also at Cannes, Pressburger was also nominated for a 1949 Oscar for Best Writing, was nominated for the Grand Prize of the Festival for The Tales of Motion Picture Story for The Red Shoes (1948). He has directed 17 Hoffmann (1951), which he shared with Emeric Pressburger. Mr. films including Night Ambush (1957), Pursuit of the Graf Spee Powell also won the Venice Film Festival Career Golden Lion in (1956), Oh... Rosalinda!! (1955), Twice Upon a Time (1954), The 1982. He has directed 60 films including, The Boy Who Turned Wild Heart (1952), The Tales of Hoffmann (1951), The Fighting Yellow (1972), Age of Consent (1969), They're a Weird Mob Pimpernel (1950), Gone to Earth (1950), Hour of Glory (1949), (1966), The Queen's Guards (1961), Peeping Tom (1960), The Red Shoes (1948), Black Narcissus (1947), A Matter of Life Honeymoon (1959), Night Ambush (1957), Pursuit of the Graf and Death (1946), 'I Know Where I'm Going!' (1945), A Spee (1956), The Wild Heart (1952), The Tales of Hoffmann Canterbury Tale (1944), The Volunteer (1944, Short), The Life and (1951), The Fighting Pimpernel (1950), Gone to Earth (1950), Powell & Pressburger—A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH/STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN—2 Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) and One of Our Aircraft Is Missing Rough Cut (1980), A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (1979), (1942). Death on the Nile (1978), Murder by Death (1976), Paper Tiger (1975), The Statue (1971), Before Winter Comes (1969),Prudence Allan Gray (b. Josef Zmigrod on February 23, 1904 in Tarnów, and the Pill (1968), Casino Royale (1967), The Pink Panther Galicia, Austria-Hungary [now Tarnów, Malopolskie, Poland] —d. (1963), 55 Days at Peking (1963), The Road to Hong Kong (1962), September 10, 1973, age 69, in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, The Guns of Navarone (1961), Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1960), England) composed for over 53 films, some of which were The Big Separate Tables (1958), Bonjour Tristesse (1958), My Man Hunt (1959), Three's Company (1954), The Accused (1953), Godfrey (1957), Around the World in Eighty Days (1956), The Twilight Women (1952), Outpost in Malaya (1952), The African Moon Is Blue (1953), The Lady Says No (1951), Island Rescue Queen (1951), The Obsessed (1951), The Inheritance (1950), A (1951), Schlitz Playhouse (1951, TV Series), Soldiers Three (1951), Matter of Life and Death (1946), 'I Know Where I'm Going!' Happy Go Lovely (1951), The Fighting Pimpernel (1950), The (1945), Frenzy (1945), A Canterbury Tale (1944), The Life and Bishop's Wife (1947), A Matter of Life and Death (1946), Spitfire Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), School for Husbands (1937), The (1942), Raffles (1939), Wuthering Heights (1939), The Dawn Burning Secret (1933), The Countess of Monte-Christo (1932). Patrol (1938), Four Men and a Prayer (1938), The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), Dodsworth Jack Cardiff (b. John Gran on September 18, 1914 in Yarmouth, (1936), Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), Cleopatra (1934) and There Norfolk, England—d. April 22, 2009, age 94. in Ely, Goes the Bride (1932). Cambridgeshire, England) won 2 Oscars, one posthumously in 2001 for Honorary Award for Master of light and color and one in Kim Hunter (b November 12, 1922 in Detroit, Michigan—d. 1948 for Best Cinematography, Color for Black Narcissus (1947). September 11, 2002, age 79, in New York City, New York) won He has been nominated an additional three times, twice for Best the 1952 Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for A Cinematography in 1962 for Fanny (1961) and in 1957 for War Streetcar Named Desire (1951). Kim Hunter was not present at the and Peace (1956), and once for Best Director in 1961 for Sons and awards ceremony. Bette Davis accepted on her behalf. Ms. Hunter Lovers (1960). He has been the cinematographer on 86 films a few acted in over 140 films and TV series, some of which are The of which are The Other Side of the Screen (2007, TV Mini-Series), Education of Max Bickford (2001, TV Series), Shadows of the Past Vivaldi's Four Seasons (1991), Tai-Pan (1986), Rambo: First (1999), A Price Above Rubies (1998), Midnight in the Garden of Blood Part II (1985), Cat's Eye (1985), Conan the Destroyer Good and Evil (1997), As the World Turns (1997, TV Series), L.A. (1984, photographed by), Scandalous (1984), Ghost Story (1981), Law (1994, TV Series), Murder, She Wrote (1990, TV Series), The Dogs of War (1980), The Awakening (1980), Death on the Nile F.D.R.: The Last Year (1980, TV Movie), The Edge of Night (1978), Fanny (1961), The Prince and the Showgirl (1957), The (1979-1980, TV Series), The Rockford Files (1979, TV Series), Brave One (1956), War and Peace (1956), The Barefoot Contessa Baretta (1976, TV Series), Ironside (1974, TV Series), Police (1954), The Master of Ballantrae (1953), The African Queen Story (1973, TV Series), Love, American Style (1973, TV Series), (1951), Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951), The Black Young Dr. Kildare (1972, TV Series), Columbo (1971, TV Series), Rose (1950), The Red Shoes (1948), Black Narcissus (1947), A Cannon (1971, TV Series), Gunsmoke (1971, TV Series), Escape Matter of Life and Death (1946), Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Beneath the Planet of the Apes The Great Mr. Handel (1942), Plastic Surgery in Wartime (1941, (1970), The Swimmer (1968), Planet of the Apes (1968), Bonanza Documentary short), Rome Symphonies (1937, Documentary) and (1968, TV Series), Dr. Kildare (1965, TV Series), The Defenders The Last Days of Pompeii (1935, uncredited). (1965, TV Series), Lilith (1964), Naked City (1962, TV Series), Alcoa Theatre (1958, TV Series), The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial (1956, TV Series), The Gulf Playhouse (1953,TV Series), Robert Montgomery Presents (1952, TV Series), A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Suspense (1949, TV Series), A Mastter of Life and Death (1946), You Came Along (1945), When Strangers Marry (1944), A Canterbury Tale (1944), Tender Comrade (1943) and The Seventh Victim (1943). Robert Coote (b February 4, 1909 in London, England—d. November 26, 1982, age 73, in New York City, New York) acted in 72 films and TV series including, Nero Wolfe (1981, TV Series), BBC Play of the Month (1969-1973, TV Series), Theatre of Blood (1973), Up the Front (1972), Kenner (1968), Prudence and the Pill (1968), The Cool Ones (1967), The Swinger (1966), Alice Through the Looking Glass (1966, TV Movie), The V.I.P.s (1963), The League of Gentlemen (1960), The Horse's Mouth (1958), The Prisoner of Zenda (1952), The Merry Widow (1952), Othello (1952), Scaramouche (1952), The Desert Fox: The Story of David Niven (b. March 1, 1910 in London, England—d. July 29, Rommel (1951), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), Soldiers Three 1983, age 73, in Château-d'Oex, Switzerland) won the 1959 Oscar (1951), The Fighting Pimpernel (1950), The Three Musketeers for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Separate Tables (1958). He (1948), Berlin Express (1948), Forever Amber (1947), The Exile acted in 113 films including, Curse of the Pink Panther (1983), (1947), Lured (1947), The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), A Matter Better Late Than Never (1983), Trail of the Pink Panther (1982), of Life and Death (1946), Cloak and Dagger (1946), Forever and Powell & Pressburger—A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH/STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN—3 a Day (1943), Commandos Strike at Dawn (1942), The House of Jew (1933), In a Monastery Garden (1932), Hobson's Choice Fear (1939), Gunga Din (1939), The Sheik Steps Out (1937), (1931), Chamber of Horrors (1929) and This Freedom (1923).