British Cinema - 'A Matter of Life and Death' Quiz

Answer: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

Englishman Michael Powell and Hungarian born émigré Emeric Pressburger produced their films under the name of their production company The Archers, having adopted an archery target boss for the company logo. Their working relationship began in 1939 and continued until 1972 during which time they wrote, produced and directed twenty-four films, including masterpieces such as 'Black Narcissus', 'One of Our Aircraft is Missing' and 'A Canterbury Tale'.

Although considered a directorial team, the majority of the film director's duties were performed by Powell whilst Pressburger concentrated on the screenwriting, editing and, as he was an accomplished musician, the scoring of the music for their films.

Their partnership and production company were officially dissolved in 1957, but both men remained the firmest of friends until Pressburger's death in 1988 at the age of 85.

Answer: 'G' George

It is the 2nd of May 1945 and badly damaged Lancaster 'G - George' is limping back from a raid over Germany. Injured Squadron Leader Peter Carter strikes up a conversation with June, a service-woman serving with the USAAF. He dictates a letter to his mother that he asks June to write down for him and tells June that he would like to be remembered to his sisters. After asking June if she has a boyfriend, he then immediately tells her not to answer so as to save her any embarrassment. He then informs June that he will be jumping but has no parachute...

"I could love a girl like you June; you're life and I'm leaving you".

Abandoning a tearful June to her thoughts, Peter Carter makes his way to the aircraft escape hatch, says goodbye to his comrade Flying Officer Bob Trubshawe, who lies dead in the cockpit, glances around his aircraft once more before slipping through the hatch, into the clouds and to his almost certain death.

Answer: Radio operator

June, played by Kim Hunter, is a USAAF radio operator. Squadron Leader Carter is washed up on a deserted beach and believes that he must be in Heaven until an RAF Mosquito aircraft thundering overhead brings the realisation that he has somehow survived and, even more surprisingly, has been washed up within a very short distance of June's billet at Leigh Wood House.

He encounters June cycling back to her billet after her shift at the aerodrome and she is shocked to realise that the man that she is talking to should really be dead and they fall in love with each other at first sight.

Answer: False

It is during this early scene that we get a first idea of the impression that Powell and Pressburger had of Heaven; all the heavenly scenes in this film were filmed in black and white. In this particular scene we are introduced to the spirit of Flying Officer Bob Trubshawe, played by Robert Coote, who is waiting patiently in the reception area for his skipper and friend.

Many allied airmen are arriving and, after being registered by the Chief Recorder's team of assistants, they are issued with their wings, but it is an American aircrew who decide to grab a drink before reporting to the registration desk.

It is also during this scene that a very young Richard Attenborough makes an early film career appearance as an RAF pilot.

Answer: Fog

"Invoiced 91,716 - Delivered 91,715"...

Conductor 71, played by Marius Goring, misses Peter Carter due to fog - a "ruddy pea souper" as Flying Officer Trubshawe explains to Heaven's Chief Recorder. She is not happy that nineteen hours and fifty minutes have elapsed since Peter's expected arrival and orders that Conductor 71 returns to Earth with instructions to escort Peter to Heaven. When he finally encounters the pair relaxing together amongst some Rhododendron bushes he suspends time so that he can discuss his dilemma and the future course of events - Peter's ascent to Heaven. Predictably Peter refuses and an argument ensues; Conductor 71 is promptly sent packing back to heaven empty handed!

Answer: He was executed during the French Revolution.

During the critical exchange between the Chief Recorder and Conductor 71 we discover that Conductor 71 had lost his head during the French Revolution.

"Don't you know that any slip must be reported immediately?" asks the Chief Recorder; "I lost my head" replied Conductor 71 as he slides his hand across his throat and then covers his neck with his cravat. "Not long in the service?" retorts the Recorder. "I joined during the so-called second germinal of the so-called glorious French Revolution" replies the conductor as he reinforces the fact that he'd 'lost his head', and with this, he takes his cloak, hat and cane and prepares to return to Earth.

Answer: Observing the village with his camera obscura

Doctor Frank Reeves, played by Roger Livesey, is the local village doctor and an eminent neurologist. We first encounter him in his attic observing the village and its people with a camera obscura. June, who is a friend, visits Reeves and appeals to him to help Peter; she believes that Peter is having hallucinations and is probably suffering an injury from his fall. Doctor Reeves agrees to visit Leigh Wood House and examine Peter to see if he can discover what is ailing him. If only they were aware of the truth!

Answer: There is an aroma of fried onions.

During his examination at Leigh Wood House, Reeves asks Peter if he knows when his visitor is about to appear. Peter replies that he does and, when asked if he senses any strange aromas, aromas that in any other circumstances couldn't possibly be present, Peter says that he can smell fried onions.

He also admits that he hadn't said anything earlier as he was concerned that others may think that he was losing his mind. The Squadron Leader is invited to stay with Reeves to undergo observations and it is here that conductor visits him once again.

He informs Peter that he has been granted leave to appeal in the Celestial Court against his calling. Unfortunately he is also informed as to who will be the prosecuting counsel. The vehement, British hating American, Abraham Farlan.

Answer: Motorcycle accident

As they ascend the stairway to the Celestial Court, Peter and the conductor are discussing who should be chosen to act as his defence counsel; should he chose Caesar or Lincoln or Solomon? Realising that he is being tricked into travelling up to Heaven by the conductor, Peter races back down the stairway and wakes from another dreamlike episode into the arms of June. Outside a storm is brewing and Doctor Reeves is concerned that the ambulance he had ordered earlier that day to collect Peter and take him to hospital is not coming. Leaving Peter and June at his home to await the ambulance should it arrive, Reeves leaves on his motorcycle for the hospital. Tragically, as he races along the narrow country lanes, the ambulance on its way to collect Peter suddenly rounds a corner and Reeves is killed in a fireball as his motorcycle swerves off the road, hits a tree and explodes.

The ambulance collects Peter and June and, as they travel to hospital, Peter is told that Doctor Reeves "has gone on ahead" with this Peter realises that Reeves has been killed.

Answer: That of a spiral galaxy.

The Celestial Court appears on a small number of occasions during the film but it is toward the finale, as the court descends the stairway to question both Peter and Jane, that we see the Celestial Court in its entirety. As the camera pans outward the court bears a resemblance to an ancient Greek or Roman amphitheatre and as more and more of it comes into view it can be seen to take the form of a spiral galaxy.

Answer: False

As Peter is wheeled through the hospital corridors and into the theatre, through his drowsiness due to being given a sedative, he reads the signs that tell him that he is in US 56 General Hospital. As he falls under the effects of the general anaesthetic, we are transported to heaven and into the Celestial Court were Peter's appeal is to be heard and where the millions are assembling to observe the hearing. Peter is originally to be represented in court by John Bunyan but, on the arrival of Reeves in heaven, Bunyan is relieved and he, Reeves, is appointed as his counsel.

Answer: He was the first casualty of the War of Independence.

Abraham Farlan had been born in Boston, Massachusetts and had been shot dead by the British in 1775, unfortunately making him the first American fatality of the War of Independence. Farlan hates the British and all they stand for but he especially hates the idea of a relationship between Peter and this fine girl of American stock from Boston. Farlan, played by actor Raymond Massey, sets out to prove that no good American could fall in love with an Englishman and especially in such a short period of time. Later, Reeves considers the selected jury, consisting of a Frenchman, a Boer, a Russian, a Chinese, a Punjabi and an Irishman to be unfairly biased and insists that they are replaced with an all American jury, much to the surprise of Abraham Farlan.

Answer: He is undergoing brain surgery.

Reeves had determined that Peter's hallucinations were caused by an earlier, untreated head wound and that surgery was his best chance of recovery. Whilst Peter is being operated on, he is visited by the conductor, the recently deceased Doctor Reeves and Bob Trubshawe and it is here that Peter himself requests that Reeves act as his counsel.

After accepting Reeves states that, to fight the case successfully, he will need evidence. As they observe June, once again transfixed in space and time, Reeves finally obtains what he has been searching for; suitable evidence of June's love for Peter and something that he can present at the court of appeal.

Answer: A tear

As June watches the progress of Peter's brain operation through the operating theatre windows, she sheds a single tear. As this tear slips down her cheek, Doctor Reeves asks for the conductor's buttonhole, a rose, in which he then captures the tear in order to transport it safely back to heaven and to the Celestial Court.

Answer: That she is to take Peter's place in heaven.

Abraham Farlan calls Peter to give evidence and yet he seems unconvinced by what Peter tells him; he then calls June to give evidence. After asking June if she would die for Peter, he protests and is put into a trance by the Celestial Judge. Doctor Reeves is convinced that the only way to prove beyond doubt that she and Peter love each other is for her to step onto the stairway and surrender her life for him.

As she does so the stairway begins its ascent back to heaven but soon comes to juddering halt. Knowing that she has proved her feelings for Peter, she rushes back down the steps to him.

After a brief deliberation the jury find in the case for Peter and the Judge grants him a new life span on Earth; a number of years that we are not party to but is said to be very generous.