This is a fascinating film made by the filmmaking duo of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.The film starts on a cheery note. Peter, portrayed by the ostensibly British David Niven, is returning to England in a badly damaged bomber and about to jump out of the aircraft when he happens to contact June, an American radio operator.
The pair make a wireless connection in his supposed dying moments. He jumps, but due to a bad fog his ... death angel fails to collect him for the afterlife.
He happens to land near June, they meet and fall in love. Thus the quandary. He's supposed to be dead and the people in the "Other World" want to even the score.
The debate begins in the afterlife as to whether Peter should be let alone to live a life since he is in love and it wasn't his fault that they dropped the ball.
Suddenly, the film moves into the courtroom scene where a jury is chosen to decide whether Peter should stay alive or join them in heaven.
Initially, the jury is staked against Peter, the Britishman. It is filled with a colonial-era American, an Indian, a Chinaman and just about any other ethnic group that might be pissed off at the British.
Heaven, being fair, changes the jury. June, realizing the only way to save Peter is to take his place, she does and that does the trick. The jury rules in Peter's favor.
It's an interesting film because it deals so bluntly with the idea of death and kind of this ho-hum attitude about the whole thing, as if it weren't completely terrifying. And I guess it kind of was. But once you're existing in the afterlife, after some moments of clarity and understanding, I'm sure there is a high level of acceptance.
It's brilliantly made and highly worth a watch.
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