The MCU's Captain America Was Inspired by This Classic British Movie

There is no question that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been declining in popularity these days. Without speculating on future releases, already released titles like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania and The Marvels (along with Echo and Secret Invasion on Disney+) have not come to see anywhere close to the same level of success as pre-Endgame titles. Even though there were highs and lows surrounding the early movies, the titles built around the individual Avengers – such as Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America – will always be of great remembrance to comic book fans and moviegoers alike. Seeing Thor throw Mjölnir straight at Loki to reveal his treacherous ways or witnessing Tony Stark use the infamous Iron Man Mark III suit for the first time are all trademark movie memories.

When it comes to Captain America: The First Avenger, there are plenty of moments to pick from: Steve Rogers transforming into a muscle-bound hero in a matter of seconds through the use of the super soldier serum, ripping through numerous Hydra bases while a fantastical soundtrack plays through or even the Red Skull face reveal scene. On top of all those highlights, who can forget that epic conclusion with Captain America seemingly sacrificing himself while piloting a massive Hydra bomber in the Arctic Circle?

Just thinking about his last conversation with Peggy Carter can make anybody flush with emotion. What most don’t know, though, is that this finale was actually inspired by a classic British film that came 65 years before the Phase One Marvel classic. Not only that, but you’ll be surprised to see that this film involves mortality, the afterlife, and an awe-inspiring giant staircase (you’ll have to read on to believe it).

Pilot Peter Carter Cheats Death in A Matter of Life & Death

A Matter of Life and Death is a fantasy-romance film directed, produced, and written by the filmmaker duo of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger in 1946. Nicknamed The Archers (as that is what their production company was called), these two combined minds, along with their respective teams, churned out 24 films over a span of 33 years (between 1939 and 1972). Pressburger usually handled the scripts and the production, while Powell did most of the directing.

After releasing films like 1944’s A Canterbury Tale and 1951’s A Tale of Hoffmann, the filmmaker and screenwriter were definitively placed in British cinema history when, in 1981, they received a BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award for their immense talent and contributions to the field. A Matter of Life and Death was and still is one of the highlights of their grand partnership.

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The film starts in England and over the English Channel during a fierce battle of World War II. Played by actor David Niven (also a soldier and novelist, among many other things), Peter Carter has no choice but to bail out of his failing aircraft. It seems as though Powell and Pressburger were pioneers as well, throwing viewers into the action at the start of the movie. Before he does this fateful evasive maneuver (he is squished between the cockpit and his dead crew members), Carter has a heartfelt and romantically endearing conversation with June, an American radio operator stationed in England. He perceives this as his farewell message, and she is swooned over his fearless voice in the face of death.

A Matter of Life and Death Is Similar to Captain America

With the charming dialogue taking place alongside explosions and fiery swells, the five-minute conversation is more than enough for viewers to see that if these two ever meet again, love should certainly be in the air. As the movie goes on, it is clear that Carter was supposed to die when he jumped out of the aircraft without a parachute, but didn’t because of the romantic connection he made with June.

In a surreal turn of events, the reborn soldier now has to make a case in the Other World (as they call it) in front of the many deceased as to why he should be able to return to June and the real world. Before we trek into anything else, the influence that this war-set fantasy had on the first Captain America movie is plain to see.

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The fake death clichés are a hallmark of both movies, but there is also so much more connecting the two cinematic adventures. Even though the Marvel solo movie is a more modern work, both films hold a British-American relationship dynamic as Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter are from the two countries – just as Peter Carter and June are (even though Carter is the one who is British and June is American).

The noble patriotism is also present, as is the heroic romance. Both Steve Rogers and Peter Carter are not scared of the consequences of their actions because it is for the greater good. Even though the relationship is created at the beginning of A Matter of Life and Death with the iconic radio transmission and the same sequence plays out at the end of Captain America long after the two have met, the relationship is very much deepened with that captivating moment.

A Matter of Life and Death Is a Timeless Film

A Matter of Life and Death cannot be discussed without mentioning the movie’s greatest feat. Shown numerous times in the film, a huge escalator nicknamed “Ethel” was constructed as a tether from our world to the “Other World.” While the same piece was never needed by the film’s modern Marvel counterpart, this creation alone pushes Powell and Pressburger’s movie to become a total wonderment even by today’s film standards.

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The engineers who crafted it even had some assistance from the London Passenger Transport Board – after all, it had 106 steps, cost over 100,000 pounds, and was driven by a 12-horsepower engine. It was completely silent, though, so it didn’t interrupt the making of the 1940s movie. With all that being said, it is certainly in the best interest of comic book fans and movie enthusiasts alike to take a trip into filmmaking history with A Matter of Life and Death. It turns out Captain America’s big-screen origins are more rooted in British cinema than anyone thought. The best part is that the movie is available to watch for free on YouTube anytime.