Matter of Life and Death: Difference between revisions

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When the stock phrase is used erroneously, it's probably an example of [[Serious Business]].

Not to be confused with the 1946 David Niven movie ''[[A Matter of Life and Death]]'' or the 2006 [[~~Iron Maiden (Music)|~~Iron Maiden]] album of the same name. ''Definitely'' should not be confused with the [[Wallace and Gromit]] short, "A Matter of Loaf and Death".

Not to be confused with the 1946 David Niven movie ''[[A Matter of Life and Death]]'' or the 2006 [[Iron Maiden]] album of the same name. ''Definitely'' should not be confused with the [[Wallace and Gromit]] short, "A Matter of Loaf and Death".

== [[Literature]] ==

* In [[Dan Abnett]]'s [[~~Gaunts~~ Ghosts]] novel ''Ghostmaker'', Dorden has authority to go into the ship's supplies, and yells at someone trying to check up on him: he is trying to get medical supplies for a soldier in critical condition.

* In [[Dan Abnett]]'s [[Gaunt's Ghosts]] novel ''Ghostmaker'', Dorden has authority to go into the ship's supplies, and yells at someone trying to check up on him: he is trying to get medical supplies for a soldier in critical condition.

** In ''First & Only'', seeing that Gaunt would die unless he acted, Dorden [[Actual Pacifist|for the first and only time]] in the series fired a gun.

* ''[[The Stainless Steel Rat]]''. The con-man title character says this while posing as a League Admiral, then quietly reprimands himself for over-playing his part.

* In L. Jagi Lamplighter's ''[[~~Prosperos~~ Daughter|Prospero Lost]]'', when Miranda complains about Mab's driving, he says she had told him it was a matter of life and death.

* In L. Jagi Lamplighter's ''[[Prospero's Daughter|Prospero Lost]]'', when Miranda complains about Mab's driving, he says she had told him it was a matter of life and death.

* In [[Rick Riordan]]'s [[Percy Jackson and The Olympians]], Rachel uses this on her father to convince him that Percy is in danger.

* In [[Sandy Mitchell]]'s ''Cain's Last Stand'', [[Ciaphas Cain]], hearing Magos Tayber wants to talk to him, knows it's a matter of life and death because she didn't vox him.

* In [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld ~~(Literature)~~/Mort|Mort]]'', Mort wakes up Ysabelle in the middle of the night and demands she come help him, urging that it's a matter of life and death. (Death had vanished.)

* In [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld/Mort|Mort]]'', Mort wakes up Ysabelle in the middle of the night and demands she come help him, urging that it's a matter of life and death. (Death had vanished.)

* In Angie Sage's [[~~Septimus Heap (Literature)|~~Septimus Heap]] book ''Flyte'', Jenna insists on a message being sent because it's a matter of life and death. Later, when Marcia and Aunt Zelda quarrels, it's on the grounds that it's a matter of life and death.

* In Angie Sage's [[Septimus Heap]] book ''Flyte'', Jenna insists on a message being sent because it's a matter of life and death. Later, when Marcia and Aunt Zelda quarrels, it's on the grounds that it's a matter of life and death.

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

* ''[[Heroes (TV)|Heroes]]'' ('Unexpected'):

* ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'' ('Unexpected'):

{{quote| '''Matt Parkman''': [To Ted] ''Hey, I only came here because you said this was a matter of life and death. You can't go blowing anything more up.''}}

* ''[[~~Star Trek the Next Generation|~~Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' ('The Price'}:

* ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' ('The Price'}:

{{quote| '''Devinoni Ral''': ''Yes - protection. Your protection, your captain, your crew, your...edge. Yes. Now, it's a matter of life and death when you take the advantage; me...I deal in property - exchanges. Nobody gets hurt. So you tell me - which one of us would you say has more of a problem with ethics?''}}

* ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' ('Perchance to Dream'):

{{quote| '''Narrator: [opening narration]''' ''Twelve o'clock noon. An ordinary scene, an ordinary city. Lunchtime for thousands of ordinary people. To most of them, this hour will be a rest, a pleasant break in the day's routine. To most, but not all. To Edward Hall, time is an enemy, and the hour to come is a matter of life and death.''}}

* Spoofed in ''[[~~Get Smart (TV)|~~Get Smart]]''. Maxwell Smart is trapped in a phone booth that's flooding with water. He tries to ring Control for help, but finds he's run out of quarters.

* Spoofed in ''[[Get Smart]]''. Maxwell Smart is trapped in a phone booth that's flooding with water. He tries to ring Control for help, but finds he's run out of quarters.

{{quote| '''Smart:''' Operator, this is a matter of life and death!<br />

'''Operator:''' That's what they ''all'' say. }}

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* ''[[The Big Lebowski]]'':

{{quote| '''Walter Sobchak''': ''I'm saying, I see what you're getting at, Dude, he kept the money. My point is, here we are, it's shabbas, the sabbath, which I'm allowed to break only if it's a matter of life or death...''}}

* ''[[A Clockwork Orange (~~Film~~)|A Clockwork Orange]]'':

* ''[[A Clockwork Orange (film)|A Clockwork Orange]]'':

{{quote| '''Alex''': ''Missus! It's a matter of life and death!''}}

* ''[[Night At the Museum]]: Battle of the Smithsonian'':

* ''[[Night at the Museum]]: Battle of the Smithsonian'':

{{quote| '''[[The Thinker]] statue''': '''I'll tell you what's the matter of life and death: THAT GIRL OVER THERE.''}}

* ''[[The Wild Thornberrys]]'' movie. Eliza says this to her boarding school roommate when she has to leave.