On Borrowed Time 1939

Plugged in On Borrowed Time 1939 DVD earlier tonight W/ Lionel Barrymore. Wife decided to sit down in the man cave & watch it with me, she has never seen it.

I really like this flick, caught it once on the late, late, late show when I was a kid, & never forgot it. Never saw it again on TV after that. Decades later I finally found it on VHS tape, and several years ago a DVD (R).

I found her response to the film moving to say the least. She ended up crying pretty heavy near the end & was amazed that she had never seen this before.

I find it a bit odd that a movie that could move someone so strongly could be so over looked.

Sadly the best that is available right now is a DVD-R from Warner Archives which looks decent all things considered. Man I'd love to see this get red carpet treatment to blu ray. Probably never happen.

Anyone else dig this movie?

Basic plot, an orphaned boy is left in the care of his aged grandparents. The boy and his grandfather become inseparable friends. But Gramps is concerned for his grandson's future and wary of a scheming relative who seeks his custody. One day Mr. Brink, (Death himself) arrives to take Gramps life.

Through a bit of trickery Mr. Brink (and thus Death) is trapped in the top of an apple tree, because of that nothing can now die, and issues from that start to arise seeing death has been halted.

Lionel Barrymore really pulls it off as gramps, and his quick, sharp, to the point remarks to folks he does not care for are great. I've always been a fan of him. The madcap "You Can't Take It With You" with him in from 1938 just one year earlier than this movie is a real gem too.

 

I saw it on a PBS station, late at night, decades ago, and you are right, it's unforgettable.

 

Excellent film. If you like it, you should read the play. The Hayes office threat toned down the dialog quite a bit in the film. I have bought Warner Archives DVD-r's without hesitation. Picture quality is always very good to great. These days, Its amazing to get a movie from '39 at all on DVD if its not the Wizard of Oz.
And besides. You can't ever go wrong with a film where a main character is named "Pud".

 

Glad to see I'm not alone with this flick, great comments!

 

I saw it many many years ago and it stuck with me too.

 

I've been a fan of this movie since I first saw it in the '70's (I think on TBS) and it still occasionally pops up on TCM.

 

Yet another of the many, many great films from Hollywood's greatest year.

Barrymore is wonderful in this, as is Sir Cedric Hardwicke as "Mr. Brink". It pops up on TCM from time to time. A true forgotten classic!

 

Thanks for the replies folks, it's great to see it isn't a totally forgotten classic! ( not yet anyhow).

I think I'll spin that madcap "You Can't Take It With You" with Barrymore and Jimmy Stewart in it from 1938 tonight. Cheers.

 

I don't believe I've seen this film, need to remedy that.

 

Yes, I saw this a long time ago and do dimly remember it. Strange film.