On Borrowed Time

On Borrowed Time
Directed by	Harold S. Bucquet
Produced by	Sidney Franklin
Written by	Alice D.G. Miller Frank O'Neill Paul Osborn (play) Lawrence Edward Watkin (novel)
Starring	Lionel Barrymore Cedric Hardwicke Beulah Bondi
Distributed by	MGM
Release date(s)	July 6, 1939
Running time	99 minutes
Language	English

On Borrowed Time is a 1939 film about the role death plays in life, and how humanity cannot live without it. It is adapted from Paul Osborn's 1938 Broadway play, which was a smash hit. The play, based on a novel by Lawrence Edward Watkin, has been revived twice on Broadway since its original run.

Set in small-town America, the film stars Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi and Cedric Hardwicke. Barrymore plays Julian Northrup, a wheelchair user (Barrymore had broken his hip twice previously and was now using a wheelchair, though he continued to act), who, with his wife Nellie, played by Bondi, are raising their orphaned grandson, Pud.

Plot

One day the fedora-wearing Mr. Brink (the personification of death, played by Cedric Hardwicke), who has recently taken Pud's parents in an auto wreck, comes for Gramps. Not knowing who he's talking to, the crotchety old Gramps orders Death off the property. Later, Mr. Brink takes Nellie.

Pud, Gramps' grandson tells him that when he does a good deed, he will be able to make a wish. Because his apples are constantly being stolen, Gramps wishes that anyone that climbs up his apple tree will have to stay there until he lets them down. Mr. Brink then returns again for Gramps. Now realizing who Mr. Brink is and determined not to die, Gramps tricks Death up into the old tree. While stuck in the tree, he cannot take Gramps or anyone else, for that matter. The only way anyone or anything can die is if they touch Mr. Brink or the apple tree.

Meanwhile, Pud's aunt has designs on Pud and especially the money left him by his parents, and Gramps spends much time fending off her efforts. Gramps is also fighting to avoid being committed to the insane asylum for claiming that Death is trapped in his apple tree. He proves his story is true by shooting the man who has come to take him to the asylum - the man lives, when he should have died.

Gramps's doctor is now a believer, but he tries to convince Gramps to let Death down so people who are suffering can find release. Gramps refuses - he has to remain alive to take care of Pud and keep the wicked aunt away from him. Mr. Brink realizes that the only way to get down is to get Pud to touch the tree, causing Gramps to want to die with Pud. Mr. Brink, however, does manage to coax Pud to climb the fence Gramps had built around the tree to protect people from Death, but Pud falls and is crippled for life. Distraught, Gramps takes the boy out to the tree and begs Death to take them both, which he does - and both Gramps and Pud find they can walk again. In the final scene, they joyfully walk together up a beautiful country lane, listening to Grandma calling to them from beyond a brilliant light.

External links

• On Borrowed Time at Allmovie
• On Borrowed Time at the Internet Movie Database
• On Borrowed Time at the TCM Movie Database