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On Borrowed Time (1939)

7.5 | Jul 07, 1939 (US) | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy | 01:39

The Great Broadway Stage Hit Reaches The Screen

Young Pud is orphaned and left in the care of his aged grandparents. The boy and his grandfather are inseparable. Gramps is concerned for Pud's future and wary of a scheming relative who seeks custody of the child. One day Mr. Brink, an agent of Death, arrives to take Gramps "to the land where the woodbine twineth." Through a bit of trickery, Gramps confines Mr. Brink, and thus Death, to the branches of a large apple tree, giving Gramps extra time to resolve issues about Pud's future.

Featured Crew

Makeup Artist
Art Direction
Recording Supervision
Set Decoration
Original Music Composer
Producer
Screenplay

Cast

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Lionel Barrymore
Julian Northrup aka Gramps
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Beulah Bondi
Nellie Northrup aka Granny
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Una Merkel
Marcia Giles
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Bobs Watson
Pud Northrup
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Nat Pendleton
Mr. Grimes
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Henry Travers
Dr. Evans
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Grant Mitchell
Mr. Pilbeam
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Eily Malyon
Demetria Riffle
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James Burke
Sheriff Burlingame

Reviews

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barrymost
9 | Oct 04, 2019
An old man fights to keep his orphaned grandson from being taken away by a scheming relative, and things get even more difficult when Death comes calling...in the form of the wry and gentlemanly Sir Cedric Hardwicke! The film is well-done and packs a definite emotional wallop. There is a very high standard of acting throughout, and the chemistry between Lionel Barrymore, as the crotchety grandfather, and Bobs Watson, as little Pud, is especially good. Even when confined to a wheelchair, Barrymore's thespian talent still shines through.