Touches You

Excellent but underrated film

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

A perfect movie is a rare thing. It requires a very good script, actors capable of giving a remarkable performance, and a superlative director capable of making everything come to together.On Borrowed Time is such a movie.No, it didn't have a big budget. The performers are not movie "stars." They were all seen as character actors in their day. But, as anyone who cares about movies knows, such "character actors" often had acting skills lacking in box-office attractions.So, when a great director brings out the best of them - and that is what Harold S. Bucquet, a forgotten director who made no other great movies - did, greatness happens. In this case, in spades.Everything works in this movie. Barrymore had given many great performances, and he delivers another one here. But so does Una Merkel, in one of her best roles. And Henry Travers, remembered from "It's a Wonderful Life," and Grant Mitchell, remembered from so many great movies.It is never mawkish - until the very end. Everything is low-key, and therefore all the more moving.You will never forget this movie once you have seen it. The premise is astounding, and we all want to believe it could be true. For an hour and a half this cast makes us believe it could be true, and we wait, spellbound, to see what will happen.This is a small movie, but a perfect one. Watch it once, and you will never forget it.And you will always wish it could come true.------------------------I saw this movie again tonight, on TCM, two years after I wrote the above review, and marveled once again at how good it is. Granted, the first part is unremarkable. It doesn't really become interesting until Mr. Brink gets caught in the tree.Thereafter it just gets better and betterSPOILER ALERTThis movie would never be made this way today. The child - played wonderfully by Bobs Watson - would never be allowed to die, as he does here. Perhaps even Grampa would be given an extension on life. But movie audiences in 1939 did not expect everything to have a happy ending. In fact, it has the only possible ending, since if Pud had lived, his Aunt Demmy would inevitably have gotten control of him and his estate.This movie therefore ends perfectly, even if it's a real tear-jerker.

I thought Una Merkel's character and her fiancé should have been given custody of Pud. That would have been the correct happy ending; then we could have seen Pud join his relatives later in the after-life. The way the story plays now, it is as if Gramps commits suicide and also kills Pud before he goes. Most viewers will realize early in the story that Pud is going to die, because he hears AND sees death, while the other characters who are not yet about to die, do not. Nonetheless, the story attempts to look at mortality in a creative way. If you have ever had a special bond with your grandparents, then the heartwarming relationship between a boy and his Gramps will mean something to you. Based on a stage play, the film's action does tend to be a bit limited to the house and backyard. The drama does not pick up till after the grandmother dies and everyone thinks Gramps is crazy. The scene where Gramps shoots the man who is trying to take him to the asylum is great, and I did like the scene where he looks out at the tree and hopes that the man did not die, or he has a devil of a problem

On Borrowed Time (1939) *** (out of 4)This MGM film comes only second to their FREAKS as being the strangest movie Hollywood would deliver in the 1930's. I had heard a lot about this thing but nothing you read can quite prepare you for what you actually see. This fantasy tells the story of a loving grandfather (Lionel Barrymore) who wants to keep his grandson (Bobs Watson) away from his aunt (Eily Malyon) who simply wants his inheritance money from his parent's deaths. After the death of the grandmother, Death himself, calling himself Mr. Bink (Cedric Hardwicke) shows up t take grandpa but he has a trick up his sleeve. He asks Death to climb the apple tree out back where the old man is able to trap Death there so that no one can ever die again. I love searching out and viewing rather strange movies and this here has to come close to being one of the strangest fantasy films ever made. There's certainly a touching side to this film but there's also a rather dark side. The strange thing is that this isn't really a comedy or a drama and the film never goes for that type of emotions. Instead the film seems to pride itself on just being bizarre and unlike anything most people had seen. I consider myself an expert at the bizarre yet my jaw was flying open several times through this thing. There's so much great stuff but at the same time everything comes off rather campy just because of the story you're watching. Barrymore is pitch perfect as the cranky but lovable old man who only wants to see his grandson grow up happy. We have Hardwicke doing a very good job in his role as Death. Beulah Bondi, Nat Pendleton and Henry Travers all add nice supporting performance to their minor characters. Even the underused Una Merkel comes off very touching as the devoted maid. Watson, who some might remember as Pee Wee in BOYS TOWN, is a whole 'nother story. I'm really not sure what to think because on one hand he's terrific but on another level he gives one of the worst performances I've seen from a child actor. What he's great at is acting the "loud mouth" when he tries to come off like Barrymore. The two have a nice bond in their scenes together and this is especially true when they're battling the evil aunt. What doesn't work so well are his emotional or crying scenes. It seems the director simply wanted him to scream at the top of his lungs since he was obviously not able to produce any real tears. This becomes quite annoying and happens throughout the film. Then we have the ending, which is fairly touching but I'm sure no one is going to expect it coming. I wouldn't add this title to the masterpieces of 1939 but there's something very unique and original about it that makes it a must see.

This is a totally bizarre but highly entertaining film--mostly made that way thanks to the wonderful and folksy performance by Lionel Barrymore. He plays a crotchety old fart who, along with his long-suffering wife, is raising his grandson. By today's standards, they do an excellent job--the boy is sweet and totally loved. However, due to some slightly dirty language and a disrespect for authority that the boy picks up from grandpa, some do-gooders (a.k.a., dried up old prunes) try to get the boy placed in a "nice home". Well, after this interesting beginning, the story takes a detour,....and talk about detours!!! Grandpa tells the boy that their tree outside is magic and it can trap Mr. Death in it just by placing a magic spell on it. Well, all this is meant as a joke,...that is, until they realize they really have captured the Grim Reaper! Although this SOUNDS great, there were some serious unintended consequences (as in the movie DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY) and the resolution of this strange fantasy is something you'll just have to find out on your own. This is a wonderful undiscovered gem.