‘On Borrowed Time’ Blu-ray Review (Warner Archive)
Stars: Lionel Barrymore, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Beulah Bondi, Una Merkel, Bobs Watson, Nat Pendleton, Henry Travers, Grant Mitchell, James Burke | Written by Alice D.G. Miller, Frank O’Neill, Claudine West | Directed by Harold S. Bucquet
When it comes to old-school Hollywood royalty, it doesn’t get much bigger than Lionel Barrymore and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Between them, they’ve racked up an almost absurd number of classic performances. Back in 1939, the two legends finally shared the screen in MGM’s poignant drama On Borrowed Time.
Now, thanks to the good folks at Warner Archive Collection, that long-overlooked gem has been lovingly restored and released on Blu-ray for the very first time, complete with a welcome selection of bonus features.
Death has come for Gramps Northrup. But Gramps has important work to do: raising his orphaned grandson. So, he uses a bit of magic to trap Death in the branches of an apple tree. Clever work, Gramps! Or is it? With Death on hiatus, other folks whose time has come – folks who are worn out, ill and in pain – can’t be released from their earthly suffering…and Gramps begins to wonder if he’s done the right thing.
On Borrowed Time is a surprisingly whimsical meditation on death – a premise that doesn’t exactly scream “entertaining” on paper, yet somehow works beautifully on screen. The film delivers a genuinely moving story, elevated by uniformly strong performances across the board, with Lionel Barrymore and Sir Cedric Hardwicke standing head and shoulders above the rest.
Warner Archive Collection presents On Borrowed Time in 1080p, framed in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio, with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track and English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. The classic black-and-white imagery truly shines thanks to the new 4K restoration: rich, crisp, and full of that unmistakable old-Hollywood texture that modern films just can’t replicate. And it’s not just about the presentation either: Warner Archive have also packed the disc with a welcome selection of bonus features, giving this release even more reason to sit proudly on any collector’s shelf.
Special Features:
- Two radio adaptations:
- 4/1/1946 broadcast of Screen Guild Theater with Lionel Barrymore
- 10/29/1948 broadcast of Great Scenes from Great Plays with Boris Karloff
- Classic MGM Cartoon Wanted No Master
- Classic MGM Fitzpatrick Traveltalks
- A Day on Treasure Island
- Original Theatrical Trailer
The radio adaptations are always a welcome addition to these Blu-ray releases. As a person who works in radio, these are so much fun to have as part of the Blu-ray. Then there are the shorts and cartoons too, to make this Blu-ray release something special.
***** 5/5
If you love classic MGM dramas, this new Blu-ray of On Borrowed Time is definitely for you. Head over to Amazon and order your copy of this Blu-ray today.
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