The Borrowers (TV 2011)

The Borrowers are four-inch high "little people" who live under the floorboards.

Director:

Tom Harper

Writers:

Mary Norton (novel), Ben Vanstone (screenplay)

Stars:

Christopher Eccleston, Sharon Horgan, Aisling Loftus

Cast

Credited cast:
Christopher Eccleston	...	Pod Clock
Sharon Horgan	...	Homily Clock
Aisling Loftus	...	Arrietty Clock
Robert Sheehan	...	Spiller
Victoria Wood	...	Granny Driver
Stephen Fry	...	Professor Mildeye
Shaun Dooley	...	Robert Millman
Charlie Hiscock	...	James Millman
Anne Hirsch	...	Jennifer
Warona Seane	...	Dean Karen Richards
Jane Hill	...	BBC News Presenter
Jonathan Blake	...	BBC Reporter
Catherine Burns	...	Radio Voiceover
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Francis Chouler	...	Borrower Lad
Angela P. Martinez	...	BBC Reporter

Storyline

Pod and Homily Clock and their sixteen year old daughter Arietty are 'Borrowers', four inch high people who live under the floor boards in Granny Driver's house and borrow what they need without her knowledge. She is determined to catch them. When Arietty defies her father and strays into the house alone young James hides her and they become friends but Granny contacts Professor Mildeye,who is obsessed with the existence of 'Homo Sapiens Redactus',whom he wants to exhibit to the world and he captures Pod and Homily. Fortunately Arietty and resourceful fellow Borrower Spiller join forces with James to effect a rescue before the professor can dissect his tiny captives.

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Plot Keywords:

friendship | christmas | discovery | grandma

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 December 2011 (UK)

Also Known As:

Die Borger

Filming Locations:

Cape Town Film Studios, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Company Credits

Production Co:

Working Title Television, Moonlighting Films, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Goofs

After Spiller rescues Pod, the rope that was dangling from the air vent disappears.

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Connections

Version of Jackanory: The Borrowers: Part 2 (1967)

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Soundtracks

"Santa Baby"
Performed by Eartha Kitt

User Reviews

Very good British Kids/Adult Drama

I watched this on Boxing day in the UK on BBC catchup and was pleasantly surprised.

I wasn't expecting much after watching some of the other made for TV productions around Xmas although this did have Stephen Fry and Christopher Eccleston in it who I do enjoy watching.

Eccleston takes a back seat in a lot of the film as the over protective father " Pod Clock" and the focus is on Aisling Loftus who plays the daughter " Arrietty Clock " who has lived a rather restricted life inside the family home.

The Borrowers share their home ( in the floorboards ) with Mrs Driver ( Victoria Wood ) who's daughter has recently died. Her Grandson ( James ) and son in law ( Robert ) are now living with her because the son in law is struggling for work.

The story really starts when Arrietty decides to venture out at night on her own and forms a friendship with the young Grandson James just before Christmas. Unfortunately for the Clock family of borrowers Mrs Driver is suspicious of what is going on in the house and decides to investigate further.

Visually the film was excellent and they chose to use actual large size props rather than CGI to recreate the large world surrounding the Borrowers. This made the whole thing seem very real and I am sure kids will enjoy that fact ( as well as adults ). Overall the film was very well acted but the spotlight was clearly on Aisling Loftus playing Arrietty as the innocent young woman exploring a whole new world she has never seen before and coming from rather a spoilt background. She has appeared in a few British Drama's before but for me this was my favourite role I have seen her in.

If you did miss this Film on Boxing day then please check it out on BBCi player and for those outside of the UK I hope it appears on Syfy or a similar channel available to you soon.