A Quick Review of Christmas TV Part Three

So I have finally got round to seeing The Borrowers from Boxing Day, one of the things I’ve been most looking forward to this Christmas period. I have a real soft spot for the 1992 television series starring Ian Holm and Penelope Wilton and enjoyed the 1997 film (was it really that long ago?) starring the excellent John Goodman, with of course Jim Broadbent and, as I found out today, a very young Tom Felton as the only-in-the-film young Borrower.

For those of you not familiar with the Borrowers, they are the creation of Mary Norton in her book series from 1952, which tells the story of families of tiny humans who live under floorboards, in sewers and other hidey-holes, borrowing food, belongings and items off humans as they live their life. They particular focus on Pod and Homily Clock and their daughter Arrietty, who are the characters that follow into the adaptations, often joined by wild borrower Spiller. The humans involved in the storyline change from book to book, adaptation to adaptation.

In this 2011 version the family consist of a father and son, and the son’s grandmother, whom they now live with after the off-screen death of the mother. After Arrietty, forbidden by her protective father from leaving the protection of their home under the floorboards, goes up into this house, she is discovered by the boy who, through talking to him, alerts the grandmother, played with a mix of eccentricity and warmth by comedienne Victoria Wood, who vows to rid the house of the borrowers, though never in a particularly menacing way. It is Stephen Fry as the scientist, and his assistant, who provides the evilness in the film, very much mirroring John Goodman’s role in the feature film, as the theorist behind a miniature version of the human race who captures the family in an aim to prove his theory and that he’s not as crazy as the press have painted him. Naturally, as expected, the story comes good and the Borrowers are freed from his grasp by the end; he’s proved to be a laughing stock; no one dies; the family are reunited; father and daughter learn lessons and grow as people; and the gran learns to live with the Borrowers in possibly the most underwritten character in the adaptation. Along the way we get to see a Borrower village, a little bit of teen romance for the thirteen year olds in the audience, and a little bit of heart-warming family matters for the humans that isn’t too far away from this year’s Doctor Who special. Minus the time travelling tower and people being brought back from the dead of course.

As adaptations go this was possibly my least favourite of the three adaptations. That’s not to say it was bad. The final third of the ninety-minute production was full of excitement, mixing in a miniature Great Escape, a funny chase sequence, and a heart-warming ending. Stephen Fry was as excellent as always, packaging up his QI boffin into a character, and adding some effective villainy to the piece. Credit should also go to all the rest of the cast. Christopher Eccleston and Sharon Horgan were realistic as a loving but arguing married couple; Aisling Loftus nailing the grumpy teenager perfectly; and Robert Sheehan the rebellious Spiller. The humans were equally good with Charlie Hishock as the friendly boy playing his part well and Anne Hirsch as Fry’s assistant Jenny making a lot out of her small part.

Overall the cast were great and the plotline adapting the book well, but there did seem to be something missing. Trying to wrestle off my rose-tinted spectacles for a moment there was something warming about the environment they lived in back in 1992. Yes, the props in the new version were great but with a limited timescale to see things in you couldn’t live and breathe in the world as six episodes allowed you to in the television series. There wasn’t as much obvious focus on how everyday human items and tools were used in the world of the Borrowers for different things, but again there were time limits to play with.

I think it’s because I see the Borrowers as quiet an old-fashioned tea-time show whereas this was much more modern. That’s not to say I don’t want references to mobile phones and such – actually for a contemporary adaptation there wasn’t that much of a 2011 feel to it – but it just felt too cold. It’s difficult to put my finger on it.

One thing that does improve on the 1992 version is the compositing. It’s very much dated in the 1992 version – I have it on DVD – but on this one it’s much more realistic and convincing, though it does suffer at times where the background is just a little too blurry which looks like the characters have just been placed over a backing plate, particularly noticeable in two scenes with Arrietty and Spiller; one where they land on the university roof, the other when they’re back at home at the end. I know television is always on a tight budget but shows like Doctor Who and Primeval have managed it on a BBC / ITV budget.

Overall the 2011 adaptation of the Borrowers was well done. Stephen Fry was a perfect piece of casting; the set pieces were great; and the various storylines of the books and previous interpretations were melded in nicely – borrowed, of course, not stolen! I just think as a standalone piece it didn’t have the magic of the 1992 television series or the 1997 film and I’m not quite sure why. The first thirty minutes seemed to drag but the final thirty made up for it, leaving me with a smile on my face on the end.

A good adaptation but not perfect. Perhaps something more suited to a series rather than a one-off.

6/10