The Borrowers (1997): Cast, Box Office & Plot
The Borrowers is a 1997 family comedy directed by Peter Hewitt, starring John Goodman as Ocious P. Potter, Bradley Pierce and Aden Gillett. It runs 1 hour 27 minutes and earned $22.6 million worldwide.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 27m (87 min)
- Director
- Peter Hewitt
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Working Title Films
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Borrowers About?
The premise of The Borrowers without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
The four‑inch‑tall Clock family lives hidden inside the Lender home, quietly borrowing thread, safety pins, batteries and scraps of food. Their peace ends when lawyer Ocious P. Potter steals the house’s will and plans to demolish it for apartments. As the Lenders must leave, the Clocks risk exposure to the outside world.
The Borrowers Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- villain
- rescue
- relocation
- booby trap
- house
- rube goldberg machine
- cheese
- crooked lawyer
- arrest
- boy
- electrocution
- vacuum cleaner
+38 more Show fewer
- brother sister relationship
- mother daughter relationship
- father daughter relationship
- mother son relationship
- father son relationship
- husband wife relationship
- miniature person
- last will and testament
- child's point of view
- dog
- exterminator
- dairy
- based on novel
- lifting someone into the air
- broken bottle
- cigarette lighter
- rain
- cigar smoking
- pea
- watching tv
- measuring tape
- slimehouse
- trap
- hook
- button
- bald man
- separated from family
- lighter
- moving house
- snakes and ladders
- pest exterminator
- asking for help
- tape measure
- police officer
- pigeon
- battery
- ice dispenser
- gadget
The Borrowers Cast & Characters
John Goodman leads the cast as Ocious P. Potter, with Bradley Pierce as Pete Lender and Aden Gillett as Joe Lender. Directed by Peter Hewitt; 25 actors are credited in all.
- Director Peter Hewitt
-
John Goodman as Ocious P. Potter - Bradley Pierce as Pete Lender
- Aden Gillett as Joe Lender
- Doon Mackichan as Victoria Lender
Also Starring in The Borrowers
· 21 more- Jim Broadbent Pod Clock
- Tom Felton Peagreen Clock
- Flora Newbigin Arrietty Clock
- Stacey Gough Borrower (uncredited)
- Mark Williams Exterminator Jeff
- Hugh Laurie Officer Steady
- Celia Imrie Homily Clock
- Raymond Pickard Spiller
- Bob Goody Minty
- Patrick Monckton Swag
- Andrew Dunford Dustbunny
- Alex Winter TV Gangster
- Ruby Wax Town Hall Clerk
- George Antoni Chauffeur
- Michael Hewitt TV Sergeant
- Dick Ward Milkman
Show all 25 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Allin Kempthorne Borrower (uncredited)
- David Freeman TV Constable
- Carolyn Allen Borrower (uncredited)
- Simon Hewitt TV Constable
- Ben Goodman Borrower (uncredited)
More from Peter Hewitt
More films directed by Peter Hewitt, best-rated first: Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, Zoom, Garfield and Christmas at the Palace.
The Borrowers Plot Summary
What happens in The Borrowers from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Young Pete Lender Bradley Pierce notices small items vanish from the family home and explains to his parents Joe Lender Aden Gillett and Victoria Lender Doon Mackichan that these disappearances aren’t mere accidents. Behind the walls and under the floorboards, a tiny family of Borrowers—the Clock clan led by Pod Clock Jim Broadbent—has been living unseen, discreetly lifting objects that humans simply chalk up to a misplacement. The Lenders’ trouble begins to mount when lawyer Ocious P. Potter John Goodman arrives, claiming he cannot find the will of Victoria’s late aunt Mary Alabaster, the document that would validate the house as the Borrowers’ rightful home, and with that claim he schemes to demolish the house and replace it with condos.
Full summary
The whole story of The Borrowers, scene by scene
The Borrowers Box Office
The Borrowers grossed $22.6 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$22.6M
- US & Canada
- $22.6M
The Borrowers Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 clip.
- Clip The Borrowers Booby Traps (Music Video)
How Well Do You Know The Borrowers?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which actor portrays Pod Clock, the leader of the Clock clan?
Cars in The Borrowers
11 cars on screen, including the 1977 Leyland EA and the 1951 Morris Oxford Stretched Limousine.
-
1977 Leyland EA Important role -
1951 Morris Oxford Stretched Limousine Important role -
1957 Morris ¼-Ton O-Type Van Important role -
1968 Morris Minor 1000 Traveller Minor role
The Borrowers Also Known As
31 alternative titles, including “Le monde des borrowers” and “Le petit monde des emprunteurs”.
- Also known as
-
- Le monde des borrowers
- Le petit monde des emprunteurs
- Pidilidi
- Позичайки
- Здобувайки
- Os Pequeninos
- Piadimužíci
- 寄居大侠
- 反斗神偷
- Ein Fall für die Borger
- Le Petit Monde des Borrowers
- I rubacchiotti
+19 more Show fewer
- Jacht op de kleintjes
- Los Borrowers, una gran aventura
- קטנים עליו
- Csenő manók
- Lånarna
- Злодюжки
- Lånerne
- Воришки
- Pożyczalscy
- 바로워즈
- Los Ocupantes
- ฅนมหัศจรรย์
- Īkstīši
- Minik Kahramanlar
- Οι Tρακαδόροι
- Kätkijät
- Skolininkai
- Zajmoprimci
- Omuleții de sub casă, მევალეები
Seen The Borrowers?
Movies Like The Borrowers
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Borrowers, Borrowed Wives and The Borrowed Castle.
The Borrowers FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of The Borrowers, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Borrowers?
The Borrowers runs 1 hour 27 minutes (87 minutes).
When was The Borrowers released?
The Borrowers was released on December 5, 1997.
Who directed The Borrowers?
The Borrowers was directed by Peter Hewitt.
More films by Peter Hewitt Who is in the cast of The Borrowers?
The Borrowers stars John Goodman as Ocious P. Potter, Bradley Pierce as Pete Lender and Aden Gillett as Joe Lender, among 25 credited actors.
How much did The Borrowers make at the box office?
The Borrowers grossed $22.6 million worldwide.
Does The Borrowers have a post-credit scene?
No. The Borrowers has no extra scene during or after the credits.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
