Movies Like On Borrowed Time (1939)

On Borrowed Time is a 1939 comedy, drama, fantasy film from Harold S. Bucquet with a MovieMagicScore of 7.5/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Letters to Santa 3 and According to Greta.

Comedy Drama Fantasy

Letters to Santa 3

2017

Centered around a group of individuals, who come to experience magical moments over the course of one day. Full of the power of family, love and the spirit of forgiveness. Each individual comes to realize that Christmas, more than any other time of the year, is full of wonder and surprises.

6.4

MagicScore

According to Greta

2009

Dumped on her grandparents for the summer by her indifferent mother, acerbic and self-destructive teenager Greta disrupts the elderly couple's staid life on the Jersey Shore. Eventually, a romance helps Greta face down her demons.

6.0

MagicScore

Rebecca

1940

Story of a young woman who marries a fascinating widower only to find out that she must live in the shadow of his former wife, Rebecca, who died mysteriously several years earlier. The young wife must come to grips with the terrible secret of her handsome, cold husband, Max De Winter. She must also deal with the jealous, obsessed Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper, who will not accept her as the mistress of the house.

7.9

MagicScore

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

1971

When eccentric candy man Willy Wonka promises a lifetime supply of sweets and a tour of his chocolate factory to five lucky kids, penniless Charlie Bucket seeks the golden ticket that will make him a winner.

7.5

MagicScore

Heidi

1937

Heidi is orphaned and her uncaring maternal Aunt Dete takes her to the mountains to live with her reclusive, grumpy paternal grandfather, Adolph Kramer. Heidi brings her grandfather back into mountain society through her sweet ways and sheer love. When Dete later returns and steals Heidi away to become the companion of a rich man's wheelchair-bound daughter, the grandfather is heartsick to discover his little girl missing and immediately sets out to get her back.

6.8

MagicScore

A Monster Calls

2016

12-year-old Conor encounters an ancient tree monster who proceeds to help him cope with his mother's terminal illness and being bullied in school.

7.3

MagicScore

Still Mine

2012

Craig, a fiercely determined New Brunswick farmer, sets out to build a more suitable house for his ailing wife, Irene, despite their children's concerns. As he starts building, he is blindsided by the bureaucratic codes and officials. As Irene becomes increasingly ill, Craig fights back. Based on a true story.

6.9

MagicScore

Far from the Madding Crowd

2015

In Victorian England, the independent and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak, a hardworking young sheep farmer; Frank Troy, a handsome and reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood, a prosperous and mature bachelor.

7.0

MagicScore

Elsa & Fred

2014

After his daughter persuades him to move into a new apartment, aged widower Fred strikes up a friendship with his eccentric 74-year-old neighbour Elsa, who convinces him it's never too late to keep enjoying life. Although he seemed resigned to a miserable bedridden existence, Fred embraces Elsa's youthful enthusiasm as she introduces him to the path of life and entertains him with outlandish stories about her past life. But when he discovers Elsa's terminally ill, Fred decides to accompany her on the trip of her dreams to the eternal city of Rome to help her fulfil a lifelong ambition.

6.0

MagicScore

#10

Mr. Deeds

2002

When Longfellow Deeds, a small-town pizzeria owner and poet, inherits $40 billion from his deceased uncle, he quickly begins rolling in a different kind of dough. Moving to the big city, Deeds finds himself besieged by opportunists all gunning for their piece of the pie. Babe, a television tabloid reporter, poses as an innocent small-town girl to do an exposé on Deeds.

5.9

MagicScore

#11

Macabre

1958

After his wife and her blind sister have died under his care, a doctor's young daughter is kidnapped and reported as buried alive, leaving him with mere hours to find and rescue her.

6.0

MagicScore

#12

Christmas with Tucker

2013

While coming to terms with his dad's recent passing in a tractor accident, 13-year-old George McCray is living with his grandparents on their Kansas farm. George misses his mom, Jill, who has moved to Minnesota to deal with her grief, but there is the promise of their reunion at Christmas. George feels needed on the farm as he helps his grateful grandfather Bo with daily chores and comforts his grandmother Cora. He has also made friends with Mary Ann and became attached to Tucker, the smart and friendly dog the McCrays take in when his troubled owner Frank Thorne lands in jail.

6.0

MagicScore

#13

In the Game

2018

A rebellious teenager must travel the country with his sick grandpa to get to his basketball game.

6.4

MagicScore

#14

Dirty Grandpa

2016

Jason Kelly is one week away from marrying his boss's uber-controlling daughter, putting him on the fast track for a partnership at the law firm. However, when the straight-laced Jason is tricked into driving his foul-mouthed grandfather, Dick, to Daytona for spring break, his pending nuptials are suddenly in jeopardy. Between riotous frat parties, bar fights, and an epic night of karaoke, Dick is on a quest to live his life to the fullest and bring Jason along for the ride.

5.9

MagicScore

#15

Dial Code Santa Claus

1990

Thomas de Frémont, a precocious child obsessed with action films, sets himself up for a terrifying Christmas Eve after he unwittingly makes contact with a deranged psychopath who claims he's Santa Claus.

5.9

MagicScore

#16

18 Again!

1988

81-year-old millionaire Jack Watson switches bodies with his 18-year-old grandson David, leading the two to experience life on opposite ends of the age spectrum. But when David, trapped in Jack's aged body, ends up in a coma, his grandfather must use his meager knowledge of the youth to prevent his family from pulling the plug.

5.6

MagicScore

#17

Zika's Dynasty

1985

Misa is already a teenager but with little interest in girls and much for his violin. Two granddads, Zika and Milan, are worried for their grandson who may 'deviate' like Steven from "Dynasty", the show they like to watch. That's why they decide to introduce him better to their attractive housekeeper.

6.5

MagicScore

#18

The Evening Star

1996

Continuing the story of Aurora Greenway in her latter years. After the death of her daughter, Aurora struggled to keep her family together, but has one grandson in jail, a rebellious granddaughter, and another grandson living just above the poverty line.

6.0

MagicScore

#19

Awaara

1951

A petty thief is put on trial for the attempted murder of a lawyer. Through a series of flashbacks, the intertwining lives of the thief, the lawyer, and the thief's defense lawyer are illustrated.

7.2

MagicScore

#20

Buffalo Kids

2024

In 1886, orphaned Irish siblings Mary and Tom arrive in New York City via ocean liner, and quickly find themselves on a wild, cross-country journey aboard a transcontinental 'Orphan Train', where they meet an extraordinary new friend who will change their lives forever.

7.0

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like On Borrowed Time?

The top films similar to On Borrowed Time by MovieMagicScore are Letters to Santa 3 (6.4), According to Greta (6.0), Rebecca (7.9). Each shares comedy/drama/fantasy themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is On Borrowed Time worth watching?

On Borrowed Time holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.5/10 from 24 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is On Borrowed Time?

On Borrowed Time (1939) is a comedy, drama, fantasy film directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lionel Barrymore, Cedric Hardwicke, Beulah Bondi.

Where can I find more recommendations like On Borrowed Time?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more comedy recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Letters to Santa 3 Movies like According to Greta Movies like Rebecca Movies like Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Movies like Heidi Movies like A Monster Calls

About movies like On Borrowed Time

This ranked list pairs On Borrowed Time (1939), a comedy and drama and fantasy film from Harold S. Bucquet, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Lionel Barrymore take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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