The Borrowers (2011) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A hidden Borrower family faces exposure, while friendship and courage unite human and Borrower allies against exploitation.

Story Structure — 6 Plot Phases

Secrets Beneath The House

The Clock family lives beneath the Driver-Millman house while Arrietty forms a friendship with James. Mrs Driver's discovery of missing objects brings the hidden Borrowers closer to exposure.

Key Events

• Borrower Home Under Floorboards — The Clock family secretly lives beneath the floorboards and borrows household items. Characters: Arrietty Clock Location: Driver-Millman house
• Arrietty Meets James — James sees Arrietty, and the two begin a secret friendship. Characters: Arrietty Clock, James Location: Driver-Millman house
• Mrs Driver Finds Borrowings — Missing items and dollhouse furniture intensify suspicion about little people. Characters: James Location: James's house
• Mildeye Receives The Inquiry — Mrs Driver contacts Mildeye about Homo sapiens redactus, prompting his visit. Characters: Professor Mildeye, James Location: Online correspondence
• James Takes The Blame — James tries to take responsibility for the household borrowings. Characters: Professor Mildeye, James Location: Driver-Millman house

Flight Into The Sewers

The compromised Borrower home forces the Clocks into the sewers and toward the urban community at City Road tube station. Spiller becomes involved after a dangerous meeting and is hired to guide them.

Key Events

• The Clocks Flee The House — After their hidden home is compromised, the Clocks escape through a drainpipe. Characters: Arrietty Clock Location: Drainpipe and sewers
• City Road Borrower Community — Arrietty discovers a thriving urban community of little people. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate Location: Disused City Road tube station
• Spiller Nearly Hits Arrietty — Spiller nearly runs over Arrietty before being made to apologise. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate Location: City Road tube station
• A Gold Coin Secures Guidance — A gold coin hires Spiller to guide the family toward a new home. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate Location: City Road tube station

The Trap And The Capture

Mildeye and Jenny place traps around the former home, catching Arrietty's parents when they save her. James secretly obstructs Mildeye while Arrietty struggles to find a way to rescue her family.

Key Events

• Sewer Traps Are Set — Mildeye and Jenny install traps around the Clocks' former home. Characters: Professor Mildeye, Jenny, Arrietty Clock Location: Sewers near the Millman-Driver house
• The Parents Are Captured — Arrietty triggers a trap, but her parents push her away and are caught. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate, Professor Mildeye, Jenny Location: Sewers
• Spiller Pulls Arrietty Away — Spiller drags Arrietty to safety at her father's request. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate Location: Sewers
• Mildeye Takes Them To The Lab — Mildeye brings the captured Clocks to his laboratory for study. Characters: Professor Mildeye, Jenny Location: Mildeye's laboratory
• James Deletes The Capture Message — James deletes Mildeye's message to prevent Mrs Driver learning about the capture. Characters: James, Professor Mildeye Location: James's house

A Dangerous Rescue Plan

Spiller saves Arrietty from a street-cleaning vehicle and reveals the sacrifice that shaped his exile. They return to James and prepare to challenge Mildeye's public presentation.

Key Events

• Arrietty Leaves Spiller — Anxious to rescue her parents, Arrietty argues with Spiller and leaves. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate Location: Street near the house
• Street Cleaner Rescue — Spiller follows Arrietty and saves her from a street-cleaning vehicle. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate Location: Street
• Spiller Reveals His Past — Spiller explains that he sacrificed his niece to save the Borrower community. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate Location: Church nativity scene
• The Conference Threatens Exposure — Mildeye prepares to present the Borrowers at an academic conference. Characters: Professor Mildeye, James Location: Mildeye's laboratory and televised news

Escape From The Exhibition

James helps Arrietty and Spiller infiltrate the conference venue using a model plane, parachutes, and a modified remote-control car. The Borrowers escape through the laboratory while Mildeye and Jenny pursue them.

Key Events

• Model Plane Infiltration — James helps Arrietty and Spiller fly over the venue and enter through air vents. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate, James Location: Conference venue
• Remote Car Opens The Escape — James distracts the researchers and uses a remote car to aid the Borrowers' escape. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate, James, Professor Mildeye, Jenny Location: Mildeye's laboratory
• Laboratory Chase — Mildeye chases the escaping Borrowers while James carries them in his rucksack. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate, James, Professor Mildeye, Jenny Location: Laboratory corridors and stairways
• The Conference Fails — Mildeye can display only a doll's jacket, and his audience leaves. Characters: Professor Mildeye, James Location: Online conference broadcast

A New Borrower Journey

Mildeye's conference fails, and the gold coin helps James and his family save their home. Arrietty chooses to return to the Borrower city with Spiller while preserving her connection to James.

Key Events

• Arrietty Admits Her Feelings — Arrietty admits liking Spiller, while Spiller jokingly claims he wanted only the coin. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate, James Location: James's house
• The Coin Saves The House — James places the coin for Mrs Driver, and it is sold to raise money for the house. Characters: James Location: James's house
• Arrietty Chooses The Borrower City — Arrietty leaves for the Borrower city with Spiller after saying farewell. Characters: Arrietty Clock, Spiller's Mate Location: Drainpipe outside the house

Story Breakdown

• Hidden Household Life — The Borrowers survive beneath a human home through secrecy and borrowing.
  • Secret Floorboard Home — The Clock family lives under the floorboards at the Driver-Millman house.
  • Arrietty Meets James — Arrietty and James begin a friendship that crosses the human-Borrower divide.
• Growing Human Suspicion — Missing objects lead Mrs Driver toward the existence of little people.
  • Dollhouse Clues — Furniture from James's dead mother's dollhouse is found among the missing items.
  • Mildeye Contacted — Mrs Driver contacts Professor Mildeye about Homo sapiens redactus.
• Flight To City Road — The Clocks abandon their home and seek safety among an urban Borrower community.
  • Drainpipe Escape — The family escapes through a drainpipe into the sewers.
  • Spiller's Guidance — Spiller is hired with a gold coin to guide the family toward a new home.
• Mildeye's Capture Scheme — Mildeye and Jenny transform the sewers and laboratory into a research operation.
  • Sewer Traps — The researchers set traps around the Millman-Driver home.
  • Parents Taken — Arrietty's parents are caught after pushing her away from a triggered trap.
• Arrietty's Rescue Journey — Arrietty and Spiller survive danger and return to James for help.
  • Street Cleaner Escape — Spiller saves Arrietty from a street-cleaning vehicle.
  • A Burden Revealed — Spiller explains the sacrifice that caused him to leave other Borrowers.
• Conference Infiltration — The allies attempt to stop Mildeye from displaying the captured Borrowers to the academic world.
  • Model Plane Entry — James helps Arrietty and Spiller reach the venue by model plane and parachute.
  • Vent Escape — A modified remote-control car helps the Borrowers escape through the laboratory ducts.
• Failed Public Exhibition — Mildeye loses control of the presentation as the Borrowers evade capture.
  • Doll Jacket Display — The conference audience leaves when Mildeye can show only a doll's jacket.
  • Spiller Returns Unseen — Spiller secretly reaches James's house after the escape.
• Choosing A New Home — The ending balances human generosity with Arrietty's desire for independence.
  • Coin Saves The House — James's gold coin is sold to raise money for the house and Christmas.
  • Return To Borrower City — Arrietty chooses to leave with Spiller and promises to visit.

Directed by

Tom Harper

Key Cast

• Christopher Eccleston — Pod Clock
• Stephen Fry — Professor Mildeye
• Sharon Horgan — Homily Clock
• Aisling Loftus — Arrietty Clock
• Robert Sheehan — Spiller