Matilda (1996)
About This Movie
A tiny genius born into a family of loud, dishonest, television obsessed philistines discovers she has telekinetic powers and uses them to fight back against the monstrous headmistress of her school, the legendary Miss Trunchbull. Danny DeVito directed and narrated with obvious love for Roald Dahl's source material, creating a world that is slightly exaggerated, deeply funny, and surprisingly moving. The film understands something important: that for a child, an adult who believes in you can change everything.
Why It's a Classic
Danny DeVito's direction captures Roald Dahl's essential quality, the understanding that childhood is not innocent but rather a state of being at the mercy of adults who may not deserve their authority. Mara Wilson's Matilda is a genuinely intellectual child protagonist, someone whose power comes from reading and thinking rather than from physical strength, which makes her a hero that bookish kids rarely get to see on screen. Pam Ferris's Miss Trunchbull is one of the great screen villains, a former Olympic hammer thrower who grabs children by their pigtails and locks them in a nail lined closet called the Chokey, played with such operatic excess that she becomes thrilling rather than merely terrifying. The scene where Matilda uses her powers to write on the chalkboard and convince Trunchbull she is being haunted is a perfect blend of suspense, humor, and catharsis. Embeth Davidtz's Miss Honey provides the film's emotional center, and her quiet scenes with Matilda about finding family where you least expect it give the comedy genuine depth. The film argues that kindness and intelligence are forms of power, and that children have the right to stand up to cruelty, a message that has made it essential viewing for generations of young readers.
Fun Fact
Mara Wilson's mother was battling cancer during the film's production and passed away shortly before its release. Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman became so close to Wilson during filming that they helped care for her and have remained in her life as surrogate family ever since. The Trunchbull's hammer throw of Amanda Thripp was achieved by attaching the actress to a mechanical rotating arm, and several takes were needed because the early attempts looked too obviously mechanical. Roald Dahl's original manuscript had a much darker ending, which his editor convinced him to change.
Parent Note
Miss Trunchbull is physically threatening to children throughout the film, including grabbing them, throwing them, and locking them in a closet, all played in a heightened, Dahl-esque style that most kids find more thrilling than traumatic. Matilda's parents are neglectful and dishonest, which could resonate painfully for children in similar situations, though the film treats this with dark humor rather than realism. The telekinesis scenes are empowering rather than scary. This works well for kids around six and up, and it is an especially meaningful film for children who feel different or underestimated.
Quick Facts
- Year
- 1996
- Type
- 🎬 Movie
- Category
- Comedy
- Age Group
- Kids (Ages 7–10)