FoW: Matilda

This week's film is Matilda (1996), based on Roald Dahl's book of the same title, starring Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Pam Ferris, and Embeth Davidtz. Matilda is a precocious young girl who stands out from her family in her pursuit of the intellectual - reading and learning and spending days at the library. She finds some relief when she starts school, with her wonderful teacher, Miss Honey, but the insane and terrifying principal threatens to take all the joy out of learning for Matilda and her new friends.

Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson) is a character I always identify with as someone who grew up loving and needing to read. The opening sequence, which glosses over Matilda's earlier years, shows a self-sufficient girl who finds a way to get what she wants or needs, while her slightly ridiculous family pursues their own interests. Harry Wormwood (Danny DeVito) is a corrupt used car salesman, with little patience and a narrow mind, and Zinnia Wormwood (Rhea Perlman) spends her days playing bingo for actual cash while wearing (actually) pretty fabulous outfits. Although her family are neglectful and honestly not that loving, they do contribute to Matilda discovering her true self and her special abilities.

While her parents take on the role of antagonists, Matilda's principal, Trunchbull (Pam Ferris), embodies one of the scariest villains to grace the screen. There's a strange truth to the Trunchbull's character, as an adult in a position of authority who abuses that authority with little repercussion. One of the characters even makes the point that no parent would believe what Trunchbull was doing to the kids, even if they heard about it from their own children. Most of us have come up against teachers or principals with similar attitude, even from the side of hating children (why are they in this line of work?), and we have had to just deal with these abusive adults because the adult has an authority that we don't have as children. Part of Matilda's story is finding a way to fight back and change one's life to be healthier.

Miss Honey (Embeth Davidtz) is a kind teacher who helps Matilda in giving her a safe place outside her family or the school. However, much more importantly, Matilda helps Miss Honey find her courage to stand up for herself. Although Miss Honey is brave to stay in town with her wicked aunt and keep working in the same school, she is an anxious person and Matilda helps her to find a sense of confidence in herself to take some real action. Ultimately, while Miss Honey is Matilda's saving grace in many ways, I personally love the dynamic that Matilda brings to Miss Honey. A Roald Dahl staple is children breaking that stereotype of helplessness; here, Matilda is clever, strong, persistent, and constantly supporting the oppressed people in her life. Check out the trailer below:

Did you read Matilda? Do you like the film?