Matilda-Mise en Scene

Matilda is a classic children’s book that in 1996 was introduced to the big screen. It captivated young people, and lives on in the hearts of many as an inspiration to learn and be kind. The movie version of Matilda was directed by a much beloved actor, Danny DeVito (who also played Matilda’s father). The star of the movie is child-actress Mara Wilson, who is as charming as she is cute. The plot of Matilda is that a young girl, with an exceptional mind, is tossed aside by her uncaring parents, and left to her own devices. Matilda spends all of her pre-school life at the library, and somehow, develops a higher level intelligence that gives her telekinesis. She uses this power enact justice upon her evil principal and her law-breaking parents. Not only is the movie unique in plot, but also because of visual design, cinematography, and editing.

In this scene of Matilda, Matilda is discovering just what it is she can do with her telekinesis:

The visual design of this scene is key in making it mean something to the audience. Matilda is in a room full of gaudy furniture and decorations, obviously picked out by her mother. She does not fit into this scene in her simple shirt and jeans; this is a major theme within the movie, and important to notice how out of place she is, even in her own home. Matilda also wears a red ribbon, her character’s signature piece. This ribbon is important to the story later on, so it is crucial that we see her wearing it now. There is a common occurrence of yellow and other bright colors, particularly at the beginning of the scene. This, along with Matilda’s quirky smile, helps the audience identify the scene as a happy one.

At the start of the scene, we get a point of view sequence from Matilda, who successfully levitates her spoon and pulls it into her mouth. Matilda is obviously very happy about this because she giggles and smiles. As an audience, we are able to feel just as triumphant as she is, thanks to the camera cuts. The special effects within this scene may be a bit silly, but they are good nonetheless. As Matilda twirls on the coffee table, poker chips and cards seem to dance with her. These special effects were not used for sheer fun, they are important to the plot. Matilda obviously has a lot of control, as we see, and can use her powers on more than one object at a time. We are also reminded that Matilda is a child, though she may not usually behave like one. For a child audience, this is thrilling to watch.

There are many quick cuts in this scene, it helps to add vigor to the mood. We are awake and excited to see Matilda exude such power. The addition of well-timed music is helpful as well. Along with Matilda, we feel like dancing, and with such a classic, upbeat song, maybe even singing, too. It creates a successful mood of happiness and triumph.

Well done, Mara Wilson. Well done, Danny Devito.