Matilda

"Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world."

1996 1h 38m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 4,982

ComedyFamilyFantasy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Matilda Wormwood is an brilliant and intelligent little girl. Unfortunately, her parents, Harry and Zinnia, fail to see that fact. As time passes, she finally starts school and has a kind teacher, loyal friends, and a terrifying, sadistic headmistress. As she becomes fed up with the constant cruelty, she discovers she has a special gift that she just might be able to use to outwit the unruly adults around her.

“Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.”

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Cast

Mara Wilson
Matilda
Danny DeVito
Mr. Wormwood / Narrator (voice)
Rhea Perlman
Mrs. Wormwood
Embeth Davidtz
Miss Honey
Pam Ferris
Trunchbull
Paul Reubens
FBI Agent
Tracey Walter
FBI Agent
Jean Speegle Howard
Miss Phelps

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Danny DeVito
Writers: Nicholas Kazan, Robin Swicord
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 93% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

30 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Danny DeVito, shot by Stefan Czapsky. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by David Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Brent White shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Mara Wilson and Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0117008 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Danny DeVito directs. Stefan Czapsky behind the camera. David Newman scores. Brent White cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 93% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
230 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Danny DeVito, shot by Stefan Czapsky. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by David Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Brent White shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Mara Wilson and Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.".
8IMDB entry: tt0117008 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 24 themes, including "based on novel or book", "parent child relationship", "classroom", "difficult childhood".

The technical file

Cinematography: Stefan Czapsky
Original score: David Newman
Editing: Brent White
Production design: Bill Brzeski
Costume design: Jane Ruhm
Makeup / hair: Yolanda Toussieng
Stunt coordinator: R.A. Rondell
Runtime: 98 min · 1h 38m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $36,000,000
Box office: $33,500,000
Return: 93% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: Matilda (1996)

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Danny DeVito

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Gimly2018-09-08
★ 8/10
Hold on to this gem tightly, because movies like Matilda will probably never get made again. Final rating:★★★★ - Very strong appeal. A personal favourite.
Filipe Manuel Neto2022-06-21
★ 9/10
An excellent family comedy with some social criticism in the mix. The film is one of the most famous family comedies of the 1990s, adapting the story of the same name by Roald Dahl for the screen, where a girl, who was born into an idiotic family unable to understand it, decides to win the right to go to school and to learn, which their parents do not value. However, at school, she comes across a cruel and sadistic headmistress who will become her biggest adversary, while her teacher becomes her best friend. It's a very good and enjoyable film, with a nice comedy genre and some fantasy. The characters are reasonably well done, albeit a bit artificial in their conception, and the cast is very good. Mara Wilson, despite her youth, shone in the lead role and guaranteed the start of her acting career. Danny DeVito, who also ensures an effective and well-executed direction, does a very intelligent job as an actor, being well assisted by Rhea Perlman. And while Embeth Davidtz delivers a good performance, it's Pam Ferris's overwhelming and committed performance as a villain that steals our attention, in a work that is as iconic and striking as it is histrionic and over-the-top. It may go unnoticed, in the midst of the comedy and lightness of the film itself, but I felt that there is here, well marked in the Wormwoods, a harsh sarcastic critique of a certain American middle class: like many American families, they learned to do everything, or almost everything, in front of the television screen, and they do not value each other, being in every respect a largely dysfunctional family. He's a crook, she's vain, vain and addicted to gambling, the eldest son doesn't seem to have any prospects for the future or know what he wants from his own life. As a family, they value nothing but easy money, as evidenced by the weird TV show style they adore and the cheap, tasteless decor of their home. Despite everything, they think they are much smarter than others for being that way. Technically, it's a low-key film. The cinematography is in line with what one would expect in a comic film of this decade, prolific in good comedies, and the sets and costumes are good and convincing, particularly the school. The film has some special, visual and sound effects, most of which do their job well, without demerits. The soundtrack, composed by David Newman, doesn't bring anything really remarkable.