You probably remember the sticky-sweet smell of that massive chocolate cake. Or the sight of Miss Trunchbull swinging a girl by her pigtails like an Olympic hammer thrower. For most of us, Matilda is just a cozy childhood staple. But if you look closer, the Matilda film Danny DeVito directed isn't just a kids' movie. It’s a weirdly dark, visually aggressive piece of cinema that only a guy like DeVito could have pulled off.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a miracle the movie exists in this form. Roald Dahl’s widow, Felicity Dahl, was notoriously protective of his work after being disappointed by previous adaptations like The Witches. DeVito didn't just want to act in it; he wanted to control the whole vision. He produced it, directed it, starred as the sleazy Harry Wormwood, and even provided the voice for the narrator.
He was everywhere.
The Weird Genius of Danny DeVito’s Directing Style
If you watch Matilda today, the first thing you’ll notice is how the camera moves. It’s not "safe." DeVito used extreme wide-angle lenses—often called "snorkel lenses"—to get right in the actors' faces. This makes the villains, especially Pam Ferris as Trunchbull, look distorted and monstrous. It’s a technique he likely picked up from working with people like Tim Burton (remember, he played the Penguin just a few years earlier).
The framing is aggressive. When Harry Wormwood screams at Matilda, the camera is low, looking up at his shouting mouth. It makes the audience feel as small as a six-year-old. Most directors of family films try to make things look pretty or balanced. Not Danny. He wanted the world to feel as ugly and overwhelming as it does to a neglected child.
Then there’s the lighting. Most of the Wormwood house is bathed in tacky, neon-adjacent colors or depressing drabness. Compare that to Miss Honey’s cottage, which feels like a sun-drenched sanctuary. It’s basic visual storytelling, but DeVito cranks the volume to eleven. He wasn't interested in subtlety; he was interested in the feeling of the story.
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Why he chose to be the Narrator
One of the most debated choices in the Matilda film Danny DeVito created is the narration. His voice is iconic. You know it the second you hear it. So, it’s inherently jarring to hear the "sweet" voice of the narrator and then see that same man as the "evil" Harry Wormwood.
Some critics at the time thought it was distracting. Others, however, see it as a meta-commentary. It’s like the adult version of Harry is looking back and finally telling the story right. Or maybe Danny just liked the sound of his own voice. Either way, it adds a layer of surrealism that keeps the film from feeling like a generic studio product.
The Heartbreaking Reality Behind the Scenes
While Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman played the worst parents on screen, they were essentially the opposite in real life. This is the part that usually makes people's eyes mist up. During production, Mara Wilson’s mother, Suzie, was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer.
It was a nightmare scenario for a child actor.
Danny and Rhea basically stepped in as a surrogate family. When Mara’s father had to work or be at the hospital, Mara would stay at their house. They’d have pool parties and outings just to keep her spirit up. DeVito even did something that most people didn't find out about until years later. Knowing that Suzie might not live to see the film’s release, he took a rough cut of the movie to the hospital so she could see her daughter’s performance before she passed away.
That’s not "Hollywood" behavior. That’s just being a good person.
The film is dedicated to Suzie Wilson. If you look at the credits, it's right there. Knowing this changes the entire vibe of the movie. When you see Matilda looking for a family that actually loves her, you realize the actress was living a version of that search in real-time.
The "Little Girls" were actually fearless
Pam Ferris, who played Miss Trunchbull, actually tried to stay away from the kids between takes. She wanted them to be genuinely afraid of her so their reactions would be real.
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It didn't work.
The kids loved her. They’d come up and hold her hand or chat with her as soon as the cameras stopped rolling. She was apparently so gentle in real life that her "aloofness" act crumbled immediately.
A Legacy of Being "Overlooked"
In a 2024 interview, DeVito reflected on why the Matilda film Danny DeVito directed still resonates. He mentioned that everyone, at some point, feels overlooked. Whether you’re a kid or an adult, there’s that universal sting of not being seen by the people who are supposed to care the most.
The movie doesn't sugarcoat the trauma. It shows a girl who is effectively an orphan while her parents are still in the house. But it also gives you a way out: telekinesis. Or, more realistically, the power of books and self-reliance.
What the 1996 version gets right (that the musical misses)
Don't get me wrong, the Netflix musical is fine. But the 1996 film has a grit to it. It’s tactile. You can almost feel the grease on Harry Wormwood’s used cars and the chalk dust in Crunchem Hall.
The practical effects, like the scene where Matilda makes the carrot fly or the self-tipping cereal, have a charm that CGI just can't touch. DeVito insisted on a "hand-crafted" feel. Even the doll Matilda carries—the "Liccy" doll—was designed by Mara Wilson herself because DeVito wanted her to have a genuine connection to it.
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Lessons from the Wormwood School of Cinema
If you’re a fan of the film or a budding creator, there are a few things to take away from Danny’s approach:
- Don’t be afraid of the "Ugly" shot. Sometimes a distorted face tells a better story than a beautiful one.
- Cast for character, not just looks. Pam Ferris wasn't a "name" star in the US, but she owned that role.
- Treat your crew (and child stars) like humans. The best work happens when people feel safe, even if they’re playing "scary" characters.
- Trust the source material. DeVito stayed true to Dahl’s darkness while adding his own slapstick energy.
If it’s been a while, go back and watch the Matilda film Danny DeVito gave us. It’s weirder, darker, and more heartfelt than you remember.
To really appreciate the craft, pay attention to the sound design next time. The way the "crunch" of a carrot or the "clack" of the Trunchbull’s boots is emphasized makes the whole world feel like a living comic book. You can even check out the various "making of" documentaries on the 20th-anniversary Blu-ray—they show the harness rigs used for the pigtail scene, which are surprisingly low-tech but effective.
Next time you see a movie that feels a little too "perfect" or "polished," remember Danny DeVito and his snorkel lens. Sometimes, the best way to tell a story about a small girl is to make the rest of the world look absolutely ridiculous.