Nurse Matilda
Encyclopedia
The Nurse Matilda books were written by the British children's author Christianna Brand
(1907–1988) and illustrated by her cousin, Edward Ardizzone
. The books are based on stories told to the cousins by their grandfather.
They concern a hideously ugly nursemaid
known as Nurse Matilda who has been highly recommended to Mr. and Mrs. Brown by several agencies. Nurse Matilda arrives at the household of the Brown family and becomes a nanny to the innumerable Brown children. The Brown children are "exceedingly naughty" and frighten off many governesses in a wonderfully mischievous way—until Nurse Matilda comes. She teaches the children to behave, and deals with the fearsome and persnickety Great Aunt Adelaide Stitch. In the end the children become good and decent, and Nurse Matilda leaves to attend another family of naughty children.
In the sequels, the children revert back to their wicked ways, and the distressed Mr. and Mrs. Brown have no other choice but to send for Nurse Matilda again.
In the second book, the children are sent to live with their domineering Great Aunt Adelaide in her London
manor. In the third and final book, they are whisked away to the hospital following a prank that had gone wrong.
(2005) and Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang
(2010). In these motion pictures there are only seven children, and Nurse Matilda is renamed Nanny McPhee - her first name is not mentioned.
The most significant departure from the books, however, is the absence of Mrs. Brown. In Brand's stories, Mrs. Brown is alive and well, whereas in the films she is dead, having fallen ill after the birth of the youngest child, Agatha. Mr. Brown is forced to marry the foul Selma Quickly, a garishly clothed, thrice-widowed gold-digger, whose character did not appear in the books.
The sequel Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang
(2010) is loosely based on the trilogy of Nurse Matilda books. The film does not closely follow the plot of the trilogy, but several individual scenes are obviously derived from the three books. Emma Thompson
started to write the script based on Brand's books in the spring of 2007.
Christianna Brand
Christianna Brand was a British crime writer and children's author.- Background :Christianna Brand was born Mary Christianna Milne in Malaya and grew up in India. She had a number of different occupations, including model, dancer, shop assistant and governess...
(1907–1988) and illustrated by her cousin, Edward Ardizzone
Edward Ardizzone
Edward Jeffrey Irving Ardizzone, CBE, RA was an English artist, writer and illustrator, chiefly of children's books.-Early life:...
. The books are based on stories told to the cousins by their grandfather.
They concern a hideously ugly nursemaid
Nursemaid
A nursemaid or nursery maid, is mostly a historical term of employment for a female servant in an elite household. In the 21st century, the position is largely defunct, owing to the relatively small number of households who maintain large staffs with the traditional hierarchy.The nursery maid...
known as Nurse Matilda who has been highly recommended to Mr. and Mrs. Brown by several agencies. Nurse Matilda arrives at the household of the Brown family and becomes a nanny to the innumerable Brown children. The Brown children are "exceedingly naughty" and frighten off many governesses in a wonderfully mischievous way—until Nurse Matilda comes. She teaches the children to behave, and deals with the fearsome and persnickety Great Aunt Adelaide Stitch. In the end the children become good and decent, and Nurse Matilda leaves to attend another family of naughty children.
In the sequels, the children revert back to their wicked ways, and the distressed Mr. and Mrs. Brown have no other choice but to send for Nurse Matilda again.
In the second book, the children are sent to live with their domineering Great Aunt Adelaide in her London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
manor. In the third and final book, they are whisked away to the hospital following a prank that had gone wrong.
Books
- Nurse Matilda (1964)
- Nurse Matilda Goes to Town (1967)
- Nurse Matilda Goes to Hospital (1974)
Movie adaptation
The books were later adapted for the films Nanny McPheeNanny McPhee
Nanny McPhee is a 2005 fantasy film starring Emma Thompson and Colin Firth. Thompson also wrote the screenplay, which is adapted from Christianna Brand's Nurse Matilda books.-Plot:...
(2005) and Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang
Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang
Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang is a 2010 family film. It is a sequel to the 2005 film Nanny McPhee. It was adapted by Emma Thompson from Christianna Brand's Nurse Matilda books...
(2010). In these motion pictures there are only seven children, and Nurse Matilda is renamed Nanny McPhee - her first name is not mentioned.
The most significant departure from the books, however, is the absence of Mrs. Brown. In Brand's stories, Mrs. Brown is alive and well, whereas in the films she is dead, having fallen ill after the birth of the youngest child, Agatha. Mr. Brown is forced to marry the foul Selma Quickly, a garishly clothed, thrice-widowed gold-digger, whose character did not appear in the books.
The sequel Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang
Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang
Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang is a 2010 family film. It is a sequel to the 2005 film Nanny McPhee. It was adapted by Emma Thompson from Christianna Brand's Nurse Matilda books...
(2010) is loosely based on the trilogy of Nurse Matilda books. The film does not closely follow the plot of the trilogy, but several individual scenes are obviously derived from the three books. Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson is a British actress, comedian and screenwriter. Her first major film role was in the 1989 romantic comedy The Tall Guy. In 1992, Thompson won multiple acting awards, including an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress, for her performance in the British drama Howards End...
started to write the script based on Brand's books in the spring of 2007.