Nanny McPhee - how colour tells a story
The bright colour palette and mise en scene of Nanny McPhee instantly stands out, making it the perfect subject for colour analysis. And though my love of this film may be slightly clouded by nostalgia, it definitely holds up in terms of film language – especially in the way colour is used. I hope to use at least extracts of this as a case study in my colour essay.
On the surface, the bright colours may just be complementary of the family-friendly upbeat humour and the whimsical fairytale feel, to make it seem that little bit more magical. However, while this is no doubt a true intended effect, the use of colour in Nanny McPhee goes much deeper.
The story starts bittersweet – though there is action and comedy, a moment is taken to show an empty red chair in a green room, insinuating (and later revealed) that the children’s mother / Mr Brown’s wife has died. The brightly coloured walls are worn and peeling, perhaps reflecting what once was a house of happiness, now tarnished by tragedy. Now, the clashing hues of the (ironically named) Browns illustrate the anxiety and agitation of the father, as he attempts to subdue his overwhelmingly wild children.
Mr Brown is represented by the colour green, and when in his study the acid green walls envelop him completely as he is lost in his own thoughts. He talks to the red chair as if it still embodies his wife,hoping for some consolation – red being the exact complementary colour to green. Conversely, Evangeline is wears pale colours, reflecting her gentle nature – she is the only one able to calm the children. When Nanny McPhee arrives, she wears completely black; ironically the most inconspicuous colour now stands out as an ominous totem of reason and control, remaining detached from the otherwise mad whirlwind of the house.
As the children learn their lessons, the intensity of colour surrounding them subsides. However, in the background, Mr Brown’s dilemma grows, and at the midpoint he decides on Mrs Quickly as their last hope, while being bathed in an unusual yellow light.
The arrival of Mrs quickly brings the most brash and sickly hues yet, with a grating persona to match. The hot pink dress exposes her as an impostor; a poor imitation of the symbolic red chair, and her bold hues prove useless for subduing the children, only making things worse.On the day of the proposal, she wears red and green - sealing the deal for good.
As the story reaches the peak with the wedding, so do the colours, at maximum saturation. The garish marriage of Mrs Quickly’s shocking pink with the acid green of Mr Brown mirrors the desperate inharmonious situation, and her incompatibility as a future wife / mother.
At the climax the family decide to face the unknown consequences, rather than be trapped into a life with Mrs Quickly, and Simon realises that his father could marry Evangeline. Snow completely envelopes everything which clears the colour away, bringing a sense of relief at last. Everyone is left wearing white, revealing the family in harmony for the first time, as they get their happy ending.
An additional theory I have is that the emotional impact of the colours directly correlates with Mr Brown’s perspective in the narrative. The overwhelming bold hues embody the feelings of pressure and stress on him, while he would see Mrs Quickly as a sort of impostor in place of his late wife. No doubt the happy resolution washes all his fears away, the headache inducing hues cleared from his mind as he faces a fresh start.