EMMA Thompson makes her first foray into film screenwriting since the Oscar-winning Sense And Sensibility with this adaptation of the Nurse Matilda books by Christianna Brand.

Following the death of his wife, Mr Brown (Colin Firth) retreats from life, spends every waking moment working at the funeral parlour, where his colleagues - the undertakers Mr Wheen (Derek Jacobi) and Mr Jowls (Patrick Barlow) - try in vain to raise Mr Brown's spirits. Unfortunately, Mr Brown's sense of humour vanished a year ago, when his wife passed away.

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The only ray of hope in his gloomy existence is pretty and kind scullery maid Evangeline (Kelly Macdonald), who takes care of the house alongside the cook, Mrs Blatherwick (Imelda Staunton). While Mr Brown is at work, he hires a nanny to take charge of his seven children: Simon, Tora, Eric, Lily, Sebastian, Christianna and baby Aggy.

The mischievous whippersnappers assume their father doesn't care about them any more and they respond by misbehaving. Such is the children's bad conduct, they drive away every carer until the legendary Nanny McPhee (Thompson) arrives one evening.

An ugly woman with a snaggle tooth, warts and an oversized nose, Nanny McPhee doesn't look like someone who could easily handle unruly brats. But looks can be deceiving. With a single tap of her magic walking stick, Nanny McPhee teaches the children a lesson they will never forget.

Eldest boy Simon accepts the challenge of trying to drive out Nanny McPhee using every underhand and sneaky trick in the book. Unfortunately, their new minder is always one step ahead of her pint-sized wards.

Unbeknownst to the children, their father's Aunt Adelaine (Angela Lansbury), has threatened to cut off her allowance to Mr Brown unless he marries again within the month. Putting his happiness to one side for the sake of the children, Mr Brown approaches the flirtatious, money-grabbing Mrs Quickly (Celia Imrie) as a potential wife. As wedding day approaches, Simon begs Nanny McPhee for help. She refuses and issues a challenge of her own, for the children to work out themselves how to make their father see sense.

Nanny McPhee is a charming family fantasy with echoes of Mary Poppins, building to a glorious food fight finale laden with computer special effects and lashings of cream. Thompson has a ball as the grotesque nanny whose physical appearance changes every time the children learn a valuable lesson.

Production designer Michael D Howells conjures a striking colour-saturated storybook world, in which the children wreak merry havoc.

Unruly children beware! Be good or Nanny McPhee will have to pay you a visit too.

See it at UCI, ABC