The family is financially supported by Cedric's domineering and short-sighted aunt-in-law Lady Adelaide Stitch, who demands custody over one of the children. Over time, the children become more responsible, helping their clumsy father in solving the family problems, making Nanny McPhee less and less needed. Each time the children learn a lesson, one of Nanny McPhee's facial defects magically disappears. The children, led by Simon, try to play their tricks on her, but after failing, they gradually start to respect her and ask her for advice. With discipline and a little magic, she transforms the family's lives. That same night during a storm, while the children cause havoc in the kitchen, Cedric opens the door to reveal a hideous woman, who introduces herself as Nanny McPhee.

One day, Cedric discovers multiple references for a 'Nanny McPhee' throughout the home. Besides their father, the only one the children will ever listen to is Evangeline, the family's uneducated but beautiful and sweet-natured scullery maid. Blatherwick, a former military cook who declares that there will be 'snow in August' before the family is put to rights. They also take great pleasure in tormenting their cook, Mrs. The children have had a series of nannies, whom they have systematically driven out with their bad behaviour and pranks. He is clumsy and loves his children, but since the death of his wife, has spent little time with them and cannot handle them.

In Victorian Britain, widower undertaker Cedric Brown is the father of seven unruly children-Simon, Tora, Eric, Lily, Sebastian, Christianna 'Chrissie' and baby Agatha 'Aggie'. A sequel, Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, was released in 2010.

The filming location was Penn House Estate, Buckinghamshire, UK.

Thompson also scripted the film, which is adapted from Christianna Brand's Nurse Matilda books. The film was theatrically released on 28 October 2005 in the UK by United International Pictures and on 27 January 2006 in the US by Universal Pictures. Set in Victorian England, the film stars Emma Thompson as Nanny McPhee, along with Colin Firth and Angela Lansbury. It was directed by Kirk Jones, coproduced by StudioCanal, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Working Title Films, Three Strange Angels, and Nanny McPhee Productions with music by Patrick Doyle, and produced by Lindsay Doran, Tim Bevan, and Eric Fellner. Nanny McPhee is an American/British 2005 comedy drama fantasy film based on the Nurse Matilda character by Christianna Brand.

Nanny Mcphee by Christianna Brand