It is a melancholic, brave, and starkly realistic conclusion that deals with mortality in a way few children's books dare to attempt. It suggests that a life of adventure and love, however short, is preferable to a long life of safety and loneliness.
Before we compare the movies, we must return to the book. Roald Dahl was a master of writing for children without talking down to them. He understood that kids love to be scared—as long as they are armed with knowledge. Thus, Dahl wrote The Witches as a sort of "survival guide."
The story follows an unnamed seven-year-old protagonist who goes to live with his Norwegian Grandmother after the tragic death of his parents. The grandmother is a formidable character—a former witch-hunter who smokes cigars and tells terrifyingly specific stories about children who disappeared at the hands of witches. It is through her that the boy learns the "signs": the blue spit, the itchy scalps, the purple eyes, and the toeless feet.
In 2020, a new version of The Witches arrived on HBO Max, directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch. This version took significant liberties, moving the setting to 1960s Alabama and adding a subplot about an orphaned boy (played by Jahzir Bruno) and his grandmother (Octavia Spencer).
Dahl hated that the film changed the ending. In the book, the boy remains a mouse permanently, and he and Grandma plan to live out their shortened mouse lives hunting witches. In the 1990 film, a magic potion turns him back into a human boy. Critics argue this betrays the book's dark message about accepting fate and the wisdom of the elderly.
The bond between the boy-turned-mouse and his grandmother is the emotional heart of the story. Their relationship is one of unconditional love. When he reveals he is a mouse, she does not scream or recoil; she simply asks how they can fight back. It is a powerful lesson in identity: you are not defined by your body, but by your spirit and your actions.
In the novel, the hero encounters her at the Hotel Magnificent in Bournemouth, where the witches are holding their annual meeting disguised as the "Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children." The irony is palpable. As the Grand High Witch removes her mask—a literal human face to cover her decayed, grotesque features—the horror peaks.
was released by the BBC, featuring the voices of Miriam Margolyes as the Grand High Witch and Bill Bailey as the narrator, proving that the audio format—where you can imagine the horror of those square feet under the skirt—is perhaps the best way to experience the tale.
At its core, The Witches is a conspiracy thriller for children. The premise is deceptively simple: witches exist, and they hate children. Unlike the benevolent magic users of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World or the comedic mishaps of Bewitched , Dahl’s witches are a distinct species, biologically different from humans. Their sole purpose in life is to eradicate the world of children, whom they find repulsive, smelling of "dog's droppings."
On the surface, Roald Dahl’s The Witches (1983) appears to be a simple fantasy: a boy, his wise Norwegian grandmother, and a plot to turn England’s children into mice. But beneath its surface of magic and mischief lies one of the most subversive, psychologically astute, and surprisingly empathetic works in children’s literature. Unlike many stories that soften the dangers of the adult world, The Witches stares directly into its abyss, then teaches its reader how to laugh at it.
Furthermore, the story has found a second life in theatre. A stage adaptation by David Wood (and later a Lucy Kirkwood version) leans heavily into the book's original ending, allowing audiences to experience the genuine shock of the mouse-boy’s triumph.
