Paddington 2: A Gothic Film?

When recently watching the beloved Paddington 2, I couldn’t help but put my English Literature degree to use. Whilst I am currently studying Gothic Literature, the tropes of such have been in the forefront of my mind and who seems to embody most of them? Hugh Grant’s character, the ‘washed up’ actor, Phoenix Buchanan. 

At first glance, Paddington 2, the beloved tale of a marmalade munching bear, seems worlds apart from the shadowy corridors and eerie secrets of Gothic Literature. However, my rewatch revealed subtle echoes of Gothic tropes woven in this family story. These moments, whilst reframed in the context of a family- friendly film, made me ponder: could Paddington 2 be a Gothic work in disguise?

Darkness, both literal and metaphorical, is a hallmark of the Gothic, and while Paddington 2 is bathed in bright visuals and set in a bustling city, its narrative explores darker themes. The scheming of Phoenix Buchanan operates in the shadows of his crumbling career. His greed and deception hint at the moral decay often found in Gothic villains even though his antics remain comedic. His character also reminds me of Byron’s Manfred, the way he’s described. A combination of light and dark within himself. 

​​“This should have been a noble creature: heHath all the energy which would have madeA goodly frame of glorious elements,Had they been wisely mingled; as it is,It is an awful chaos—light and darkness,And mind and dust—and passions and pure thoughts,Mix’d, and contending without end or order,

All dormant or destructive…” –Manfred Act 3, Scene I, lines 160-67

One of more surprising Gothic parallels in Paddington 2 lies in its critique of the aristocracy. Phoenix Buchanan embodies the Gothic archetype of the fallen noble or the corrupt elite. A once celebrated actor descending into crime reflects a decadence often associated with aristocracy in Gothic literature.

Isolation is another core Gothic theme, and Paddington’s time in prison evokes this trope. Separated from the Brown family and his community, Paddinton faces emotional and physical alienation, paralleling the desolation found in Gothic settings. Additionally, the film also plays with confusion and fragmented storytelling. The stolen pop-up book, which eventually leads to a hidden treasure, serves as a puzzle to be solved. Through this treasure hunt, the story evokes the Gothic tradition of uncovering hidden truths while piecing together fragments of the path. Furthermore, this journey takes them through huge imposing gothic London architecture, offering the sublimity to this already gothic story. 

Despite these resonances, Paddington 2 departs from many of the Gothic’s defining traits. There may be no haunted castles or supernatural forces but gothic tropes run deep. However, what I did notice was some of the gothic tropes lead to opportunities for connection and even redemption.  When Paddington ends up in prison, initially a place of isolation, it turns into a place of community and kindness. Same with Buchanan at the end, after talking about performance the whole film, we only truly see him perform towards the end. 

This optimism sets Paddington 2 apart from the brooding nature of traditional Gothic works. However, the film’s engagement with Gothic tropes - darkness, isolation, fragmented storytelling, critique of aristocracy - gives it an almost playful Gothic undertone.