He is definitely a paedophile. As all stated in the article posted below, the main character in the original script ‘sweetly [makes] love’ to the 12 year old after she seduces him. It’s a pedo’s dream.
This was cut after is was too obvious. In the international version she again begs him to take her virginity. And he declines because, ‘he wouldn’t be a good lover.’ Not because its disgusting or wrong, but because the sex wouldn’t be good.
I personally don’t think you needed that information to figure out the movie was romanticizing paedophilia, since Matilda dresses so scantily and sexualised the whole film. But, apparently, people do since its still so beloved! I do not understand Hollywood.
http://www.cracked.com/article_19962_6-crucial-movie-scenes-that-never-made-it-out-script.html