# Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)

Beauty and the Beast is an American 1991 animated film about a prince cursed to spend his days as a hideous monster who sets out to regain his humanity by earning a young woman's love. It was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures
    Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. Written by Roger Allers, Kelly Asbury, Brenda Chapman, Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, Tom Ellery, Kevin Harkey, Robert Lence, Burny Mattinson, Brian Pimental, Joe Ranft, Chris Sanders, Bruce Woodside and Linda Woolverton.

## The Narrator

* [Opening voiceover] Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart. And as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous Beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there. Ashamed of his monstrous form, the Beast concealed himself inside his castle with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-first year. If he could learn to love another and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a Beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a Beast?

## Belle

* [to the chickens] Is he gone? Can you imagine? He asked me to marry him. Me, the wife of that boorish, brainless?
* Phillipe, please, steady. [enters the gate and sees Maurice's hat on the ground] Papa.
* That's funny, I'm sure there was someone... I-I-Is there anyone here?
* He's no monster, Gaston. You are!

## Prince Adam/The Beast

* Yes... but you must promise to stay here forever.

## Gaston

* I'll have Belle for my wife. Make no mistake about that.
* Take whatever booty you can find, but remember, the Beast is mine!
* I'd like to thank you all for coming to my wedding. But first, I'd better go in there and--propose to the girl!
* If I didn't know better, I'd think you had feelings for this monster.
* What's the matter, Beast? Too kind and gentle to fight back?
* Come on out and fight! Were you in love with her, Beast? Did you honestly think she'd want you when she had someone like me?!

## Maurice

* If no one will help me, then I'll go back alone. Yes, is that everything? I don't care what it takes. I'll find that castle and somehow, I... I'll get her out of there.
* Hitch up Philippe, girl. I'm off to the fair!

## Dialogue

    Gaston: Hello, Belle.
    Belle: Bonjour, Gaston. [Gaston grabs the book from Belle] Gaston, may I have my book, please?
    Gaston: How can you read this? There's no pictures!
    Belle: Well, some people use their imagination.
    Gaston: Belle, it's about time you got your head out of those books, [tossing book into the mud] and paid attention to more important things. Like me. The whole town's talking about it. [The Bimbettes, who are looking on, yawning. Belle has picked up the book and is cleaning off the mud] It's not right for a woman to read. Soon she starts getting ideas and thinking.
    Belle: Gaston, you are positively primeval.
    Gaston: [putting his hand around her shoulders] Why, thank you, Belle. What do you say you and me take a walk over to the tavern, and take a look at my trophies?
    Belle: Maybe some other time.
    Bimbette #1: What's the matter with her?
    Bimbette #2: She's crazy!
    Bimbette #3: He's gorgeous.
    Belle: Please, Gaston, I can't. I have to get home to help my father. Goodbye.
    LeFou: Ha ha ha, that crazy old loon, he needs all the help he can get! [he and Gaston laugh heartily]
    Belle: [angrily] Don't you talk about my father that way.
    Gaston: Yeah, don't talk about her father that way! [conks LeFou on the head]
    Belle: My father's not crazy! He's a genius! [explosion in background. Gaston and LeFou continue laughing. She rushes home and descends into the basement; coughed] Papa?!
    Maurice: How on earth did that happen? [Belle coughs again] Doggone it! [pulls the barrel off his waist, along with his pants]
    Belle: Are you alright, Papa?
    Maurice: I'm about ready to give up on this hunk of junk! [kicks the machine]
    Belle: You always say that.
    Maurice: I mean it this time! I'll never get this boneheaded contraption to work!
    Belle: Yes, you will. And you'll win first prize at the fair tomorrow. [Maurice scoffs] And become a world-famous inventor.
    Maurice: You really believe that?
    Belle: I always have.
    Maurice: Well, what are we waiting for? I'll have this thing fixed in no time. Hand me that... The dog-legged clincher there. So, did you have a good time in town today?
    Belle: I got a new book. Papa, do you think I'm odd?
    Maurice: My daughter? Odd? Ha! Where would you get an idea like that?
    Belle: I don't know. It's just that I'm not sure I fit in here. There's no one I can really talk to.
    Maurice: What about that Gaston? He's a handsome fella.
    Belle: He's handsome, all right, and rude and conceited and... Oh, Papa, he's not for me.
    Maurice: Well, don't you worry. Cause this invention's gonna be the start of a new life for us.
    [Fade to the deep forest, night. After a few hours of traveling, it seems obvious that they are lost, after Belle plays the violin. Phillipe walks on cautiously, frightened out of his wits]
    Maurice: We should be there by now. [above them, an owl hoots, adding to the spookiness of the environment] Perhaps we missed a turn. I guess I should have taken...wait a minute. [raising his lantern toward a sign with arrows pointing in separate directions, though the writing is faded and unreadable. Phillipe snorts, and whinnies to go one fashion, but he pulls his reins in the separate direction] No, let's go this way! [Phillipe whinnies and looks at the path Maurice has picked. It is dark and foggy, with many trees forming an archway. Then he looks at the other path, which is much more inviting. Phillipe whinnies to go on the safer path, but he pulls him toward the other one] C'mon, Phillipe, it's a shortcut! We'll be there in no time. [the two continue down the path, albeit slowly due to Phillipe, fearing what can be lurking about in the darkness. At that moment, a shadow whisks past them and the sound of howling fills the air, spooking Phillipe whinnies; looking at his map] This can't be right. Where have you taken us, Phillipe? We'd better turn around. [suddenly, the howling becomes louder. Phillipe whinnies to back up, afraid of whatever might be around them] Woah. Woah, boy. Woah, now. Woah, Phillipe. [but the spooked horse does not stop in time, and bumps into a hollow tree. A flocks of bats swarm out and surround them] Watch out! [Phillipe runs off in fear, not noticing where he's going] Woah! Woah, boy! [eventually, his steed stops until he sees where he is; at the edge of a very tall cliff] Back up! Back up! Back up! [they back off slowly, yet afraid to an inch of their lives] Nice boy, nice boy. That's nice, that's–back up! Easy. Easy! Now, easy. Easy.[the howling is now so loud, Phillipe whinnying] Oh no, Phillipe?! OW! [falls off the wagon train and crashed the lampost] No!
    [After the Beast barges in to see Maurice getting settled in the castle]
    The Beast: Who are you?! What are you doing here?!
    Maurice: I-I-I was lost in the woods and--
    The Beast: You're not WELCOME HERE!
    Maurice: I-I'm...I'm sorry.
    The Beast: What are you staring at?!
    Maurice: Nothing.
    The Beast: So...you've come to stare at the BEAST, HAVE YOU?!?! [blocks Maurice's way]
    Maurice: [pleaders] Please! I mean no harm, I just needed a place to stay!
    The Beast: I'll give you a place to stay! [picks up Maurice]
    Maurice: [as the Beast takes him to the tower] No, no, please! No! No! [door slams]
    Gaston: I'd like to thank you all for coming to my wedding. But first, I'd better go in there and... propose to the girl. [chuckles; the male guests laugh and the Bimbettes sob] And you, LeFou. When Belle and I come out that door...
    LeFou: Oh, I know! I know! I strike up the band!
    [The band plays "Here Comes the Bride," loud and fast, until Gaston rams a tuba down on LeFou's head]
    Gaston: Not yet!
    LeFou: [sticking his lips through the mouthpiece] Sorry.
    Gaston: This is the day your dreams come true.
    Belle: What do you know about my dreams, Gaston?
    Gaston: Plenty! Here, picture this. [sits, props muddy boots on Belle's book, kicks them off] A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire, and my little wife, massaging my feet, while the little ones play with the dogs. We'll have 6 or 7 even.
    Belle: Dogs?
    Gaston: No, Belle! Strappin' boys, like me!
    Belle: Imagine that. [retrieves book and shelves it]
    Gaston: And do you know who that wife will be?
    Belle: Let me think...
    Gaston: You, Belle!
    Belle: I'm speechless! I really don't know what to say.
    Gaston: Say you'll marry me!
    Belle: I'm very sorry, Gaston, but... [turns the doorknob] ...but I just don't deserve you!
    [She opens the door; he stumbles out and she throws his boots after him before closing it. Gaston lands in a pig's mud wallow as LeFou conducts the band in "Here Comes the Bride"]
    LeFou: So, how'd it go?
    Gaston: [picks up LeFou, angrily] I'll have Belle for my wife! Make no mistake about that! [throws LeFou into the mud and storms off]
    LeFou: Hmm! Touchy!
    [The pig oinks in agreement]
    Belle: [to the chickens] ...Is he gone? [seeing he is, hurried outside, a bucket of chickens feed in her hand] Can you imagine? He asked me to marry him. Me, the wife of that boorish, brainless? [walks of the animals, and feeding the chickens, singing]
    Madame Gaston, can't you just see it?
    Madame Gaston, his little wife. [kicks the buckets, the chickens clucking and goats bleats]
    No sir, not me, I guarantee it.
    I want much more than this provincial life.
    [Belle has slipped into the Beast's castle and found Maurice locked in a cell]
    Belle: Who's done this to you?
    Maurice: No time to explain! You must go now!
    Belle: I won't leave you!
    [The Beast whirls Belle around to face him, causing her to drop her torch; it goes out, leaving the room in near-darkness]
    The Beast: What are you doing here?!
    Maurice: Run, Belle!
    Belle: Who's there? Who are you?
    The Beast: The master of this castle.
    Belle: I've come for my father. Please let him out! Can't you see, he's sick!
    The Beast: Then he shouldn't have trespassed here!
    Belle: But he could die! Please, I'll do anything!
    The Beast: There's nothing you can do! He's my prisoner!
    Belle: [to herself] Oh, there must be some way I can... [to the Beast] Wait! Take me instead.
    The Beast: YOU... [realizing what Belle is saying] You would...take his place?
    Maurice: Belle, no! You don't know what you're doing!
    Belle: If I did, would you let him go?
    The Beast: Yes. But...you must promise to stay here forever!
    Belle: Come into the light.
    [The Beast moves into a patch cast by a skylight; she recoils at his appearance]
    Maurice: No, Belle! I won't let you do this!
    Belle: [walks toward the Beast] You have my word.
    The Beast: Done! [Belle collapses to the floor with her head in her hands; the Beast opens Maurice's cell and he rushes to her]
    Maurice: [to Belle] No, Belle. Listen to me. I'm old, I've lived my life- [The Beast drags him downstairs]
    Belle: Wait!
    Maurice: Belle!
    Belle: WAIT!!
    Maurice: [being dragged toward the Palanquin] No, please spare my daughter!
    The Beast: She's no longer your concern. [to Palanquin, throwing Maurice inside] Take him to the village.
    [It scuttles off like a spider]
    Maurice: Please, let me out, please! [Belle, now locked in the cell by the Beast, looks out the window at the departing Palanquin and begins to cry]
    Gaston: [displeased about what happened to him] Who does she think she is? That girl has tangled with the wrong man! No one says no to Gaston!
    LeFou: Hehe! Darn right!
    Gaston: Dismissed! Rejected! Publicly humiliated! Why, it's more than I can bear! [throwing his two mugs of beer into the fireplace]
    LeFou: More beer?
    Gaston: [frustratingly turning his chair away from the fireplace] What for? Nothing helps! I'm disgraced.
    LeFou: Who, you? Never! Gaston, you've gotta pull yourself together!
    [Chip and Mrs. Potts talk as he is being filled with tea, cream, and sugar for Belle]
    Chip: Told you she was pretty, Mama, didn't I?
    Mrs. Potts: All right, now, Chip, that'll do. [he hops over to Belle] Slowly now. Don't spill.
    Belle: Thank you.
    Chip: Want to see me do a trick? [takes a deep breath; bubbles foam up over his rim]
    Mrs. Potts: Chip?!
    Chip: [giggles] Oops, sorry.
    Mrs. Potts: [to Belle] That was a very brave thing you did, my dear.
    Wardrobe: We all think so.
    Belle: But I've lost my father, my dreams, everything.
    Mrs. Potts: Cheer up, child. It'll turn out all right in the end. You'll see. [suddenly startled] Oops! Look at me, jabbering on, when there's a supper to get on the table. Chip!
    Chip: [to Belle, hopping away] Bye!
    [the wardrobe approaches Belle]
    Wardrobe: Well now, what shall we dress you in for dinner? Let's see what I've got in my drawers. [the doors fly open and moths flutter out. She slams them shut] Oh! How embarrassing. Here we are. [one door opens, the other serves as an arm. It pulls out a pink dress] Ah! There you are, you'll look ravishing in this 1!
    Belle: That's very kind of you, but I'm not going to dinner.
    Wardrobe: Oh, but you must!
    Cogsworth: [enters, clears his throat] Dinner is served.
    The Beast: [while packing back and forth in front of the fireplace] What's taking so long? I told her to come down. [shouts at Lumiere and Mrs. Potts] Why isn't she here yet?!
    Mrs. Potts: Oh, try to be patient, sir. The girl has lost her father and her freedom all in one day.
    Lumière: Uh, master. Have you thought that, perhaps, this girl could be the one to break the spell?
    The Beast: Of course I have! I'm not a fool.
    Lumière: Good! You fall in love with her, she falls in love with you, and - Poof! - the spell is broken! We'll be human again by midnight!
    Mrs. Potts: Oh, it's not that easy, Lumière. These things take time.
    Lumière: But the rose has already begun to wilt.
    The Beast: It's no use. She's so beautiful, and I'm so...well, look at me!
    [Lumière shrugs his shoulders and looks at Mrs. Potts]
    Mrs. Potts: Oh, you must help her to see past all that.
    The Beast: I don't know how.
    Mrs. Potts: Well, you can start by making yourself more presentable. Straighten up, try to act like a gentleman.
    [The Beast sits up, then straightens his face very formally]
    Lumière: [adds in] Ah yes, when she comes in, give her a dashing, debonair smile. Come, come. Show me the smile.
    [The Beast bears his ragged fangs in a scary, and yet funny grin]
    Mrs. Potts: But don't frighten the poor girl.
    Lumière: Impress her with your rapier wit.
    Mrs. Potts: But be gentle.
    Lumière: Shower her with compliments.
    Mrs. Potts: But be sincere.
    Lumière: And above all...
    Mrs. Potts and Lumière: You must control your temper!
    [The door creaks open]
    Lumière: There she is!
    [The Beast wipes the silly face off, and looks to the door expectantly]
    Cogsworth: [enters] Uh, good evening.
    The Beast: [growls] Well, where is she?
    Cogworth: Who? Oh! The girl. Yes, the, ah, girl. Well, actually, she's in the process of, ah, um, circumstances being what they are, ew... [gulps] She's not coming.
    [Cut to the exterior of den with door slightly ajar]
    The Beast: [enraged; offscreen] WHAT?!?! [bangs the doors open and runs out to the Belle's room, with Cogsworth, Lumière and Mrs. Potts chasing him]
    Cogsworth: Oh, dear, your grace! Your eminence! Let's not be hasty!
    The Beast: [runs up to the door and furiously bangs on it 12 times] I thought I told you to come down to dinner!
    Belle: [from behind the door] I'm not hungry.
    The Beast: You come out, or I'll...I'll...I'LL BREAK DOWN THE DOOR!!!
    Lumière: [interrupts] Master, I could be wrong, [chuckles] but that may not be the best way to win the girl's affections.
    Cogsworth: [pleads] Please! Attempt to be a gentlemen.
    The Beast: [lividly] But she is beings so difficult!
    Mrs. Potts: Gently, gently.
    The Beast: Will you come down to dinner?
    Belle: [from behind the door] No!
    The Beast: [looks at them, points to the door in frustration] Hmm?!
    Cogsworth: Suave. Genteel.
    The Beast: It would give me great pleasure... [clutching his paws in anger] if you would join me for dinner.
    Cogsworth: Ahem, ahem, we say "please".
    The Beast: Please.
    Belle: [from behind the door] No, thank you!
    The Beast: You can't stay in there forever!
    Belle: [from behind the door; provoked] Yes, I can.
    The Beast: Fine! Then go ahead and STARVE!! [to Cogsworth, Lumière and Mrs. Potts] If she doesn't eat with me, then she doesn't eat at all.
    [The Beast runs back down the hall, slams a door hard enough to cause a piece of the ceiling to fall on Lumière.]
    Mrs. Potts: Oh, dear. That didn't go very well at all, did it?
    Cogsworth: Lumière, stand watch at the door and inform me at once if there is the slightest change.
    Lumière: [taking guard position next to door] You can count on me, mon-capitan.
    Cogsworth: Well, I guess we better go downstairs and start cleanin' up.
    [Cut to the Beast entering the West Wing and throwing a chair in his way aside.]
    The Beast: I ask nicely, but she refuses! What-What does she want me to do?! Beg?! [picks up the magic mirror] Show me the girl.
    Wardrobe: [in mirror; to Belle] Why, the master's not so bad once you get to know him. Why don't you give him a chance?
    Belle: I don't want to get to know him. I don't want to have anything to do with him!
    The Beast: [setting down magic mirror, speaking tenderly] I'm just fooling myself. She'll never see me as anything...but a monster. [another petal falls off the rose] It's hopeless. [puts his head in his hands as in a depressed state]
    Belle: [after dampening rag] Here, now. [sees the Beast licking the wound on his arm] Oh, don't do that. [the Beast backs away with a growl as the Objects start to back away in fear] Just hold still. [places the rag on the Beast's wound; the Beast mighty roars in pain and the Objects takes cover]
    The Beast: THAT HURTS!
    Belle: If you'd hold still, it wouldn't hurt as much!
    The Beast: Well, if you hadn't have run away, this wouldn't have happened.
    Belle: If you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away.
    The Beast: [he is about to utter a sentence but stops as he realizes that Belle is right] Well, you shouldn't have been in The West Wing!
    Belle: Well, you should learn to control your temper. [The Objects emerge from hiding as she has conquered the ferocious temper of the Beast. She moves the rag closer to the wound] Now, hold still. This might sting a little.
    The Beast: Hmm? [gives a surprised grunt, then grits his teeth as the rag is applied]
    Belle: By the way, thank you, for saving my life.
    The Beast: [opens his eyes, looking surprised] You're welcome.
    Beast: I let her go.
    Cogsworth: [chuckles] Yes, yes. Splen- [realizes what the Beast just said] You what? How could you do that?
    Beast: I had to.
    Cogsworth: Yes, but why?
    Beast: Because...I love her.
    Gaston: Come on out and fight! Were you in love with her, Beast? Did you honestly think she'd want you when she had someone like me?! [The Beast has been provoked enough. He emerges and they fight again] It's over, Beast! BELLE IS MINE!! [The Beast and Gaston are fighting on top of the castle; the Beast strikes at him, grabs him and holds him over the edge and last words] Let me go, let me go! Please...don't hurt me! I'll do anything! ANYTHING!!!!
    [The Beast glares with fury, then his anger slowly melts as he realizes that he's sinking to Gaston's level. He pulls Gaston back in and close to his face]
    The Beast: [in a calm, but tranquil fury manner] Get out. [shoves Gaston to the ground]
    Belle: [comes out on the balcony] Beast!
    The Beast: Belle. [begins to climb the tower until he reaches the balcony. He hangs over the side] Belle? [they reached their hands as they reunite] You came back.
    [The Beast and Belle stare passionately at each other, but the moment is interrupted when Gaston sneaks up and stabs the Beast in the back. The Beast roars in pain and Gaston pulls the knife out and swings back for another shot. The Beast starts to fall, knocks over Gaston off his balances. Belle reaches forward and pulls the Beast back, while Gaston falls off into the castle moat to his death. Belle helps the injured Beast up onto the balcony, where he lies down on the floor. The objects come rushing out but stay out of sight. The Beast lays dying with Belle at his side; meanwhile, the rose is down to its last petal]
    The Beast: [weakly] You...You came back.
    Belle: Of course, I came back. I couldn't let them.... [hugs the Beast] Oh, this is all my fault. If only I'd gotten here sooner.
    The Beast: Maybe it's better...it's better this way.
    Belle: Don't talk like that. You'll be all right. We're together now. Everything's going to be fine. You'll see.
    The Beast: [reaches up and touches Belle's cheek] At least...I got to see you...one last time. [his paw falls and his eyes close as he dies]
    Belle: [gasps] No. No! Please! Please! Please don't leave me! [sobs] I love you.
    [The last petal falls away, leaving Cogsworth, Lumière, and Mrs. Potts distraught; suddenly, a magical shower falls around the Beast and Belle, and the Beast rises into the air, turning into a human prince; then he lands on the ground and when he gets up, he turns toward Belle]
    Prince Adam: Belle...it's me.
    Belle: [looks into his eyes and recognizes him from the portrait] It is you!
    [Last lines]
    Chip: Are they going to live happily ever after, Mama?
    Mrs. Potts: Of course, my dear. Of course.
    Chip: [tiny pauses] Do I still have to sleep in the cupboard?

## About Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)

* Well, [originally] when we were planning the big elaborate dance sequence that would include a moving camera craning up to the ceiling on the characters that would really have more of a live action feel to them—there was always this nagging doubt in our minds that it wasn't going to work at all (laughs). We had sort of a back-up plan just in case, if none of this works we'll just turn off all the lights and Bella and the Beast will be dancing in a little spotlight in a darkened room like an ice skating show (laughs). Fortunately, when we got the first piece of test film back, it was amazingly breathtaking, made a big sigh of relief because we knew it was going to work.
* We actually designed all the camera movement first and animated the characters to match that.
* We created computer generated stand-ins, the ballroom was sort of a chicken-wire kind of thing and Bella & the Beast were represented by these box and egg sort of things.
* You have to make all the same decisions that a live action director would have to make. Everything from where to put the camera to what the emotional tone of the scene is going to be, in addition to answering all the questions about costume design and weather and color and all the numerous elements that go into making the scene. We're there every step of the way from the very first crude character designs and early storyboards to how loud the footsteps of the Beast should be as he's walking across the marble floor. We shepherd the process from beginning to end.
** Kirk Wise

## Cast (voices)

* Paige O'Hara – Belle
* Rex Everhart – Maurice
* Robby Benson – The Beast/Prince Adam
* Richard White – Gaston
* Jerry Orbach – Lumiere
* David Ogden Stiers – Narrator, Cogsworth
* Angela Lansbury – Mrs. Potts
* Mary Kay Bergman – Bimbette
* Kath Soucie – Bimbette
* Jesse Corti – Lefou
* Bradley Pierce – Chip
* Kimmy Robertson – Featherduster
* Hal Smith – Philippe
* Jack Angel – Tom
* Phil Proctor – Dick
* Bill Farmer – Stanley
* Patrick Pinney – Walter

## External links

* Beauty and the Beast quotes at the Internet Movie Database