- Beauty and the Beast is unique amongst fairy tales in that most versions of the story introduce the Beast as a creature whose personality is as awful as his countenance. It is to Disney's credit that they retained this tradition by having their Beast (Robby Benson) receive his infamous curse by twice refusing an old woman shelter from a storm. It was his bad luck that she turned out to be a sorceress with a penchant for karmic retribution, but you can't say that he didn't deserve his punishment. So when the story opens some years later, has he reformed? Not at all! By the time we meet the Beast, he is all too eager to imprison the doddering inventor Maurice (Rex Everhart) for trespassing and is even willing to jail Maurice's daughter Belle (Paige O'Hara) in his stead. Prince Charming he ain't.
- So who could ever learn to love this Beast? The young maiden Belle is described by her fellow villagers (in song, of course) as "a beauty but a funny girl" and someone who "doesn't quite fit in." From what we see of the other townsfolk, that simply means that Belle is neither stupid nor superficial, two words that perfectly describe her suitor, Gaston (Richard White). Gaston is a perfect Narcissus who has difficulty looking at or talking about anyone but himself. His only other topic of conversation is his unreciprocated infatuation with Belle, whom he envisions as a "little wife massaging my feet." Too bad about her enthusiasm for reading, though, since that sort of thing leads to "ideas" and "thinking." Belle puts it best when she tells him "I just don't deserve you," but Gaston is never one to get the joke.
- Of course, it is equally true that Belle does not deserve her treatment at the hands of the Beast. His ill temper and awful manners initially form a stark contrast with the warm hospitality offered by the magically converted denizens of his enchanted castle, among whose number are counted a fastidious clock named Cogsworth (David Ogden Stiers, doing his best Roddy McDowall), the suave candelabra Lumiere (Jerry Orbach), and the motherly teapot Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury). In one of the film's most memorable scenes, these strangely vital housewares disregard the Beast's orders by providing Belle with a magnificent feast, singing and dancing included. Their goal is to charm Belle into seeing the Beast's true good nature, however well-concealed by fur and rudeness it may be. It is only when the Beast delivers Belle from the maws of a pack of wild wolves, however, that the two begin to see one another in a rather different light. You can bet that Gaston wouldn't approve.
- With its outstanding animation, memorable songs, and well-crafted story, Beauty and the Beast certainly deserves a place among the great Disney animated features. Particularly impressive is the film's abundant use of moving perspective shots that are notoriously challenging to execute with hand-drawn animation. The film's employment of CGI in the famous ballroom scene, somewhat of a milestone for its time, has also aged remarkably well. The voice acting is uniformly excellent and makes one pine for the days when voice actors were cast primarily for their talent rather than for having a recognizable name. Perhaps the film's only shortcoming, shared by its source material, is its rather muddled final message. While I assume that the intended moral was that one should not judge a Beast by its cover, the practical lesson seems to be that, with enough patience and effort, you too can transform ugly jerks into well-mannered and handsome princes. Good luck, ladies!
