By: Brandon Ruggiero

A few weeks ago, my Children’s Literature teacher showed this movie in class. I had not seen this movie before, and I’m so glad the class gave me an opportunity to watch it. 

The movie starts off with a selfishly unkind prince who hosts a ball. He is visited by an enchantress who disguised herself as a beggar woman. The enchantress offers him a rose in exchange for shelter from the storm. The prince refuses, she reveals her true form and turns him into a beast. His servants, then, get turned into household objects. In order for the curse to be broken the Beast must learn to love someone and earn their love before the last petal on the magic rose falls. Otherwise, he will stay a beast forever. Later on, we see Belle who consistently rejects advances from Gaston, arrogant hunter and bully. Maurice, Belle’s father, gets lost in a forest and seeks refuge in the Beast’s castle. When this happens the Beast imprisons Maurice for stealing a rose from the garden for Belle. Belle then offers to take her father’s place as prisoner, to which the Beast agrees. Belle befriends the servants in the castle. The Beast and Belle bond when she is ambushed by wolves while fleeing the castle. Meanwhile, Maurice cannot convince the other villagers of the existence of Beast. Belle returns and convinces the other villagers that the Beast is real. She also tries to convince them the Beast is not a monster. The frightened and ignorant villagers want to kill the Beast, and go to the castle and try to kill him. Maurice and Belle escape from an asylum cage and return to Beast’s castle. There, Gaston attacks the Beast,and shoots him. Gaston dies but Belle’s confession of love saves Beast as well as the servants, returning all to their human forms. The film ends with Belle and the Prince hosting a ball for the kingdom. 

I really enjoyed this movie as I was intrigued with the story. I was surprised I had never watched it before as  I am a Disney fan. This movie really spoke to me because it was emotional with moments of great joy and sadness. The cinematography, plot, and acting are great. The actors do a great job of conveying emotion which makes the story interesting and worth watching. I strongly recommend this movie. I am so glad I watched it, and I wish I had watched it sooner.