Movie Review—Beauty and the Beast

Theatrical release poster

by Peter J. O'Connell

Beauty and the Beast. Released: March 2017. Runtime: 129 mins. MPAA Rating: PG for some action violence, peril, and frightening images.

The story of “Beauty” and the “Beast” has been delighting readers and audiences for centuries—as classic fairy tale, as classic French film of the 1940s, as beloved animated musical feature and stage show from the 1990s, and in many other formulations and genres. Now we have Beauty and the Beast as a live-action adaptation of the animated feature.

Helmed by Bill Condon, the film is a full-bodied musical in the tradition of the classics of the 1945-1965 period (and includes a very specific homage to The Sound of Music), but with the addition of the kind of movie magic that contemporary technology can provide.

The story, of course, involves a coldhearted prince (Dan Stevens) who refuses a beggar woman shelter because she has offered him only a rose as payment. The woman is actually a beautiful enchantress who transforms the prince into a monstrous beast and his servants into household objects. She also isolates the prince's castle and erases memories of it and him from everyone. She casts a spell on the rose and warns the prince that unless he learns to love and earn love in return before the last petal falls, he and his servants will lose their humanity forever.

Meanwhile, in a nearby village, a beautiful young woman, Belle (Emma Watson), lives with her clockmaker father, Maurice (Kevin Kline). Belle is independent minded. She loves to read and teach others to read. She also invents an innovative way to do laundry! Gaston (Luke Evans), a former soldier full of braggadocio, is taken with Belle, but she spurns his advances. 

A series of events leads to Maurice's being imprisoned by the Beast, who then agrees to accept Belle as a substitute for him. Belle is befriended by the household objects (brought to life by computer-generated imagery), and gradually a friendship develops between her and the Beast, aided by their joint interest in books. 

As the friendship of Belle and the Beast moves toward romance, various complications in the village, provoked by Gaston, put Maurice in danger and lead to a villagers' march, a la Frankenstein, against the Beast. Violence ensues. Will there be a “happy ever after”? You know the answer to that question!

As for the question, how good is this version of the tale?, the answer is very good indeed. The wonderful music by Howard Ashmun, Alan Merken, and Tim Rice includes classics from the animated feature and new material. As a singer, Emma Watson is no Judy Garland, but she does male a winsome Belle. Dan Stevens is an adequate Beast. Luke Evans is a strapping Howard Keel-type, and Kevin Kline's performance is perfectly nuanced. The household objects are voiced by such talents as Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, and others. 

Perhaps the film runs a bit long, but it's time well spent in a world of enchantment to which the Disney Company has invited us. Be their guest!

“Footnote” to the film: Ryan Gosling was originally slated for the role of the Beast but turned it down to co-star in La La Land. Emma Watson was originally slated to co-star in La la Land but turned that down to play Belle. Emma Stone got the role in La La Land—and an Oscar.