| abstract | - In the prologue, an old beggar woman arrives at the castle of a young, spoiled and unkind French prince. The old beggar woman asks for shelter from the bitter cold, and in return, offers the young prince a rose. Repulsed by her appearance, the prince turns the old beggar woman away. It is then that the old beggar woman reveals that she is a beautiful enchantress and conjures a powerful curse, transforming the heartless prince into a hideous beast (as a reflection of his inner cruelty and hatred), his servants into anthropomorphic household items, and the castle into a dark, forbidding place, so that he will learn to not judge by appearances. The curse can only be broken if the Beast learns to love another and receives the other's love in return before the last petal of the enchantress's rose withers and falls; if not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for the rest of his life. As the years passed, the Beast stayed hidden in the gloomy castle, convinced no person could love such a hideous beast. Ten years later, a beautiful young woman named Belle has moved to a French Provençal village, where she is seen as eccentric due to her preference for reading books and dislike of being courted by the "rude and conceited" local hero, Gaston. At one point Gaston arrogantly offers his hand in marriage to Belle, which she politely but firmly rejects. Maurice, Belle's father, is an eccentric inventor. While traveling alone to a fair, Maurice becomes lost and loses his horse in the dark, stormy night while being pursued by wolves; cold and tired, he stumbles upon the dark castle and cautiously enters it. When the Beast discovers Maurice resting in the castle, he locks him in a dungeon. Belle, who worries when her father's horse returns home without him, seeks out her father, finds him at the Beast's castle and offers to take his place as the Beast's prisoner. Realizing that Belle could break the spell, the Beast agrees. He gives her permission to go anywhere in the castle except the West Wing, where he keeps the enchanted rose. The Beast then says if Belle needs anything, his servants will attend. The enchanted household items, including Lumière the candelabra and Cogsworth the clock and head of the household, welcome Belle warmly and entertain her with a fancy French dinner. Back in the village, the citizens cheer up Gaston after Belle has rejected him and his absurd marriage proposal. Maurice then bursts in and asks for help to rescue Belle from "the beast." No one believes him, believing that he is insane, and Gaston decides to force Belle to marry him by threatening to throw her father into an asylum. Maurice goes off to search for Belle, unaware of Gaston's plan. Belle sneaks into the forbidden West Wing, discovering slashed furniture, broken mirrors, a ripped-up portrait with strangely familiar blue eyes, and the enchanted rose. The Beast catches her and loses his temper. Belle flees the castle, and is chased by wolves. The Beast fights off the wolves; a grateful Belle returns to the castle and, while tending to the Beast's wounds, thanks him for saving her life. Over some time, the two start to become friends. The household items are excited and optimistic that Belle may fall in love with the Beast and cause them to become human again. The relationship reaches its climax with an elegant dinner and ballroom dance. Belle asks if she can see her father, and the magic mirror reveals that Maurice is lost and sick in the forest. The Beast, having fallen in love with Belle and feeling some pity for Maurice, releases her to go rescue her father. Although he knows that it may ruin his chances to become human again, his love for Belle overcomes this. As Belle flees on her horse the Beast utters a roar of sorrow. Belle finds Maurice and takes him back to the village, where a mob gathers to take him to the asylum. Gaston offers to spare Maurice if Belle agrees to marry him, but she still refuses. Some in the mob including Gaston himself accuse Maurice of ranting and raving about a "Beast" as they prepare to take him away. To prove that her father's claim of the Beast's existence is true, Belle uses the magic mirror to show the villagers an image of the Beast. The villagers become frightened as they realize that the Beast is real. Gaston feels spurned and betrayed by Belle, accusing her of loving "this monster," to which she replies, "He's no monster... You are!" Gaston angrily rallies the villagers to storm the castle and "kill the beast," telling them that he is dangerous. To prevent Belle and Maurice from warning the Beast, Gaston locks them in a cellar. With the help of Chip the teacup, Belle and Maurice escape from the cellar and rush back to the castle. The villagers force open the castle door, the enchanted objects have attacked and chased away all the villagers except Gaston, who mercilessly attacks the Beast. The Beast has lost the will to live, and does not retaliate until Belle rides up on her father's horse, Phillipe. A heated battle ensues between Gaston and the Beast, culminating when Gaston stabs the Beast in the back, only to lose his footing and fall off the high roof into the deep chasm below. Belle tries to reassure the badly wounded Beast that everything will be fine, but he knows that his wound is fatal and believes he is about to die. Belle, who is now heartbroken, whispers in tears that she loves him, just before the last petal falls from the rose. He is immediately transformed and returns to his human form--unrecognizable except for his piercing blue eyes. When Belle and the prince kiss, the curse is broken and the castle becomes beautiful again and the enchanted objects turn back into humans. The last scene shows Belle and the prince happily dancing in the ballroom, in front of many guests, which includes Maurice and the now-human assistants of the castle. Everybody is happy, and they live happily ever after.
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