Beauty and the Beast Review (1991) - A timeless, enchanting, and heartwarming journey through the magic of love, courage, and transformation in an enchanted castle!

As we waltz into the season of love, we potatoes are absolutely thrilled to twirl back in time to a classic that has danced its way into our hearts! Disney's 1991 animated masterpiece, "Beauty and the Beast." This film isn't just a part of our movie collection; it's one of us potatoes’ favorite Disney films. This film is a cherished memory, a warm embrace from our childhood that continues to enchant us no matter how many times we revisit the magical castle! We still cry at the end of the film!

Let's set the stage for those who might be new to this tale as old as time. "Beauty and the Beast" isn't just any fairy tale; it's a gorgeously animated journey that blends romance, adventure, and the timeless lesson that true beauty lies within. But before we dive deeper, we want to give a gentle reminder that while this story is a feast for the senses, it also touches on some complex themes of captivity, rage, isolation, mental health, healing, and transformation. It's always good to approach with caution, but it is truly a classic that we believe is safe for most people.

We will do everything we can to not give too many spoilers in this review but there is likely to be some so please take that into consideration and read cautiously.

Now, let's begin the tale!

We open with a scene of a gorgeous forest, with beautifully tragic, orchestral music that sets the tone for the fairy tale prologue. Here we set the stage for the story with a narration, as we close up on castle and a series of stained glass windows that vividly illustrate the tale!

We get introduced to a young, selfish prince living in a magnificent castle. One cold winter's night, an old beggar woman arrives at the castle, seeking shelter from the bitter cold and offering a single rose in return for warmth.

The prince, “repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away.” She warns him “not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within.” He rejects her again and the woman's form then transforms, revealing her true identity as a beautiful enchantress! The prince tires to apologize, “but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart.” She punishes the prince for his lack of compassion by casting a powerful spell on him, turning him into a fearsome beast and placing a curse on the castle and all who live within.

We potatoes found this to be a bit harsh. Adam, or better known as Beast was just a child when this occurred. Children often do and say foolish, insensitive, and selfish things. Does this mean that they deserve to be punished so severely? We do wish that they could tell us precisely what he said. It would be easier to determine if the punishment truly fits the crime. But we digress!

The enchantress leaves behind a magic mirror to look upon the world with, and the rose, now enchanted, which plays the role of a magical hourglass, with each petal wilting and dropping, counting down the time until his 21st year which is all the time that Beast has to break the spell. To do so, he must learn to love another and earn their love in return before the last petal falls, or he, “would be doomed to remain a beast for all time!” Again…it seems a bit harsh!

We pan back from the castle, as a storm settles over the screen, and fade to black. The title of the movie, “Beauty and the Beast” appears on the screen and we fade from black to a cute little farm house. A rooster crows, indicating that it is the start of the day, and the sun warms the screen.

We see a dark haired young woman with a small basket and a book exit the house. This is Belle, (Paige O’Hara), our main character, and a woman we potatoes greatly admire. She has a love for books, intellect, and she is a free spirit.

Belle walks into her quaint little town in France, singing, and reading. Here we learn that Belle dreams of adventure, and of a life beyond the provincial! Her yearning for something more, her courage to be different, her general fortitude, and her compassionate and kind heart make her a character we potatoes truly adore.

We also meet the most deplorable character in the movie, Gaston (Richard White). Gaston is a brash, bullheaded, non-too-bright, man who thinks incredibly highly of himself because he happens to fit the conventional mold of “attractive” as well as being able to hunt well. We could see how the hunting skills could be useful, especially for the time frame the movie is set in, but there is really nothing at all to recommend Gaston.

Well, what do you know, Gaston is fixated on Belle because she is also attractive. Does he know anything about her? Do they share any interests? Values? Morals? Etc.? You know the important things…not at all. He thinks she’s pretty, and he’s “pretty”…so by his Neanderthal, alpha male, mentality…pretty goes with pretty! Eye roll. We digress but we do have to admit that we love him as a bad guy. He can be tough to take at times because of his realism though. We know that we have met and dealt with our fair share of Gaston like people.

Gaston bothers Belle as she is heading back to her house after her jaunt through town. Belle is having none of it. She is kind but she has boundaries and she is firm with him. She easily resists the advances of Gaston, as she is not at all attracted or into him in any way…what a surprise! But Gaston, the arrogant “town hero” is determined to marry her one day!

As she turns away from Gaston’s stupidity, there is an explosion at her house! She rushes forward and the film shifts focus to Belle's eccentric older father, Maurice (Rex Everhart), who is an inventor. Maurice caused a small explosion because he is preparing for a fair! He wants to showcase his wood chopping machine at the fair and win a prize. Belle is exceedingly understanding towards her father, and the love, support and acceptance they have for each other is incredibly sweet!

We are going to start going over things a little more quickly, as there is much to cover! Maurice gets his machine to work! Thrilled he eagerly sets off for the fair with Belle’s blessing, but he loses his horse and his way in the forest. As he tries to find his way, he stumbles upon the Beast's cursed castle. Intrigued, scared, cold and seeking refuge, Maurice enters the castle, only to be greeted by inanimate objects…that can talk??! Here we meet some more much beloved characters! Lumiere, (Jerry Orbach) the candelabra, Cogsworth, (David Ogden Stiers) the table clock, Mrs. Potts, (Angela Lansbury) the tea pot and a small chipped tea cup named Chip (Bradley Pierce).

At first Maurice is terrified! But they are all so friendly, accommodating, hospitable and kind (except for Cogsworth of course) that Maurice believes himself to be safe…for a moment. Until the warm gathering gets interrupted by Beast (Robby Benson)! Beast snarls his way to Maurice, he is not happy about having a stranger in his home at all, and he considers it trespassing! “So, you’ve come to stare at the Beast, have you?!” Maurice protests! But Beast is enraged, and unreasonable, so Beast gives Maurice “a place to stay…” in his dungeon.

Back at Belle’s farmhouse, Gaston’s audacity and nonsense truly knows no bounds! We see him and his lackey Lefou (Jesse Corti), creeping on Belle in the bushes outside of her house. Gaston is so convinced that he can get Belle to agree to marry him that not only is he going to march into the house and propose to her…he has already arranged the entire wedding! He is not even engaged, but he is so positive that he can propose and get her to the altar immediately afterwards!

Well, do you think it went well? Of course not, Belle is disgusted by Gaston. She is as kind as she can be to someone like that, and manages to boot him out of her house not too long after he muscled his way in and told her that he was “making her dreams come true.”

Pissed off, embarrassed, and the type of delusional only an “alpha male” can be, he tells Lefou that despite her giving him a resounding NO that he will, “have Belle for my wife. Make no mistake about that!”

Belle waits a moment, and looks around outside before stepping out. She wants to be sure that Gaston has left, and is astounded and grossed out by his proposal…and just general person.

Belle runs out into the meadow behind her home. The animation is so stunning in this film, we really wish that Disney would still produce films with this animation style on occasion. It would be lovely to see again. Moving on and wrapping up!

Belle becomes worried when Felipe, the farm horse returns without her father, Maurice. She sets out to find him and her search leads her to the Beast's castle. Here she finds Maurice locked away in Beasts tower dungeon. Beast appears, behind her and demands to know who she is! He sticks to the shadows, he declares that Maurice is his prisoner and that there is nothing she can about it. In a selfless act of love, Belle offers to take her father's place as the Beast's prisoner. The Beast is astounded by the offer. “You would…take his place?”

She assures him that she would but only if he releases her father. Beast agrees, but he does so under the condition that she lives at the castle forever. “You must promise to stay here forever.”

Belle asks him to come into the light, and is shocked by what she sees…despite his terrifying visage…she gives him her word. She will stay with him…forever.

From here, Beast releases her father but he does not allow them to say goodbye to each other. He gives Belle a well-appointed room within the castle. We learn from here, and throughout the rest of the film how tragic Beast’s behavior and story truly is. We also learn, just how stupid, spiteful, and envious Gaston is too! But to avoid spoilers and because we here love Beast we want to talk more in-depth about him specifically.

We see how the isolation has greatly affected Beast’s mental health as well as the deep guilt, shame and self-loathing that he harbors. We want to preface right now, that we potatoes do not think that trauma, complex mental health, personality disorders, etc. provide anyone with an excuse to be abusive.

Looking at Beast’s behavior honestly he is rather abusive, self-absorbed, and can be cruel. He regulates his emotions poorly, and allows his rage, fed from his shame, to run amuck. We potatoes do not endorse this, agree with this, or think that his behavior, including entrapping a young woman in his home for “forever” is in any way excusable or ok.

But, we do want to delve into Beast, because despite all of his problematic behaviors, and choices…we still find him to be endearing and believe that he truly does love Belle. So, we would like to delve deeper into the tapestry of Beast's rage, mental health, profound healing and growth. We feel that it is a nuanced journey and that there are things to be learned from Beast. From rage to redemption, Beast goes on a healing journey, but it is not an instantaneous one. It is a journey that represents the transformative power of empathy, compassion, and kindness.

Beast's initial demeanor, shrouded in anger and despair, is a reflection of the inner turmoil formed by years of isolation, shame and regret. His journey towards healing does begin when he meets Belle. Her intrinsic kindness, bravery and capacity to see beyond his appearance is healing for Beast, but it is not, in our opinion, what heals him. Beast heals himself.

But! It's through their interactions, filled with moments of vulnerability, empathy and understanding that Beast starts to confront the roots of his anger. We see this in scene’s where Belle shows him grace when he would typically get frustrated and fall into a rage. He learns how to show himself more grace, and by doing so he confronts his shame and humiliation which is the source of his self-loathing. He is then able to open his heart to the possibility of love and forgiveness because he is learning how to love and forgive himself.

This metamorphosis we see in Beast is touchingly clear in the moment he chooses to release Belle. This decision that marks a pivotal point in his journey. This act of selflessness, of putting Belle's happiness and freedom above himself, is a huge moment for him. It's a testament to the depth of his growth and love.

We also want to address something that we often hear folks toss around… the talk about Stockholm Syndrome when talking about "Beauty and the Beast," which we will openly admit irks us potatoes. It's a bit too simple and doesn't do justice to Belle or Beast. The movie isn't about Belle warming up to her captor; it's about genuine love that grows with time, and from a place of kindness, respect and understanding.

Belle's anything but a damsel in distress! She's tough, makes her own choices, and cares deeply. When she chooses to return to Beast, it's not because she feels obligated; it's about real affection and wanting to be there for him. Their reunion? Pure emotion, respect, and tenderness proving their love is the real deal, not some fairy tale take on Stockholm Syndrome. This act of returning, not just once but twice, is Belle choosing to be with the Beast even when all barriers have been lifted. We potatoes feel that this highlights the depth of Belle’s bravery as well as their connection, and love. But we can be extra cheesy potatoes at times!

Then…there is Gaston… Oh, Gaston! Where to begin! Gaston is a prime example of the textbook definition of toxic masculinity on steroids. He's all brawn, no brain, and thinks he's God's gift to, well, everyone. Gaston' believes Belle should be grateful just to breathe the same air as him. He is highly egotistical and is truly vomit inducing. The way he treats women? Major red flags! He doesn't listen, respects zero boundaries, is highly misogynistic and can't handle rejection. Gaston's character is a walking, talking lesson on what NOT to be. Gaston is an excellent illustration on the dangers of misogyny, unchecked ego, dehumanization of others and disrespect. We have a love, hate relationship with him to be sure, which makes him a truly fantastic bad guy…if not a bit too real.

Moving on to the stunning animation in "Beauty and the Beast" because, wow! We have to give Disney credit here, they really went all out with this one. The colors, the fluid movements, and those iconic scenes. The ballroom dance? Pure magic and we love it every single time we watch this movie! Every frame was painted with so much love and attention to detail. Watching it feels like flipping through a gorgeous storybook that's come to life. Seriously, it's no wonder this movie's a classic; the animation alone is enough to make this movie stand out from any crowd!

There is not much that we would change about this film, but there are a few things that we noticed that would have been nice. The timeline could be showcased more effectively. She is supposed to have lived with him for an entire year, which is a tight schedule for such a big love story. And let's not forget how everyone in the castle got punished because of the Beast's bad attitude. Again…seems a bit harsh, especially considering Adam was a child when he was transformed.

We also feel that the film can be easily misconstrued, appearing to have Belle “fix” Beast with love. The truth is you can't fix other people. The implication that the right person can fix you or heal you is one of the few problems with the themes of the film. Beast does work on himself, but the film could have done a better job of showcasing this more clearly. It is important to be aware that love, while wonderful, is not a cure all.

Lastly, we felt that it would have been nice, especially at the end of the film, if we as the audience got to learn Beast’s proper name. It is only through research that we are able to learn that his first name is actually Adam. We felt it would have been poignant and lovely to have him ask Belle to no longer call him Beast, but to call him Adam.

As we reflect on "Beauty and the Beast," we're reminded that at its heart, it's a story about seeing and embracing the beauty within others and ourselves. It's a tale that champions the idea that true love is about choice, sacrifice, growth and having the courage to change.

We love this movie and could not recommend it more! If you are someone that is captivated by a good love story with redemption and magic! Then this is the film for you!

So! Here's to Beast's journey of healing, to Belle's unwavering spirit, and to a love story that continues to inspire us, reminding us that love can be found anywhere, including within ourselves. Cheers to a tale that has danced its way into our hearts, teaching us to look beyond the surface and to believe in ourselves, to heal, redeem and grow. Most importantly, cheers to you!

We give this movie 5 out 5 Red Rose Cocktails!

The Beauty and the Beast Drinking Game

Take a sip anytime:

1.     Anyone fawns over Gaston

2.     Anyone mentions how strange Belle is

3.     Anyone says “Belle”

4.     Anyone says “Beast”

5.     Anyone calls Belle's dad crazy

6.     There's a zoom in on the enchanted rose

7.     Anyone uses the magic mirror

8.     Belle reads

9.     Belle is brave

10.  Belle stands up for what's right

11.  Beast loses his temper

12.  Beast roars

13.  Beast is kind or shows growth

14.  Lumiere talks over Cogsworth

15.  Lumiere acts randy or inappropriate

16.  Lumiere upstages Cogsworth

17.  Cogsworth panics

18.  Cogsworth gets annoyed at Lumierre

19.  Lumiere and Cogsworth bicker

20.  Mrs. Potts mentions or pours tea

21.  Gaston flexes

22.  Gaston looks at himself in the mirror

23.  Gaston talks about himself

24.  Gaston obsesses over Belle

What did you think? Did you like the movie? Did you hate it? What movies should we watch? Any and all thoughts are welcome! Let us know here in the comments and always remember to be safe and drink responsibly!