Source plot synopsis — includes the ending
In a faraway land lives a young but cruel and selfish prince in his castle. One night, an old beggar woman arrives at a castle and offers the prince an enchanted rose in exchange for shelter from a storm. When he scornfully declines, she reveals her true form as an enchantress and transforms him into a beast and his servants into household objects. To break the curse, the prince must learn to love someone and gain that person's love before the last petal of the rose falls; if he fails, he will remain a beast for the rest of his life.
Ten years later, in a nearby village, Belle, the bookish daughter of eccentric inventor Maurice, dreams of adventure while constantly rejecting advances from Gaston, an arrogant hunter. One day, Maurice travels to a local fair to present his latest invention, a wood-chopping machine, but becomes lost in the forest. Upon seeking refuge in the Beast's castle, he is eventually detained for trespassing. Maurice's horse, Philippe, returns to Belle and takes her to the castle. After Belle finds Maurice locked in the castle dungeon, she offers to take his place as a prisoner; the Beast agrees.
Belle meets the castle's servants, including candelabra Lumière, mantel clock Cogsworth, teapot Mrs. Potts, and her son Chip, a teacup. To break the spell, the servants try to help the Beast win Belle's heart, but his temper makes her more distant. When Belle finds the enchanted rose, the Beast angrily forces her to flee outside. Wolves ambush Belle, and the Beast rescues her, getting injured in the process. As she nurses his wounds, they develop a rapport. Over time, they begin to fall in love.
In the village, Maurice fails to convince the townsfolk of the Beast. Hearing Maurice's statements, Gaston bribes Monsieur D'Arque, the warden of the local insane asylum, to have Maurice declared insane and locked up, which Gaston will use to blackmail Belle into marrying him in exchange for Maurice's release. Before they can act, Maurice leaves to attempt a rescue alone. At the castle, Belle and the Beast have a romantic dance, which almost seals their love. After that, Belle discovers Maurice's predicament via a magic mirror. Out of his love for her, the Beast releases Belle to rescue him. After returning to town, a mob led by Gaston and D'Arque arrive to arrest Maurice. Belle reveals the Beast via the mirror, shocking the townsfolk and proving her father's sanity. Realizing she has fallen for the Beast, Gaston jealously has her thrown into the cellar with Maurice and rallies the villagers to kill the Beast. Chip, who stowed away when Belle left, frees the two with Maurice's machine.
As the castle's servants defeat the villagers, Gaston attacks the depressed Beast, who regains his spirit upon seeing Belle return and spares Gaston's life, but Gaston fatally stabs him before losing his footing and falling to his demise. Belle tearfully professes her love to a dying Beast mere seconds before the last petal falls, which undoes the curse, reviving the Beast and restoring him and his servants to their human forms, and the castle is restored to its true appearance. The prince and Belle later host a ball for the kingdom.
Ten years later, in a nearby village, Belle, the bookish daughter of eccentric inventor Maurice, dreams of adventure while constantly rejecting advances from Gaston, an arrogant hunter. One day, Maurice travels to a local fair to present his latest invention, a wood-chopping machine, but becomes lost in the forest. Upon seeking refuge in the Beast's castle, he is eventually detained for trespassing. Maurice's horse, Philippe, returns to Belle and takes her to the castle. After Belle finds Maurice locked in the castle dungeon, she offers to take his place as a prisoner; the Beast agrees.
Belle meets the castle's servants, including candelabra Lumière, mantel clock Cogsworth, teapot Mrs. Potts, and her son Chip, a teacup. To break the spell, the servants try to help the Beast win Belle's heart, but his temper makes her more distant. When Belle finds the enchanted rose, the Beast angrily forces her to flee outside. Wolves ambush Belle, and the Beast rescues her, getting injured in the process. As she nurses his wounds, they develop a rapport. Over time, they begin to fall in love.
In the village, Maurice fails to convince the townsfolk of the Beast. Hearing Maurice's statements, Gaston bribes Monsieur D'Arque, the warden of the local insane asylum, to have Maurice declared insane and locked up, which Gaston will use to blackmail Belle into marrying him in exchange for Maurice's release. Before they can act, Maurice leaves to attempt a rescue alone. At the castle, Belle and the Beast have a romantic dance, which almost seals their love. After that, Belle discovers Maurice's predicament via a magic mirror. Out of his love for her, the Beast releases Belle to rescue him. After returning to town, a mob led by Gaston and D'Arque arrive to arrest Maurice. Belle reveals the Beast via the mirror, shocking the townsfolk and proving her father's sanity. Realizing she has fallen for the Beast, Gaston jealously has her thrown into the cellar with Maurice and rallies the villagers to kill the Beast. Chip, who stowed away when Belle left, frees the two with Maurice's machine.
As the castle's servants defeat the villagers, Gaston attacks the depressed Beast, who regains his spirit upon seeing Belle return and spares Gaston's life, but Gaston fatally stabs him before losing his footing and falling to his demise. Belle tearfully professes her love to a dying Beast mere seconds before the last petal falls, which undoes the curse, reviving the Beast and restoring him and his servants to their human forms, and the castle is restored to its true appearance. The prince and Belle later host a ball for the kingdom.
Sources and content license
Source and revision history ↗ · Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Beauty and the Beast (1991 film). Section headings and formatting adjusted. · Content license