Beauty and the Beast (re-release) 2002

A self-centered and cruel prince, while hosting a grand ball, encounters an enchantress disguised as a beggar woman in his castle. She offers him an enchanted rose in exchange for shelter from a brewing storm. However, when he rejects her offer, she reveals her true form and casts a spell on him, transforming him into a beast and turning his loyal servants into inanimate household objects. To escape this fate, he must learn to love and earn love in return before the rose loses its final petal; otherwise, he’ll remain a beast forever.

Fast forward several years to a nearby village, where Belle, the bookish daughter of the widowed artist Maurice, yearns for adventure while constantly turning down the advances of Gaston, an arrogant hunter and war veteran. One day, Maurice unexpectedly gets lost in the forest and seeks refuge in the Beast’s castle. Upon being caught stealing a rose from the garden, he is imprisoned by the Beast. In an act of bravery and love for her father, Belle offers to take Maurice’s place as the Beast’s captive.

In the castle, Belle encounters the enchanted servants, including the charming candelabra Lumière, the meticulous mantel clock Cogsworth, the flirtatious feather-duster Plumette, the warm teapot Mrs. Potts, and her adorable son Chip, a teacup. After discovering the enchanted rose, Belle is forced to run away by the Beast’s fury. However, when she is attacked by wolves, the Beast comes to her rescue, suffering injuries in the process. As Belle tends to his wounds, a connection begins to form between them. He shares a gift from the enchantress—an incredible book that can transport its reader to any place. Belle uses it to visit her childhood home in Paris, where she uncovers painful memories of her mother’s death from the bubonic plague and realizes her father’s past struggles.

In the village, Maurice’s attempts to warn the townsfolk about the Beast are met with skepticism. Gaston, interested in claiming Belle for himself, agrees to assist Maurice, but when he learns of Maurice’s true intentions, he abandons him to be attacked by wolves. Luckily, Maurice is rescued by the town’s hermit, Agathe, yet Gaston convinces the other villagers that Maurice belongs in an insane asylum. When Belle learns of her father’s fate through a magic mirror, she rushes back to save him. When she unveils the Beast to the villagers via the mirror, they are incredulous, confirming that her father is not insane.

Seeing Belle’s affection for the Beast makes Gaston furious, and in a fit of jealousy, he forcibly places Belle in the asylum carriage with Maurice, rallying the town’s men to hunt down the Beast. Meanwhile, Belle reveals the truth about her mother’s death to Maurice, and together, they manage to escape.

A fierce showdown ensues when Gaston confronts the despondent Beast, who finds renewed strength upon Belle’s return. Although the Beast spares his life, Gaston, driven by rage, shoots him from an unstable bridge, leading to his own demise. The Beast succumbs just as the last petal falls from the rose, and the enchanted servants return to their inanimate forms. In a moment of despair, Belle professes her love to him, leading to a miraculous intervention. Agathe, revealed to be the enchantress, lifts the curse, restoring the Beast and his servants to their human forms and returning the villagers’ lost memories. Ultimately, Belle and the prince, now free from the curse, host a magnificent ball for the entire kingdom, celebrating their newfound happiness.