25 Things I Love about Beauty and the Beast

Ever since I was a little girl, “Beauty and the Beast” has always been one of my very favorite Disney movies. I had the privilege growing up to visit Walt Disney World often, which may help explain my passion. In fact, there is a home video of me about a year old at the “Beauty and the Beast” stage show at then MGM Studios and I could not look happier. Surely at that age I was mesmerized by the singing and dancing enchanted objects, but little did I know just how much this story would someday mean to me.

“Beauty and the Beast” has taught me so much throughout my life. It is so much more than just a movie, it’s a story that I will forever hold close to my heart. In celebration of it’s 25th anniversary, I have made a list of 25 things I love about “Beauty and the Beast.”

I love…

1. The way the film starts telling the story with beautiful stained glass windows.
2. The song “Belle.” It’s almost a six minute opening number, but it’s perfect. It tells so much about both Belle and Gaston’s personality, along with the town.
3. That Belle is the only one in the village wearing the color blue. It solidifies the fact that she feels like an outcast in her town, although they all think she’s beautiful. She later comes to find the Beast, who also is found wearing blue.
4. That Gaston is the only one in the village wearing a vibrant red. That also solidifies the fact that he is the villain, and quite evil despite his charm.
5. That Belle always has a piece of hair in her face, showing that she has imperfections regardless of her exterior beauty.
6. When Belle sings that she wants adventure in the great wide somewhere. This is such a powerful line that Belle sings that truly showcases her unconventional personality.
7. Phillipe. Isn’t he just the cutest horse?
8. Cogsworth’s witty and pompous personality.
9. Cogsworth in general. Some of his one liners, in my opinion, really make the movie. For example, “if it’s not baroque, don’t fix it” and “Well, there’s the usual things: flowers… chocolates… promises you don’t intend to keep.”
10. When Belle starts to show Beast her sassy and somewhat stubborn side. One of my favorite scenes in the film is when Beast is trying to get Belle to come down to dinner and he tells her that she cannot stay in there forever and she fires back with “oh yes I can!”
11. All of the food during the “Be Our Guest” scene! Beef ragout, cheese souffle, pie and pudding en flambe! Who wouldn’t want to eat that?
12. The enchanted rose. It’s just so beautiful.
13. Mrs. Potts’ compassionate and warm personality. In a way, she comforts Belle the most and gives her a motherly figure.
14. When the Beast saves Belle from the wolves. Talk about heroic.
15. The entire “Something There” scene. This is one of the first times we see interest between Belle and Beast, and it is one of my favorite songs. We start to see the softer side of Beast, all thanks to Belle.
16. When Lumiere gives Beast a makeover before his special dinner with Belle. He also gives him some great first date advice, “you must be bold, daring.”
17. The breathtakingly beautiful ballroom. This is definitely the film’s most memorable and iconic scene, and for good reason. The way Beast twirls Belle around that ballroom is every girl’s dream. 
18. When Beast lets Belle go because he loves her. This scene really shows how much Belle has changed Beast, and how much he truly cares for her. It’s heartbreaking.
19. The “Mob Song.” I must admit even though he is evil, there is just something about Gaston that I love. He’s always so focused on winning, no matter what it is, which could be seen as somewhat admirable. This song is such a powerful song leading up to the end dual between Gaston and Beast.
20. When Beast sees Belle come back to help him during his dual with Gaston. You can see his will to live rush back into him, and he suddenly has something to fight for.
21. The final words exchanged between Beast and Belle before he is transformed. Belle finally tells Beast how she feels…
22. The transformation. Beast transforms into a human RIGHT BEFORE BELLE’S EYES. However, she somehow still questions it…
23. BEAST/PRINCE ADAM. He seriously is my favorite prince of all time. He is such a complex character and I love watching Belle bring out the best in him. He’s not a bad looking prince either…
24. The message of this movie that true beauty comes from within. We must learn to look past what is on the outside because it is truly what is on the inside that matters. Being compassionate, like Belle when she takes her father’s place in the castle, and selfless, like Beast when he agrees to let Belle go see her father, is representations of true inner beauty.
25. How this movie changed my life. “Beauty and the Beast” has taught me it’s okay to be different. Belle, along with her father, was seen as an outcast in her town. The Beast was also different. Standing out is not necessarily a bad thing, neither is being different. Belle was also always able to look past appearance. Just look at Gaston, the most handsome guy in town. Every girl in town went crazy over Gaston, except for Belle. That was because she had the ability to look past his appearance to see his true self. She fell in love with a Beast, not because of his appearance, but because of what was inside.