Tale as old as time...

Maggie really loves "Beauty and the Beast." and I have been feeding this love, left and right. she has a little Belle action figure that she plays with endlessly, she watches the movie itself regularly, she requests the storybook at bedtime, and we picked up the greatest hits from iTunes. "Be Our Guest" is such a showstopper. RIP Jerry Orbach, you really hit it out of the ballpark with that one. I would love to see a documentary about the making of the soundtrack to that movie. And dear sweet Angela Landsbury as Mrs. Potts, she also really gave it her all. And Cogsworth is a hoot, and Gaston. What a perfect villan. That song of his is so great, too. To say nothing of all the little jokes tucked in to the sequence in the movie itself. Good stuff!

The adults in the house have analyzed the script and story structure, however. And we have a few questions. First off, why the long goodbye after Belle sees her father in the magic mirror? She's not going off the face of the earth, just back to the village. You would think the Beast would tell her to come back, bring her back to the castle. Or that Belle would want to bring back her Papa to the castle. Enchanted objects being what they are, why stick around in the aforementioned quiet village with the provincial life and all? Get back to the enchanted castle, and bring your loved ones! And why didn't the Beast go with her? He shows up in the forest to save her from the pack of hungry wolves, plus her Papa had been chased to the castle in the first place by those same wolves, so wouldn't you think he would want to accompany her?

Regarding Mrs. Potts and her son Chip... at one point, she says to him, "off to bed with your brothers and sisters" and shoo's him into the china cabinet. brothers and sisters? what are their names? where they his brothers and sisters before the spell was cast? The enchanted spell perhaps turned specific people into household items (candelabra, clock, teapot, etc.) and then enchanted the remaining inventory of household goods via a different method, perhaps. it is also interesting to note that the enchantment certainly isn't contained to the magic castle boundaries. Chip the teacup hides in Belle's bag when she goes to rescue her father, the magic mirror works like a charm when Belle needs to show the villagers the hideous beast, Beat is able to use his Beastleyness to fend off the pack of wolves, etc.

Also, when she begins to see the Beast as a real person, why does she continue to call him that insulting name? He had a name before the enchantress cast the spell, and it couldn't have been Beast, you know? Although the enchanted objects appear to have the same names ("Cogsworth! Mrs. Potts!") after the spell has been reversed. But could it be that the guy's name was actually Beast before the spell was cast?

Anyways. We've got a new favorite working it's way into our hearts. My Neighbor Totoro, which perhaps someday I'll deconstruct for you just like I did here. Have a good day!