When most people think of Disney’s animated classic Beauty and the Beast, they don’t usually think “Is this based on a true story?” After all, the film is a musical fantasy about a young woman who falls in love with a cursed prince who has been transformed into a beast. Surely, something like that could never happen in real life…or could it?
It turns out that Beauty and the Beast is actually based on a real life story…sort of. The film was inspired by a French fairy tale of the same name that was first published in 1740 by novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. However, the original story bears little resemblance to the Disney film. In fact, many elements of the film were created specifically for the movie and are not found in the original story at all. These include the iconic yellow ball gown worn by Belle, the talking teapot Mrs. Potts, and the character of Lumiere, the candelabra.
Also, in Villeneuve’s version, Belle is not held prisoner by the Beast and she does not fall in love with him until after he has been transformed back into a prince. In addition, Belle has two wicked sisters (in the film she is an only child) and there is no enchanted castle or talking furniture.
So while Disney’s Beauty and the Beast may have been inspired by a real life story, it is definitely not based on one. And that’s just fine with us! We much prefer Disney’s version anyway. 😉
Next time you watch Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, remember that while it may have been inspired by a real life story, it is definitely not based on one. There are many elements of the film that were created specifically for the movie and are not found in Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve’s original 1740 story. So sit back, relax, and enjoy one of our all-time favorite Disney films!