Beauty and the Beast

1. Is democracy really on the rise?

2. Should music be censored?

3. Should staying in school be a requirement for having a driver's license?

4. Should wearing motorcycle helmets be a national law?

5. Should the U.S. extend more foreign aid?

6. Does America really believe in democracy?

7. Should a national abortion policy be adopted?

8. Are American politicians corrupt?

9. Should books be banned?

10. What messages are we getting through the media?

11. Is America's political system moral?

12. What could be done to improve the American educational system?

13. Is censorship a violation of freedom of expression?

14. Should the U.S. invade Iraq again to get rid of Saddam?

15. Is the two-party system dead?

16. Should more legal services be available for battered wives?

17. Should rapists and child molesters receive the death sentence?

18. What's wrong with our justice system?

19. Should teenagers accused of capital crimes be tried as adults?

20. Should the drinking age be lowered to 18?

21. Do morality and politics mix?

22. Is capital punishment ever justified?

23. Is TV worth watching?

24. Is racism still a problem in the United States?

25. Should the U.S. increase aid to the former Russian republics?

26. What should be done to curtail gang violence?

27. Is communism still a threat?

28. Should the budget for the space program be increased?

29. How can we decrease pollution in the U.S.?

30. Should all nuclear weapons be eliminated?

31. How can we solve the problem of family violence?

32. Are politics and honesty incompatible?

33. Should juvenile offenders be tried as adults?

34. Should states have the right to refuse hazardous wastes from other states?

35. Are prisons the answer for solving crime?

36. Should we be allowed to refuse life-prolonging medical treatment?

37. Is the death penalty used too much?

38. How can the cost of health care be contained?

39. Are the courts too lenient on criminals?

40. Should handguns be banned in the U.S?

41. Are we doing enough to solve child abuse?

42. How can we solve the problem of drug abuse?

43. Should we be allowed to burn the flag?

44. Is violence ever the answer?

45. Is recycling the answer to solid waste?

46. Do we still need to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on defense?

47. How can we eliminate racism in the U.S?

48. Should the movie rating system be revised?

49. Are parents too lenient with their children?

50. Are we becoming a nation of illiterates?

Beauty and the Beast

NARRATOR: Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a

shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired,

the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one

winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and

offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter

cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at

the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not

to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within.

And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness

melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince

tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that

there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she

transformed him into a hideous beast, and placed a

powerful spell on the castle, and all who lived there.

Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself

inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to

the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an

enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-first

year. If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in

return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would

be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for

all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost

all hope, for who could ever learn to love a beast?

(We have seen a progression of stained glass windows illustrating the narration,

as well as BEAST shredding his portrait. The camera slowly zooms out from the

castle and we see the title. Fade up on the home of BELLE. She exits the front

door and begins her walk into town.)

BELLE: Little town, it's a quiet village

Every day, like the one before

Little town, full of little people

Waking up to say...

TOWNSFOLK 1: Bonjour!

TOWNSFOLK 2: Bonjour!

TOWNSFOLK 3: Bonjour!

TOWNSFOLK 4: Bonjour!

TOWNSFOLK 5: Bonjour!

BELLE: There goes the baker with his tray like always

The same old bread and rolls to sell

Every morning just the same

Since the morning that we came

To this poor provincial town...

BAKER: Good morning, Belle!

(BELLE jumps over to the bakery)

BELLE: Morning monsieur!

BAKER: Where are you off to?

BELLE: The bookshop! I just finished the most wonderful story, about

a beanstalk and an ogre and...

BAKER: (Ignoring her) That's nice...Marie, the baguettes! Hurry up!!

TOWNSFOLK: Look there she goes, that girl is strange no question

Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?

WOMAN 1: Never part of any crowd

BARBER: Cause her head's up on some cloud

TOWNSFOLK: No denying she's a funny girl, that Belle!

(BELLE jumps on the back of a wagon and rides through town)

DRIVER: Bonjour!

WOMAN 2: Good day!

DRIVER: How is your family?

WOMAN 3: Bonjour!

MERCHANT: Good day!

WOMAN 3: How is your wife?

WOMAN 4: I need six eggs!

MAN 1: That's too expensive!

BELLE: There must be more than this provincial life!

(BELLE enters the bookshop)

BOOKSELLER: Ah, Belle!

BELLE: Good morning. I've come to return the book I borrowed.

BOOKSELLER: (Putting the book back on the shelf) Finished already?

BELLE: Oh, I couldn't put it down! Have you got anything new?

BOOKSELLER: (laughing) Not since yesterday.

BELLE: (on ladder of bookshelf) That's all right. I'll borrow...

this one.

BOOKSELLER: That one? But you've read it twice!

BELLE: Well it's my favorite! (BELLE swings off side of ladder,

rolling down it's track) Far off places, daring

swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!

BOOKSELLER: (handing her the book) Well, if you like it all that much,

it's yours!

BELLE: But sir!

BOOKSELLER: I insist!

BELLE: Well thank you. Thank you very much! (leaves bookshop)

MEN: (looking in window, then turning to watch her)

Look there she goes

That girl is so peculiar!

I wonder if she's feeling well!

WOMEN: With a dreamy far-off look!

MEN: And her nose stuck in a book!

ALL What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle!

(BELLE sits on the edge of a fountain, singing to the sheep and the washing

woman in the background, who leaves)

BELLE: Oh! Isn't this amazing!

It's my favorite part because, you'll see!

Here's where she meets Prince Charming

But she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter three!

WOMAN 5: Now it's no wonder that her name means 'beauty'

Her looks have got no parallel!

MERCHANT: But behind that fair facade

I'm afraid she's rather odd

Very different from the rest of us...

ALL: She's nothing like the rest of us

Yes different from the rest of us is Belle

(GEESE flying overhead, one is shot and plummets to the ground. LEFOU runs

over, holds out the bag, and misses catching the prize. He returns to GASTON)

LEFOU: Wow! You didn't miss a shot, Gaston! You're the

greatest hunter in the whole world!

GASTON: I know!

LEFOU: Huh. No beast alive stands a chance against

you...and no girl for that matter!

GASTON: It's true, Lefou, and I've got my sights set on that

one! (pointing to BELLE)

LEFOU: The inventor's daughter?

GASTON: She's the one! The lucky girl I'm going to marry.

LEFOU: But she's--

GASTON: The most beautiful girl in town.

LEFOU: I know--

GASTON: And that makes her the best. And don't I deserve the best?

LEFOU: Well of course, I mean you do, but I mean...

GASTON: Right from the moment when I met her, saw her

I said she's gorgeous and I fell

Here in town there's only she (BELLE walks by and away)

Who is beautiful as me

So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle

BIMBETTES: Look there he goes, isn't he dreamy

Monsieur Gaston, oh he's so cute

Be still my heart, I'm hardly breathing

He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute

(BELLE walks easily through the crowd of people in the town, GASTON struggles to

catch up to her)

MAN 1: Bonjour!

GASTON: Pardon!

MAN 2: Good day!

MAN 3: Mais oui!

WOMAN 1: You call this bacon?

WOMAN 2: What lovely grapes!

MAN 4: Some cheese!

WOMAN 3: Ten yards!

MAN 4: One pound

GASTON: 'xcuse me!

MAN 4: I'll get the knife!

GASTON: Please let me through!

WOMAN 4: This bread!

MAN 5: Those fish!

WOMAN 4: It's stale!

MAN 5: They smell!

MAN 6: Madame's mistaken!

BELLE: There must be more than this provincial life!

GASTON: Just watch I'm going to make Belle my wife! (TOWNSFOLK gather

around GASTON, and eventually surround him)

ALL: Look there she goes a girl who's strange but special

A most peculiar mademoiselle

It's a pity and a sin

She doesn't quite fit in!

GROUP 1: But she really is a funny girl

GROUP 2: A beauty but a funny girl

ALL: She really is a funny girl! That Belle!

GASTON: Hello, Belle.

BELLE: Bonjour Gaston. (GASTON grabs the book from BELLE) Gaston,

may I have my book, please?

GASTON: How can you read this? There's no pictures!

BELLE: Well, some people use their imaginations.

GASTON: Belle, it's about time you got your head out of those books

(tossing book into the mud) and paid attention to more

important things...like me! The whole town's talking about

it. (The BIMBETTES, who are looking on, sigh. BELLE has

picked up the book and is cleaning off the mud) It's not

right for a woman to read--soon she starts getting ideas...

and thinking.

BELLE: Gaston, you are positively primeval.

GASTON: (Putting his hand around her shoulders) Why thank you,

Belle. Hey, whaddya say you and me take a walk over to

the tavern and have a look at my hunting trophies.

BELLE: Maybe some other time.

BIMBETTE 1: What's wrong with her?

BIMBETTE 2: She's crazy!

BIMBETTE 3: He's gorgeous!

BELLE: Please, Gaston. I can't. I have to get home and help my

father.

LEFOU: Ha ha ha, that crazy old loon, he need all the help he can get!

(GASTON and LEFOU laugh heartily)

BELLE: Don't you talk about my father that way!

GASTON: Yeah, don't talk about her father that way! (He conks LEFOU on

the head.)

BELLE: My father's not crazy! He's a genius! (Explosion in background.

GASTON and LEFOU continue laughing. BELLE rushes home and

descends into the basement.)

BELLE: Papa?

MAURICE: How on earth did that happen? Dog gonnit! (He pulls the barrel

off his waist, along with his pants.)

BELLE: Are you all right, Papa?

MAURICE: I'm about ready to give up on this hunk of junk! (kicking

machine)

BELLE: You always say that.

MAURICE: I mean it, this time. I'll never get this boneheaded contraption

to work.

BELLE: Yes, you will. And you'll win first prize at the fair tomorrow

MAURICE: Hmmmph!

BELLE: ...and become a world famous inventor!

MAURICE: You really believe that?

BELLE: I always have.

MAURICE: Well, what are we waiting for. I'll have this thing fixed in no

time. (sliding under machine) Hand me that dog-legged clencher

there... So, did you have a good time in town today?

BELLE: I got a new book. Papa, do you think I'm odd?

MAURICE: My daughter? Odd? (Appears from under machine with bizarre

goggle contraption on his head distorting his eyes) Where would

you get an idea like that?

BELLE: Oh, I don't know. It's just I'm not sure I fit in here.

There's no one I can really talk to.

MAURICE: What about that Gaston? He's a handsome fellow!

BELLE: He's handsome all right, and rude and conceited and...Oh Papa,

he's not for me!

MAURICE: Well, don't you worry, cause this invention's going to be the

start of a new life for us. (Comes out from under machine) I

think that's done it. Now, let's give it a try. (MACHINE

whirs and chops wood, just as it should)

BELLE: It works!

MAURICE: It does? It does!

BELLE: You did it! You really did it!

MAURICE: Hitch up Phillipe, girl. I'm off to the fair! (Log strikes

him in the head, knocking him out. Fade to later in the day)

BELLE: Good bye, Papa! Good luck!

MAURICE: Good bye, Belle, and take care while I'm gone!

(MAURICE and PHILLIPE continue on their journey until they become lost)

MAURICE: We should be there by now. Maybe we missed a turn. I guess I

should have taken a...wait a minute. (Lifts lantern to

illuminate sign giving directions to Anaheim and Valencia)

Let's go this way!

(PHILLIPE looks right, at a dark, overgrown path, then left towards a more

inviting route, then begins to go left)

MAURICE: Come on, Phillipe! It's a shortcut. We'll be there in no time!

(PHILLIPE and MAURICE continue through the dark.)

MAURICE: This can't be right. Where have you taken us, Phillipe? We'd

better turn around...and...whoa...whoa boy, whoa Phillipe. Oh,

oh! Look out!

(A swarm of bats fly out of a tree. PHILLIPE runs through the forest avoiding

everything until he almost runs over the edge of a cliff)

MAURICE: Back up! Back up! Back up! Good boy, good boy. That's good,

that's--back up! Steady. Steady! Hey now. Steady. (PHILLIPE

finally bucks him off.) Phillipe! (PHILLIPE runs away, leaving

MAURICE on the edge of the cliff.) Phillipe? Oh no! (He looks

up and sees WOLVES growling at him. MAURICE runs away, being

chased by the WOLVES. He stumbles down a hill, and lands at the

gate of a castle. He grabs the locked gate and tries to shake it

open.)

MAURICE: Help! Is someone there?

(The gate opens, and MAURICE runs in. He slams the gate in the faces of the

WOLVES. Leaving his hat on the ground as the rain begins to fall, MAURICE runs

to the castle and bangs on the door. It creaks open and he enters, cautiously.)

MAURICE: Hello? Hello?

(Watching from a table near the entrance are LUMIERE and COGSWORTH)

LUMIERE: (Barely whispering) Old fellow must have lost his way in the

woods.

COGSWORTH: (Also whispering) Keep quiet! Maybe he'll go away.

MAURICE: Is someone there?

COGSWORTH: Not a word, Lumiere. Not one word!

MAURICE: I don't mean to intrude, but I've lost my horse and I need a place

to stay for the night.

LUMIERE: (looking at COGSWORTH like a child having just found a lost puppy)

Oh Cogsworth, have a heart.

COGSWORTH: Shush shush shhhhh! (COGSWORTH puts hand over LUMIERE'S mouth,

who promptly proceeds to touch his lit candle hand to COGSWORTH's

hand.)

Ow ow Ow OW OW OUCH!!!!!

LUMIERE: Of course, monsieur, you are welcome here.

MAURICE: (looking around in confusion) Who said that? (He picks up the

candlestick for light, not realizing that the speaker is in his

hand)

LUMIERE: (Tapping him on the shoulder) Over here!

MAURICE: (Spins around, pulling LUMIERE to the other side) Where?

LUMIERE: (Taps MAURICE on the side of the head. MAURICE looks at LUMIERE.)

Allo!

MAURICE: Oh!!!! (Startled, he drops LUMIERE onto the floor.) Incredible!

COGSWORTH: (hopping over) Well, now you've done it, Lumiere. Splendid,

just peachy--aaarrrgghh! (MAURICE picks up COGSWORTH)

MAURICE: How is this accomplished? (He fiddles with COGSWORTH)

COGSWORTH: Put me down! At once! (MAURICE tickles the bottoms of

COGSWORTH's feet. He laughs. He begins to wind the spring on

the back of COGSWORTH's head, twisting his face around with the

clock hands. MAURICE opens the front of COGSWORTH and begins

to play with his pendulum. COGSWORTH slams the door shut on

his finger.) Sir, close that at once, do you mind!

MAURICE: I beg your pardon, it's just that I've never seen a clock

that...aah...i mean...aah aah aah-chooo!!!! (MAURICE sneezes in

the face of COGSWORTH, who proceeds to wipe his face off using

his clock hands in a very anachronistic windshield wiper manner.

MAURICE sniffles, indicating the cold he has caught from being

in the rain.)

LUMIERE: Oh, you are soaked to the bone, monsieur. Come, warm yourself by

the fire.

MAURICE: Thank you.

(LUMIERE and MAURICE head towards the den, with COGSWORTH running after them.)

COGSWORTH: No, no, no, do you know what the master would do if he finds you

here. (BEAST is watching the action from an overhead walkway,

and rushes off as the trio enters the den.) I demand that you

stop...right...there! (COGSWORTH tumbles down the steps. MAURICE

takes a seat in a large chair in front of a roaring fire.) Oh

no, not the master's chair! (FOOTSTOOL rushes past COGSWORTH,

barking up a storm.) I'm not seeing this, I'm not seeing this!

MAURICE: (As FOOTSTOOL rushes up to him) Well, hello there, boy. (FOOTSTOOL

props himself up under the feet of MAURICE. COATRACK enters and

removes his cloak.) What service!

COGSWORTH: All right, this has gone far enough. I'm in charge here, and

(COGSWORTH is run over by the (once again) anachronistic

IndyCar sounding teacart of MRS. POTTS)

MRS. POTTS: (Arriving by the side of MAURICE) How would you like a nice

spot of tea, sir? It'll warm you up in no time. (Pours tea into

cup (CHIP), which hops over into MAURICE's open hand)

COGSWORTH: (from face down position on carpet) No! No tea, no tea!!!

CHIP: (As MAURICE sips the tea) Ha ha! His moustache tickles, momma!

MAURICE: (Startled by the cup) Oh! Hello!

(The door to the den slams open and a strong gust of wind blows into the room,

extinguishing LUMIERE's flames and the fire in the fireplace. COGSWORTH dives

for cover. MRS. POTTS begins to shake. CHIP jumps back onto the tea cart and

takes refuge from behind his mother)

CHIP: Uh oh!

(BEAST enters. We see him in full for the first time. He is on all fours. He

looks around in the darkness.)

BEAST: (Growling his words) There's a stranger here.

LUMIERE: (who has relit his flames) Master, allow me to explain. The

gentleman was lost in the woods and he was cold and wet...

(LUMIERE's last sentence is drowned out by the very loud growl

of BEAST, which puts out his flames once again. LUMIERE looks

down, dejected.)

COGSWORTH: (Coming out from under a rug) Master, I'd like to take this

moment to say...I was against this from the start. I tried to

stop them, but would they listen to me? No, no, no! (Again,

BEAST's growl drowns out COGSWORTH.)

(MAURICE looks to one side of the chair, then to the other and sees BEAST.)

BEAST: Who are you! What are you doing here?

MAURICE: (Very scared and backing away from the advancing BEAST) I was lost

in the woods and...(stares at BEAST)

BEAST: (Advancing on him) You are not welcome here!

MAURICE: I'm sorry

BEAST: What are you staring at?

MAURICE: (Cowering under BEAST) Noth-noth-nothing! (Turns to leave)

BEAST: (Racing around and blocking the entrance with surprising speed)

So, you've come to stare at the beast, have you?

MAURICE: Please, I meant no harm! I just needed a place to stay .

BEAST: I'll give you a place to stay! (BEAST picks up MAURICE, carries

him out of the room and slams the door, plunging the den, along

with COGSWORTH, LUMIERE,MRS. POTTS, and CHIP into darkness.

Fade out.)

(Fade in to BELLE's cottage, seen from POV of GASTON and LEFOU.)

LEFOU: Heh! Oh boy! Belle's gonna get the surprise of her life, huh

Gaston.

GASTON: Yep. This is her lucky day!

(GASTON lets go of a branch, which swings back and hits LEFOU in the mouth.

GASTON turns to the band, wedding guests and others, apparently just out of

sight of BELLE's cottage.)

GASTON: I'd like to thank you all for coming to my wedding. But first, I

better go in there and... propose to the girl! (MINISTER, BAKER,

and OTHERS laugh heartily. Camera pans quickly to show BIMBETTES

crying their eyes out. To LEFOU) Now, you Lefou. When Belle and

I come out that door--

LEFOU: Oh I know, I know! (He turns and begins directing the band in

"Here Comes the Bride." GASTON slams a baritone over his head.)

GASTON: Not yet!

LEFOU: (From inside the instrument, with his lips sticking out the

mouthpiece) Sorry!

(Cut to interior of cottage. BELLE is sitting in a chair reading her new book.

There is a knock at the door. She puts the book down and walks to the door.

She reaches up and pulls down a viewing device. She peeks through and sees an

anachronistically accurate fish-eye view of GASTON. She moans, and pushes the

door open.)

BELLE: Gaston, what a pleasant...surprise.

GASTON: Isn't it though? I'm just full of surprises. You know, Belle.

There's not a girl in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes.

This is the day...(GASTON pauses by a mirror and licks his teeth

clean.) This is the day your dreams come true.

BELLE: What do you know about my dreams, Gaston?

GASTON: Plenty. Here, picture this. (GASTON plops down in the chair and

props his mud-covered feet up on BELLE's book. He begins to kick

off his boots and wiggle his toes through his hole-y socks.) A

rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire, and my

little wife, massaging my feet, while the little ones play with

the dogs. (BELLE looks positively disgusted. GASTON gets up

next to her face.) We'll have six or seven.

BELLE: Dogs?

GASTON: No, Belle! Strapping boys, like me!

BELLE: Imagine that. (She picks up her book, places a mark in it, and

puts it on the shelf.)

GASTON: And do you know who that wife will be?

BELLE: Let me think.

GASTON: (Corners BELLE ) You, Belle!

BELLE: (Ducking under GASTON'S arms) Gaston, I'm speechless. I really

don't know what to say.

GASTON: (Pushing chairs and things out of the way until he reaches BELLE

and traps her against the door) Say you'll marry me.

BELLE: (Reaching for the doorknob) I'm very sorry, Gaston, but I just

don't deserve you. (She twists the knob and the door opens (this

time outward). BELLE ducks under GASTON as he tumbles out the

door and into the mud.)

(The wedding band begins to play "Here Comes the Bride." GASTON's boots are

thrown out of the door (now opened inward) and the door is slammed shut. LEFOU,

who is directing the band, looks down and sees GASTON's legs sticking out of the

mud, and a PIERRE's head sticking up. LEFOU cuts off the band, and GASTON's

head pops up, with the pig on top of him. He tilts his head, and the pig slides

down his back.)

LEFOU: So, how'd it go?

GASTON: (Picks up LEFOU by the neck) I'll have Belle for my wife, make no

mistake about that! (GASTON drops LEFOU into the mud.)

LEFOU: (To PIERRE) Touchy!

PIERRE: Grunt Grunt.

(GASTON walks off, dejected, and the focus returns to the cottage. BELLE pokes

her head out the door.)

BELLE: (To the chickens) Is he gone? Can you imagine, he asked me to

marry him. Me, the wife of that

boorish, brainless...

Madame Gaston, can't you just see it

Madame Gaston, his little wife

Not me, no sir, I guarantee it

I want much more than this provincial life...

(BELLE walks into the pen and feeds the animals, then runs off singing into an

open field overlooking a beautiful valley)

I want adventure in the great wide somewhere

I want it more than I can tell

And for once it might be grand

To have someone understand

I want so much more than they've got planned

(PHILLIPE runs into the open field. BELLE looks at him, disturbed that MAURICE

is not with him.)

BELLE: Phillipe! What are you doing here? Where's Papa? Where is he,

Phillipe? What happened? Oh, we have to find him, you have to

take me to him!

(BELLE unhitches the wagon from PHILLIPE. Cut to exterior of the castle gate.

(How PHILLIPE brought BELLE there is a mystery, seeing as PHILLIPE never made it

to the castle with MAURICE.))

BELLE: What is this place?

(PHILLIPE snorts, then begins to buck as if something is scaring him. BELLE

dismounts and comforts him.)

BELLE: Phillipe, please, steady. (She enters the gate and sees MAURICE's

hat on the ground.) Papa.

(Cut to interior of castle with COGSWORTH and LUMIERE discussing events.)

COGSWORTH: Couldn't keep quiet, could we. Just had to invite him to stay,

didn't we? Serve him tea, sit in the master's chair, pet the

pooch.

LUMIERE: I was trying to be hospitable.

(Cut back to door opening and BELLE entering castle.)

BELLE: Hello? Is anyone here? Hello? Papa? Papa, are you here?

(We follow as BELLE ascends the grand staircase and searches for her father. Cut

to kitchen where MRS. POTTS is standing next to a tub of hot water. CHIP hops

in.)

CHIP: Momma. There's a girl in the castle!

MRS. POTTS: Now, Chip, I won't have you making up such wild stories.

CHIP: But really, momma, I saw her.

MRS. POTTS: (Disgusted) Not another word. Into the tub. (She lifts CHIP

into the tub. FEATHERDUSTER enters)

FEATHERDUSTER:

A girl! I saw a girl in the castle!

CHIP: (poking his head out from the water) See, I told ya!

(Cut back to LUMIERE and COGSWORTH bickering)

COGSWORTH: Irresponsible, devil-may-care, waxy eared, slack-jawed--

BELLE: Papa?

(COGSWORTH and LUMIERE turn to look at the new arrival)

LUMIERE: Did you see that? (Running to the door and poking his head around

the corner with COGSWORTH) It's a girl!

COGSWORTH: I know it's a girl.

LUMIERE: Don't you see? She's the one. The girl we have been waiting for.

She has come to break the spell! (He chases after her.)

COGSWORTH: Wait a minute, wait a minute!

(BELLE advances down a narrow hallway. COGSWORTH and LUMIERE sneak up behind

her and open the door that leads to the tower where MAURICE is being kept. The

door creaks open and BELLE hears the sound)

BELLE: Papa? Papa? (COGSWORTH hides behind the door and LUMIERE rushes

off.) Hello? Is someone here? Wait! I'm looking for my father!

(She begins up the stairs, but doesn't realize that LUMIERE is

watching her.) That's funny, I'm sure there was someone...

I-I-Is there anyone here?

(MAURICE's voice echoes from his cell)

MAURICE: Belle?

BELLE: (Rushes up to the cell to find him) Oh, Papa!

MAURICE: How did you find me?

BELLE: Oh, your hands are like ice. We have to get you out of here.

MAURICE: Belle, I want you to leave this place.

BELLE: Who's done this to you?

MAURICE: No time to explain. You must go...now!

BELLE: I won't leave you!

(Suddenly, BEAST grabs BELLE's shoulder and whips her around. She drops the

torch she was carrying into a puddle and the room is dark except for one beam of

light from a skylight.)

BEAST: What are you doing here?

MAURICE: Run, Belle!

BELLE: Who's there? Who are you?

BEAST: The master of this castle.

BELLE: I've come for my father. Please let him out! Can't you see he's

sick?

BEAST: Then he shouldn't have trespassed here.

BELLE: But he could die. Please, I'll do anything!

BEAST: There's nothing you can do. He's my prisoner.

BELLE: Oh, there must be some way I can...wait! Take me, instead!

BEAST: You! You would take his place?

MAURICE: Belle! No! You don't know what you're doing!

BELLE: If I did, would you let him go?

BEAST: Yes, but you must promise to stay here forever.

(BELLE ponders the situation and realizes she can't see the captor)

BELLE: Come into the light.

(BEAST drags his legs, then his whole body into the beam of light. BELLE looks,

her eyes growing wider until she can stand no more and falls back to MAURICE.)

MAURICE: No, Belle. I won't let you do this!

(BELLE regains her composure, then steps into the beam of light, giving her a

very virgin-ish look)

BELLE: You have my word.

BEAST: (quickly) Done!

(BEAST moves over to unlock the cell, and BELLE collapses to the floor with her

head in her hands. We hear the door being unlocked, then MAURICE rushing over

to BELLE.)

MAURICE: No, Belle. Listen to me. I'm old, I've lived my life--

(BEAST grabs him and drags him downstairs)

BELLE: Wait!

MAURICE: Belle!

BELLE: Wait!

(Cut to ext. of castle. BEAST drags MAURICE towards PALLENQUIN)

MAURICE: No, please spare my daughter!

BEAST: She's no longer your concern. (BEAST throws MAURICE into the

PALLENQUIN.) Take him to the village.

(The PALLENQUIN breaks the ivy holding it to the ground, then slinks off like a

spider with MAURICE inside)

MAURICE: Please, let me out, please!

(Cut to BELLE looking out cell window at the PALLENQUIN crossing the bridge over

the moat. She begins to cry. Cut to BEAST walking up the stairs. LUMIERE is

still at his post.)

LUMIERE: Master?

BEAST: (angrily) What!

LUMIERE: Since the girl is going to be with us for quite some time, I was

thinking that you might want to offer her a more comfortable

room. (BEAST growls angrily at him.) Then again, maybe not.

(BEAST enters the cell where BELLE is still crying.)

BELLE: You didn't even let me say good bye. I'll never see him again. I

didn't get to say good-bye.

BEAST: (feeling bad) I'll show you to your room.

BELLE: (surprised) My room? (Indicating the cell) But I thought--

BEAST: You wanna, you wanna stay in the tower?

BELLE: No.

BEAST: Then follow me.

(BEAST leads BELLE to her room. As they proceed, BELLE begins to lag behind.

She looks at the hideous sculptures on the walls and the light casting shadows

on them. Frightened, she gasps and runs to catch up with BEAST, who is carrying

LUMIERE as a light source. BEAST looks back at BELLE, and sees a tear form at

the corner of her eye.)

LUMIERE: Say something to her.

BEAST: Hmm? Oh. (To BELLE) I...um...hope you like it here. (He looks

at LUMIERE for approval. He motions BEAST to continue.) The

castle is your home now, so you can go anywhere you wish, except

the West Wing.

BELLE: (looking intrigued) What's in the West Wing?

BEAST: (stopping angrily) It's forbidden!

(BEAST continues, and BELLE reluctantly follows. Cut to int. of BELLE's room,

dark. The door opens and light spills in.)

BEAST: (Tenderly) Now, if there's anything you need, my servants will

attend you.

LUMIERE: (whispering in his ear) Dinner--invite her to dinner.

BEAST: (Growing angry) You...will join me for dinner. That's not a

request!

(BEAST leaves, slamming the door behind him. BELLE, terrified, runs over to the

bed and flings herself onto it, finally breaking down and crying. Fade to

tavern in the town.)

GASTON: Who does she think she is? That girl has tangled with the wrong

man. No one says 'no' to Gaston!

LEFOU: Darn right!

GASTON: Dismissed. Rejected. Publicly humiliated. Why, it's more than I

can bear. (turns chair away)

LEFOU: (Runs in front of him) More beer?

GASTON: (Turns chair away again) What for? Nothing helps. I'm disgraced.

LEFOU: Who, you? Never. Gaston, you've got to pull yourself together.

Gosh it disturbs me to see you, Gaston

Looking so down in the dumps

Every guy here'd love to be you, Gaston (cheering from the

gallery)

Even when taking your lumps

There's no man in town as admired as you

You're everyone's favorite guy

Everyone's awed and inspired by you (LEFOU turns chair back to

forward)

And it's not very hard to see why!

No one's slick as Gaston, no one's quick as Gaston

No one's next as incredibly thick as Gaston

For there's no man in town half as manly

Perfect, a pure paragon!

You can ask any Tom, Dick, or Stanley

And they'll tell you who's team they'd prefer to be on!

(LEFOU has pulled a man's belt off, whose pants fall to the ground. LEFOU jumps

up and wraps the belt around GASTON's neck, who flexes and breaks it off. LEFOU

continues to dance around. OLD CRONIES pick him up and swing him around.)

OLD CRONIES: No one's been like Gaston, a king-pin like Gaston

LEFOU: No one's got a swell cleft in his chin like Gaston

GASTON: As a specimen, yes, I'm intimidating!

OLD CRONIES: My, what a guy that Gaston!

(OLD CRONIES swing LEFOU back and forth into the camera. LEFOU tickles GASTON's

chin, who stands with pride)

OLD CRONIES: Give five hurrahs, give twelve hip-hips

LEFOU: Gaston is the best and the rest is all drips!

(LEFOU swings up his arm in dance and throws a mug of beer in GASTON's face, who

socks LEFOU in the face)

ALL: No one fights like Gaston, no one bites like Gaston

WRESTLER: In a wrestling match, nobody bites like Gaston

BIMBETTES: For there's no one as burly and brawny

GASTON: As you see I've got biceps to spare

LEFOU: Not a bit of him scraggly or scrawny

GASTON: That's right! And every last bit of me's covered with hair!

(GASTON fights with the men, then lifts a bench with the BIMBETTES on it. He

drops the bench on LEFOU, then turns to the camera and reveals his hairy chest.)

OLD CRONIES: No one hits like Gaston, matches wits like Gaston

LEFOU: In a spitting match, nobody spits like Gaston!

GASTON: I'm especially good at expectorating! Ptooey!

ALL: Ten points for Gaston!

(GASTON plays a chess game with a man, then hits the board, sending it and

pieces all over. He takes a bite of leather from the belt once wrapped around

his neck, chews it and spits it into a spittoon, which falls and gets stuck on

the head of LEFOU.)

GASTON: When I was a lad I ate four dozen eggs

Every morning to help me get large!

And now that I'm grown, I eat five dozen eggs

So I'm roughly the size of a barge!

(GASTON juggles a number of eggs, then swallows them whole. LEFOU attempts the

trick, and is hit in the face by three eggs.)

ALL: No one shoots like Gaston, makes those beauts like Gaston

LEFOU: Then goes tromping around wearing boots like Gaston

GASTON: I use antlers in all of my decorating!

(GASTON takes three shots at a beer barrel, which begins leaking into the mugs

of onlookers. He returns stomping to his chair, where we see the fireplace

surrounded by the heads of the animals he has killed. The mystery cut of music

is here! Cut to ending of "Gaston Reprise")

ALL: My what a guy! Gaston!!!!!!!

(The OLD CRONIES have picked up the chair and carry GASTON around in it. LEFOU

tries to flee, but they toss the chair into its normal place, and LEFOU is

pinned underneath. MAURICE bursts in frantically)

MAURICE: Help! Someone help me!

OLD MAN: Maurice?

MAURICE: Please! Please, I need your help! He's got her. He's got her

locked in the dungeon.

LEFOU: Who?

MAURICE: Belle. We must go. Not a minute to lose!

GASTON: Whoa! Slow down, Maurice. Who's got Belle locked in a dungeon?

MAURICE: A beast! A horrible, monstrous beast!

(MAURICE has gone from person to person, pleading his case, until he is thrown

at the feet of GASTON. A moment of silence, then the OLD CRONIES begin to laugh

and mock him.)

CRONY 1: Is it a big beast?

MAURICE: Huge!

CRONY 2: With a long, ugly snout?

MAURICE: Hideously ugly!

CRONY 3: And sharp, cruel fangs?

MAURICE: Yes, yes. Will you help me?

GASTON: All right, old man. We'll help you out.

MAURICE: You will? Oh thank you, thank you!

(The OLD CRONIES pick up MAURICE and help him out by throwing him through the

door.)

CRONY 1: Crazy old Maurice. He's always good for a laugh!

GASTON: (Very pensive) Crazy old Maurice, hmm? Crazy old Maurice. Hmmm?

Lefou, I'm afraid I've been thinking.

(LEFOU is still under the chair.)

LEFOU: A dangerous pastime--

GASTON: (finishing line) I know,

But that wacky old coot is Belle's father

And his sanity's only so-so

Now the wheels in my head have been turning

Since I looked at that loony old man

See I promised myself I'd be married to Belle,

And right now I'm evolving a plan!

(GASTON picks LEFOU out from under the chair and holds his head close, and

whispers)

GASTON: If I...(whisper)

LEFOU: Yes?

GASTON: Then I...(whisper)

LEFOU: No, would she?

GASTON: (whispering)...GUESS!

LEFOU: Now I get it!

BOTH: Let's go!

(They begin a waltz around the floor as they sing)

BOTH: No one plots like Gaston, takes cheap shots like Gaston

LEFOU: Plans to persecute harmless crackpots like Gaston

ALL: So his marriage we soon'll be celebrating!

My what a guy, Gaston!!!

(Camera zooms out through window to snow covered square, empty except for

MAURICE)

MAURICE: (to no one in particular) Will no one help me?

(Fade back to the bedroom of the castle where BELLE is still crying. There is a

'clink clink clink' at the door. She gets up and walks over to open the door.

MRS. POTTS enters with CHIP and their entourage.)

BELLE: Who is it?

MRS. POTTS: (from outside the door) Mrs. Potts, dear. (Door opens.) I

thought you might like a spot of tea.

BELLE: (amazed at the fact that she is listening to a walking tea set)

But you...ah...but...I--

(BELLE bumps into the WARDROBE)

WARDROBE: Oof. Careful!

BELLE: (sits on bed) This is impossible--

WARDROBE: (leans 'shoulder' on bed, popping other end and BELLE into the

air) I know it is, but here we are!

CHIP: (as sugar and cream are being poured into him) Told ya she was

pretty, mama, didn't I?

MRS. POTTS: All right, now, Chip. That'll do. (CHIP hops over to

BELLE, who is sitting on the floor) Slowly, now. Don't spill!

BELLE: Thank you. (She picks up CHIP, and is about to take a sip of

tea.)

CHIP: (To BELLE) Wanna see me do a trick? (CHIP takes a big breath,

then puffs out his cheeks and blows bubbles out the top of the

cup.)

MRS. POTTS: (admonishingly) Chip!

CHIP: (looking guilty) Oops. Sorry.

MRS. POTTS: (To BELLE) That was a very brave thing you did, my dear.

WARDROBE: We all think so.

BELLE: But I've lost my father, my dreams, everything.

MRS. POTTS: Cheer up, child. It'll turn out all right in the end. You'll

see. (She looks up, startled.) Oops! Look at me, jabbering on,

when there's a supper to get on the table. Chip!

CHIP: (hopping away) Bye!

(BELLE stands and the WARDROBE approaches her.)

WARDROBE: Well now, what shall we dress you in for dinner? Let's see what

I've got in my drawers. (The doors fly open and moths flutter

out. She slams them shut.) Oh! How embarrassing. Here we are.

(One door opens, the other serves as an arm. It pulls out a pink

dress.) Ah! There, you'll look ravishing in this one! (Something

to think about: We never hear of a King or Queen or parents, so

what is a Prince living on his own doing with a wardrobe full of

women's clothing? Maybe he wants to be a lumberjack!)

BELLE: That's very kind of you, but I'm not going to dinner.

WARDROBE: Oh, but you must!

(COGSWORTH waddles in)

COGSWORTH: Ahem, ahem, ahem. Dinner...is served.

(Cut to BEAST pacing back and forth in front of fire, with MRS. POTTS and

LUMIERE looking on.)

BEAST: What's taking so long? I told her to come down. Why isn't she

here yet?!?

MRS. POTTS: Oh, try to be patient, sir. The girl has lost her father and

her freedom all in one day.

LUMIERE: Uh, master. Have you thought that, perhaps, this girl could be

the one to break the spell?

BEAST: (angrily) Of course I have. I'm not a fool.

LUMIERE: Good. You fall in love with her, she falls in love with you,

and--Poof!--the spell is broken! We'll be human again by

midnight! (That sounds like a good title for a song-- "Human

Again")

MRS. POTTS: Oh, it's not that easy, Lumiere. These things take time.

LUMIERE: But the rose has already begun to wilt.

BEAST: It's no use. She's so beautiful, and I'm so...well, look at me!

(LUMIERE shrugs his shoulders and looks at MRS. POTTS.)

MRS. POTTS: Oh, you must help her to see past all that.

BEAST: I don't know how.

MRS. POTTS: Well, you can start by making yourself more presentable.

Straighten up, try to act like a gentleman.

(BEAST sits up, then straightens his face very formally)

LUMIERE: (adding in) Ah yes, when she comes in, give her a dashing,

debonair smile. Come, come. Show me the smile. (BEAST bears his

ragged fangs in a scary, and yet funny grin.)

MRS. POTTS: But don't frighten the poor girl.

LUMIERE: Impress her with your rapier wit.

MRS. POTTS: But be gentle.

LUMIERE: Shower her with compliments.

MRS. POTTS: But be sincere

LUMIERE: And above all...

BOTH: You must control your temper!

(The door creaks open. BEAST wipes the silly face off, and looks to the door

expectantly.)

LUMIERE: Here she is!

(COGSWORTH enters.)

COGSWORTH: Uh, good evening.

(BEAST goes from expectant to mad.)

BEAST: (growling) Well, where is she?

COGSWORTH: (buying time) Who? Oh! The girl. Yes, the, ah, girl. Well,

actually, she's in the process of, ah, um, circumstances being

what they are, ah... she's not coming.

(Cut to ext of den with door slightly ajar)

BEAST: WHAT!!!!!!!

(Door bangs open and BEAST comes running out, with OBJECTS giving chase)

COGSWORTH: Your grace! Your eminence! Let's not be hasty!

(Cut to ext of BELLE's room. BEAST runs up to it and bangs on the door.)

BEAST: (Yelling) I thought I told you to come down to dinner!

BELLE: (From behind the door) I'm not hungry.

BEAST: You'll come out or I'll...I'll break down the door!

LUMIERE: (interrupting) Master, I could be wrong, but that may not be the

best way to win the girl's affections.

COGSWORTH: (pleading) Please! Attempt to be a gentleman.

BEAST: (growing angrier) But she is being so...difficult!

MRS. POTTS: Gently, gently.

BEAST: (very dejected) Will you come down to dinner?

BELLE: No!

(BEAST looks at the OBJECTS, very frustrated.)

COGSWORTH: Suave. Genteel.

BEAST: (Trying to act formal, bowing at the door) It would give me great

pleasure if you would join me for dinner.

COGSWORTH: Ahem, ahem, we say 'please.'

BEAST: (once again dejected) ...please.

BELLE: (Mad at BEAST) No, thank you.

BEAST: (furious) You can't stay in there forever!

BELLE: (provokingly) Yes I can!

BEAST: Fine! Then go ahead and STARVE!!!! (To OBJECTS) If she doesn't

eat with me, then she doesn't eat at all!

(BEAST runs back down the hall, slamming a door and causing a piece of the

ceiling to fall on LUMIERE.)

MRS. POTTS: That didn't go very well at all, did it.

COGSWORTH: Lumiere, stand watch at the door and inform me at once if there

is the slightest change.

LUMIERE: (Taking guard position next to door) You can count on me, mon

capitan.

COGSWORTH: Well, I guess we better go downstairs and start cleaning up.

(Cut to int of BEAST's lair. BEAST enters, knocking over and destroying things

in his path.)

BEAST: I ask nicely, but she refuses. What a...what does she want me to

do--beg? (Picking up the MAGIC MIRROR) Show me the girl.

(The MAGIC MIRROR shines, then glows green and reveals BELLE in her bedroom,

talking to the WARDROBE)

WARDROBE: (in mirror pleading) Why the master's not so bad once you get to

know him. Why don't you give him a chance?

BELLE: (still disturbed by the attack) I don't want to get to know him.

I don't want to have anything to do with him!

BEAST: (setting down MAGIC MIRROR, speaking tenderly) I'm just fooling

myself. She'll never see me as anything...but a monster. (Another

petal falls off the rose.) It's hopeless.

(BEAST puts his head in his hands as in a depressed state. Fade out/Fade in to

ext of BELLE's room. Door creaks open. BELLE silently emerges. We see her feet

go by as three bright spots shine through a curtain at floor level. Behind it

are LUMIERE and FEATHERDUSTER.)

FEATHERDUSTER:

Oh, no!

LUMIERE: Oh, yes!

FEATHERDUSTER:

Oh, no!

LUMIERE: Oh, yes, yes, yes!

FEATHERDUSTER:

I've been burnt by you before!

(LUMIERE and FEATHERDUSTER have emerged and LUMIERE takes her in his arms.

Suddenly he looks up and sees BELLE walking down the hall. He drops

FEATHERDUSTER.)

FEATHERDUSTER:

Oof!

LUMIERE: Zut alors! She has emerged!

(Cut to kitchen, where we find COGSWORTH,MRS. POTTS,CHIP and the STOVE.)

MRS. POTTS: Come on, Chip. Into the cupboard with your brothers and

sisters. (helping him in)

CHIP: But I'm not sleepy.

MRS. POTTS: Yes you are.

CHIP: No, I'm...not. (He falls asleep and MRS. POTTS shuts the cupboard

door.)

(A banging of pots and pans comes from the STOVE.)

STOVE: I work and I slave all day, and for what? A culinary masterpiece

gone to waste.

MRS. POTTS: Oh, stop your grousing. It's been a long night for all of us.

COGSWORTH: Well, if you ask me, she was just being stubborn. After all,

the master did say 'please.'

MRS. POTTS: But if the master doesn't learn to control that temper, he'll

never break the--

(BELLE enters, and COGSWORTH cuts off MRS. POTTS before she can say 'spell.')

COGSWORTH: (interrupting) Splendid to see you out and about, mademoiselle.

(LUMIERE comes running in.) I am Cogsworth, head of the

household. (He leans over to kiss her hand, but LUMIERE butts

in front of him.) This is Lumiere.

LUMIERE: En chante, cherie.

COGSWORTH: (trying to talk around LUMIERE who is still kissing BELLE's

hand) If there's anything...stop that...that we can...please

(finally shoving him out of the way)...to make your stay more

comfortable. (LUMIERE burns the hand of COGSWORTH) Ow!!!!

BELLE: I am a little hungry.

MRS. POTTS: (excited, to the other tea pots) You are? Hear that? She's

hungry. Stoke the fire, break out the silver, wake the china.

(The fire on the STOVE roars to life, and drawers open to reveal silverware

standing at attention.)

COGSWORTH: (secretively) Remember what the master said.

MRS. POTTS: Oh, pish tosh. I'm not going to let the poor child go hungry.

COGSWORTH: (thinking he is giving in to the ultimate demand) Oh, all

right. Glass of water, crust of bread, and then--

LUMIERE: Cogsworth, I am surprised at you. She's not our prisoner. She's

our guest. We must make her feel welcome here. (to BELLE)

Right this way, mademoiselle.

COGSWORTH: Well keep it down. If the master finds out about this, it will

be our necks!

LUMIERE: Of course, of course. But what is dinner without a little music?

(LUMIERE has started out the swinging door. He lets it close, and the door hits

COGSWORTH and sends him across the room to land in a pan filled with (what looks

like) pancake batter. He screams his line as he is in flight.)

COGSWORTH: MUSIC!?!

(Cut to dining room, where BELLE is seated at the end of a long table. LUMIERE

is on the table and a spotlight shines on him.)

LUMIERE: Ma chere, mademoiselle. It is with deepest pleasure and

greatest pride that I welcome you tonight. And now, we invite

you to relax. Let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly

presents...your dinner.

Be our guest, be our guest

Put our service to the test,

tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie

and we provide the rest!

(The CHAIR has wrapped a napkin around the neck of BELLE, who takes it off and

places it on her lap. The CHAIR's arms put it's hands on it's 'waist' as if it

were mad.

Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres

Why we only live to serve

Try the grey stuff, it's delicious

Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!

(LUMIERE offers BELLE a plate of hors d'oeuvres. She dips her finger in one,

and tastes it.)

They can sing, they can dance

After all, miss, this is France!

And a dinner here is never second best!

Go on unfold your menu, take a glance and then you'll

Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!

(A cabinet at the end of the table opens to reveal a large CHINA collection,

which rolls out and begins to perform. LUMIERE hands BELLE a menu, which she

begins to read.)

Beef ragout, cheese souffle,

Pie and pudding en flambe!

We'll prepare and serve with flair

A culinary cabaret!

(Plates of food go dancing by, with COGSWORTH in the pudding. LUMIERE sets his

torch to it, and it explodes, turning COGSWORTH's face black with soot.)

You're alone and you're scared,

But the banquet's all prepared!

No one's gloomy or complaining,

While the flatware's entertaining!

(The FLATWARE enters a 'Busby Berlkley-esque' swimming scene.)

We tell jokes, I do tricks

With my fellow candlesticks

(LUMIERE, standing on a plate, is elevated and begins to juggle his candles.

MUGS enter the shot.)

MUGS: And it's all in perfect taste

That you can bet!!!

(The MUGS begin a gymnastics routine, hopping over one another and passing a

beverage from one to the next)

ALL: Come on and lift your glass,

You've won your own free pass

To be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!

LUMIERE: If you're stressed, it's fine dining we suggest!

ALL: Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!

(ALL leave except COGSWORTH, who looks scared, then begins to inch away. LUMIERE

enters and holds him there.)

LUMIERE: Life is so unnerving,

For a servant who's not serving!

He's not whole without a soul to wait upon

COGSWORTH: Get off!

LUMIERE: Ah, those good old days when we were useful

Suddenly, those good old days are gone.

(LUMIERE sings as if he were reminiscing. Snow begins to fall. COGSWORTH looks

up and sees the salt and pepper shakers doing their thing.)

LUMIERE: Ten years we've been rusting

Needing so much more than dusting

Needing exercise, a chance to use our skills!

(LUMIERE dusts the salt of the head of COGSWORTH, who tries to escape. He trips

and falls into the gelatin mold.)

Most days just lay around the castle,

Flabby fat and lazy

You walked in, and oops-a-daisie!

(LUMIERE jumps on a spoon in the gelatin, which catapults COGSWORTH out of the

mold. Cut to kitchen, where MRS. POTTS is surrounded by soap bubbles.)

MRS. POTTS: It's a guest, it's a guest!

Sakes alive, well I'll be blessed!

Wine's been poured and thank the Lord

I've had the napkins freshly pressed!

(MRS. POTTS continues to dance around the kitchen)

With dessert, she'll want tea,

And my dear, that's fine with me!

While the cups do their soft shoeing,

I'll be bubbling, I'll be brewing!

I'll get warm, piping hot

Heaven's sake, is that a spot?

Clean it up, we want the company impressed!

We've got a lot to do--

Is it one lump or two?

For you our guest!

(MRS. POTTS is cleaned off by a napkin. She hops onto the tea cart and rolls

into the dining room, where she offers tea to BELLE.)

ALL: She's our guest!

MRS. POTTS: She's our guest!

ALL: She's our guest!

Be our guest! Be our guest!

Our command is your request!

It's ten years since we had anybody here

And we're obsessed!

With your meal, with your ease,

Yes indeed, we aim to please

While the candlelight's still glowing

Let us help you, we'll keep going--

(The CHINA and CANDLESTICKS perform an elaborately choreographed dance sequence,

ending in a c.u. of LUMIERE.)

ALL (esp. LUMIERE):

Course, by course

One by one

'Til you shout "Enough, I'm done!"

Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest

Tonight you'll prop your feet up,

But for let's eat up

Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest! Please Be our guest!!

(A fantastic ending comes of the song, with SILVERWARE flying through the air,

PLATES and FEATHERDUSTERS dancing, and COGSWORTH the focus of attention, until

LUMIERE comes sliding in and sends him flying out of camera range.)

BELLE: Bravo! That was wonderful!

COGSWORTH: Thank you, thank you, mademoiselle. Yes, good show, wasn't it

everyone. (Looking at his own face) Oh, my goodness, will you

look at the time. Now, it's off to bed, off to bed!

(LUMIERE comes up next to COGSWORTH.)

BELLE: Oh, I couldn't possibly go to bed now. It's my first time in

an enchanted castle.

COGSWORTH: Enchanted? Who said anything about the castle being enchanted?

(He tries to cover it up, just as a fork runs past. To LUMIERE)

It was you, wasn't it!

BELLE: I, um, figured it out for myself. (COGSWORTH and LUMIERE have been

fighting. They both look at her, then stop. COGSWORTH dusts

himself off, and LUMIERE fixes his wax nose.) I'd like to look

around, if that's all right.

LUMIERE: (excited) Oh! Would you like a tour?

COGSWORTH: Wait a second, wait a second. I'm not sure that's such a good

idea. (Confidentially, to LUMIERE) We can't let her go poking

around in certain places, if you know what I mean.

BELLE: (Poking COGSWORTH in the belly (like the Pillsbury doughboy))

Perhaps you could take me. I'm sure you know everything there

is to know about the castle.

COGSWORTH: (flattered) Well, actually, ah yes, I do!

(Fade to COGSWORTH, LUMIERE, and BELLE walking down a hall with FOOTSTOOL.

COGSWORTH is lecturing.)

COGSWORTH: As you can see, the pseudo facade was stripped away to reveal a

minimalist rococo design. Note the unusual inverted vaulted

ceilings. This is yet another example of the neo-classic baroque

period, and as I always say, if it's not baroque, don't fix it!

Ha ha ha. Now then, where was I? (He turns to find the heads of

the SUITS OF ARMOR have turned to follow BELLE.) As you were!

(They all snap back to face forward.) Now, if I may draw your

attention to the flying buttresses above the--mademoiselle?

(COGSWORTH turns back to the group and is one girl short. He sees her beginning

to climb the grand staircase. He and LUMIERE run up to her and jump in front of

her, blocking her progress upstairs.)

BELLE: What's up there?

COGSWORTH: Where? Up there? Nothing. Absolutely nothing of interest at all

in the West Wing. Dusty, dull, very boring.

(LUMIERE has been shaking his head, but COGSWORTH nudges him and he nods in

agreement.)

BELLE: Oh, so that's the West Wing.

LUMIERE: (To COGSWORTH) Nice going!

BELLE: I wonder what he's hiding up there.

LUMIERE: Hiding? The master is hiding nothing!

BELLE: Then it wouldn't be forbidden.

(She steps over them, but they dash up and block her again.)

COGSWORTH: Perhaps mademoiselle would like to see something else. We have

exquisite tapestries dating all the way back to...

BELLE: (again stepping over them) Maybe later.

LUMIERE: (with COGSWORTH, again dashing and blocking) The gardens, or the

library perhaps?

BELLE: (Now, with incredible interest) You have a library?

COGSWORTH: (Thrilled that he has found something to interest her) Oh yes!

Indeed!

LUMIERE: With books!

COGSWORTH: Gads of books!

LUMIERE: Mountains of books!

COGSWORTH: Forests of books!

LUMIERE: Cascades...

COGSWORTH: ...of books!

LUMIERE: Swamps of books!

COGSWORTH: More books than you'll ever be able to read in a lifetime!

Books on every subject ever studied, by every author who ever

set pen to paper...

(LUMIERE and COGSWORTH begin marching off, and BELLE begins to follow, but her

curiosity overtakes her, and she turns back to the West Wing. Her excitement

begins to dwindle, though, when she enters the hallway leading to BEAST's lair.

As she walks down the hall, she stops to look in a mirror that has been

shattered into several pieces, each one reflecting her concerned look. She

reaches the end of the hall and finds a closed door with gargoyle handles. She

takes a deep breath, then reaches out and opens the door. Cut to int of lair,

where BELLE begins to explore. She is truly shocked by everything she sees.

She wanders around, looking, and knocks over a table, but she catches it before

it crashes to the floor. She then turns her head and sees a shredded picture on

the wall. We can only see part of a portrait. It is the same portrait that was

shredded in the opening. BELLE reaches out and lifts the shreds of the picture

to reveal the prince. We never see this, however, for then she turns her head

and sees the rose under the bell jar. She walks over to it, her eyes

transfixed. She reaches out, then lifts off the jar, leaving the rose

unprotected. She reaches up, brushes back the strand of hair that has been<

Date: 2014-12-29; view: 930