Disney has a prominent role in most children’s lives and the impact of Walt Disney’s legacy can last a lifetime. Many children have grown up watching classic Disney movies such as Cinderella, Little Mermaid, 101 Dalmations, and of course, Beauty and the Beast. Beauty and the Beast first came out in 1991 and has since touched the lives of many children and adults. The whimsical animation features Belle, Beast, and an array of life-like furniture working towards a common goal. Disney has surprised the world once again with its new version of Beauty and the Beast which is a real life portrayal of the classic beloved animation.
Emma Watson (Belle) did an exceptional job portraying this well known Disney princess. The movie shows that women and young girls were not to read; only the men and boys were afforded that luxury. Belle made it a mission to teach the young girls of the village how to read because she, herself enjoyed reading. The new Beauty and the Beast also emphasized Belle being an inventor alongside her father, while the original animation only showcased her father as an inventor. In a behind-the-scenes clip with Disney, Emma Watson said, “She (Belle) was this feisty young woman who spoke her mind and had all these ambitions, and was incredibly independent — wanted to see the world.”
There has been much controversy since the movie’s release due to an “exclusively gay moment” in the movie. The character LeFou (Josh Gad) was portrayed as gay in one very small shot of the movie where LeFou, the sidekick of the villain Gaston (Luke Evans), dances with another man in the final ball scene right before the credits. Critics continue to note small moments where LeFou seems to have a crush on Gaston by looking longingly at him during the song Gaston. During the battle scene, the wardrobe (Audra McDonald) dresses three men in women’s clothes; two men run away scared while the third seemed happy with his new outfit. While critics are quick to point out these moments, their brief appearances could have been easily missed by moviegoers.
“If nobody had said that #LeFou had a ‘gay moment’ in #BeautyAndTheBeast, I really don’t think it would’ve even been a thing,” wrote one Twitter user.
“Watched the new #BeautyAndTheBeast movie last night, honestly don’t understand what the outrage (about) there being a gay character was (about),” wrote another.
Yet another said that the moment was “soooo overblown and is soooo not a problem” that “the world has gone crazy.”
Beauty and the Beast was a fun and refreshing take on the classic movie many people have enjoyed their whole lives. Disney has once again captivated me and millions of other people. The singing and acting in the movie was exceptional, and brilliant work was done by the entire cast. I would highly recommend watching the new Beauty and the Beast to anyone, even if you have never seen the original.
