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

Ev'ry 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!

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