| Belle's Tales of Friendship | |
| Director: | Jimbo Mitchell |
| Producer: | David W. King |
| Starring: | Lynsey McLeod Paige O'Hara Robby Benson Kirsten Storms |
| Studio: | Walt Disney Home Video Walt Disney Television Animation |
| Distributor: | Buena Vista Home Entertainment |
| Runtime: | 70 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Tales of Friendship is a 1999 American direct-to-video live action/animated fantasy film. It was produced by Walt Disney Television Animation as the prequel to and the fourth and final installment in Beauty and the Beast films. It was also released to help promote the syndicated television series, Sing Me a Story with Belle, for which a live-action Belle tells stories from Disney cartoons such as The Wise Little Hen, The Three Little Pigs, Morris the Midget Moose and Babes in the Woods with Belle narrating. The film stars Lynsey McLeod who continues portraying Belle in live-action form.[1] [2]
It also stars Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, David Ogden Stiers, and Jerry Orbach who reprise their roles as Belle, Beast, Cogsworth, and Lumiere, respectively, in the animated form, in the short film, Mrs. Potts' Party which later was also used for Belle's Magical World. The film was released on VHS on August 17, 1999.
Belle owns and works at her music and bookstore in France. A group of children walk into the store eager to hear Belle's stories, as she is noted to be a great storyteller. Belle agrees to tell a story, but the gang also play games and learn some simple lessons about life. Belle narrates two Disney cartoons, Morris the Midget Moose and Hansel and Gretel, while the children help Belle clean the bookstore. She also reads The Wise Little Hen and The Three Little Pigs, but Shawn and Harmony will not help make chili for the group. Along the way, Belle adds music and interacts with the children.
Mrs. Potts is feeling depressed due to dreadful weather, and Belle decides to cheer her up by throwing a surprise for Mrs. Potts' birthday party for her. Belle has come to look at Mrs. Potts as a mother figure by this point. During preparations for the party, Belle and her friends have to avoid waking up the sleeping Beast. Beast spent the entire previous night fixing a leak in the roof and needs his sleep. However, Lumiere and Cogsworth's rivalry gets in the way. The two argue and compete over the tasks of composing music, choosing Mrs. Potts' favorite flowers, and choosing the flavors of the cake that will be served at the party. Two oven mits, Chaude (the red mit) and Tres (the blue mit), also take part in the argument, as they each side with one of the rivals.
Eventually, Lumiere and Cogsworth's attempt to sabotage one another's decisions has consequences. The baking cake explodes and makes a complete mess in the kitchen. Lumiere and Cogsworth, after a scolding from Belle, decide to put their rivalry behind them for good and work together to make a small surprise for Mrs. Potts. The plan goes well, and Mrs. Potts is cured of her depression, and the sun finally shines again. Everyone learns the power of cooperation and compromises with Mrs. Potts' birthday, singed by the song A Little Thought.