The Little Mermaid (1989)
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A mermaid princess dreams of becoming human and strikes a dangerous deal with a sea witch to find her true love.
The story
Under the Atlantic Ocean, in the kingdom of Atlantica, the young mermaid Ariel is fascinated by the human world and collects human artifacts in her grotto. Her father, King Triton, forbids contact between merpeople and humans. One night, Ariel and her friends travel to the surface and she falls in love with Prince Eric. After a storm leaves him stranded, Ariel rescues him and brings him to shore. When Triton discovers her feelings, he destroys her collection of artifacts. Seeking a way to be with Eric, Ariel is approached by the sea witch Ursula, who offers a deal: Ariel can become human for three days in exchange for her voice.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Ariel, a mermaid princess in the kingdom of Atlantica, falls in love with a human prince named Eric after rescuing him from a shipwreck. Her father, King Triton, forbids her from interacting with humans and destroys her collection of human artifacts when he discovers her secret. Desperate, Ariel strikes a deal with the sea witch Ursula: Ursula will grant Ariel human legs for three days in exchange for her voice. If Ariel can secure a 'true love's kiss' from Eric during this time, she will remain human; otherwise, she will become Ursula's property. Ariel is taken to the surface and finds Eric, but she cannot speak. Ursula, seeking to seize Triton's trident, uses a disguise to trick Eric into thinking he is with another woman. After a chaotic confrontation involving sea creatures and a wedding barge, the spell is broken, and Ariel's voice is restored. However, the sun sets before she can kiss Eric, and she reverts to a mermaid. Triton confronts Ursula and takes Ariel's place as a prisoner to free her, losing his power in the process. In the final battle, Ariel and Eric unite to defeat a giant Ursula. Following the victory, Triton recognizes Ariel's love for the human world and transforms her into a human permanently, allowing her to marry Eric.
- First release year
- 1989
- Runtime (minutes)
- 83
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Musker; Ron Clements
- Writers
- John Musker · writer; Ron Clements · writer
- Cast and characters
- René Auberjonois · Chef Louis; Christopher Daniel Barnes · Prince Eric; Jodi Benson · Ariel; Pat Carroll · Ursula; Paddi Edwards · Flotsam and Jetsam; Buddy Hackett · Scuttle; Jason Marin · Flounder; Kenneth Mars · King Triton; Ben Wright · Grimsby; Samuel E. Wright · Sebastian
- Genres
- animated; musical; fantasy
- Themes
- forbidden love; sacrifice; identity; curiosity
- Tone and mood
- whimsical; adventurous; magical
- Setting
- The underwater kingdom of Atlantica and the surface world of the ocean.
- Premise and plot tags
- fantasy; musical; mythology; underwater
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
- Franchise connections
- The Little Mermaid
- Reception
- The film was released to critical acclaim, praised for its animation, music, and characters. It was a commercial success and is credited with revitalizing Disney's animation and starting the Disney Renaissance.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 88 · scale: 100 · review count: 24
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Score · Win; Academy Award · Best Original Song ("Under the Sea") · Win
- Production trivia
- The animation for the film required over a million bubbles to be drawn.; The character of Ursula was inspired by drag performer Divine.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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