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What’s the Story?

Reviewed byNell Minow

THE LITTLE MERMAID is Ariel, a mermaid princess who collects human artifacts. One day, she rescues Prince Eric, who was thrown from his ship during a storm, and Ariel falls in love. Desperate for the chance to have a life with Eric, Ariel enters into an agreement with a seawitch, Ursula. She gives up her voice and gets her legs. But she only has three days to woo Eric. If he doesn't kiss her in that time, she will become Ursula's slave forever.

Is It Any Good?

5

After some lackluster years, Disney came back into the top rank of animated features with this superbly entertaining musical, based loosely on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen (but with a happier ending). Ariel was the first in a series of refreshingly plucky Disney heroines. Instead of dreaming about the day her prince will come, or waiting for a fairy godmother or a Prince's kiss, Ariel is a spirited and curious mermaid who is willing to take action in order to meet Prince Eric, the man of her dreams, though she is gullible and impetuous in agreeing to the terms demanded by the seawitch in exchange for making it possible for her to go on land.

The wonderful voice characterizations in this film include Buddy Hackett (The Music Man) as Scuttle the scavanging seagull and Samuel E. Wright as Sebastian, the calypso-singing crab. The first-class musical score by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman (who worked together on the off-Broadway hit, Little Shop of Horrors) ranks with the best of Broadway and won Oscars for Best Score and Best Song ("Under the Sea"). Some viewers criticize the movie for providing yet another wasp-waisted Disney heroine whose whole world revolves around a man. But Ariel is adventuresome, rebellious, and brave. It is true that she makes the mistake of giving up her voice to the sea witch (a very strong female character, to say the least), which provides a good opportunity for family discussion.

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