The Little Mermaid (1989 movie) facts for kids

The Little Mermaid is a 28th movie and an 1989 American animated musical fantasy movie produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. It is based on the fairy tale of the same name.

The movie was first released into movie theaters on November 14, 1989 by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Pictures. It was re-released on November 17, 1997. Disney said that there would be a 3D re-release on September 13, 2013. This was cancelled on January 14, 2013 because the other Disney 3D re-releases were not as successful as Disney had hoped they would be.

In January 1990, The Little Mermaid had three Academy Award nominations. The movie won two of the awards. They were for Best Song ("Under the Sea") and Best Score. The movie also earned four Golden Globe nominations. It won the awards for Best Song ("Under the Sea") and Best Score.

The movie has a TV show, a sequel, and a prequel.

The story

The movie is about a mermaid princess named Ariel. She and her best friend, a fish named Flounder, explore the ocean looking for human things. They talk to a seagull named Scuttle who explains each thing that they find (but not accurately). Ariel does not like living in the sea and wants to live on land, where people are. One day she sees a ship of people and meets a prince named Eric. She saves his life from drowning. When Ariel's father, King Triton, finds out that she saved a human man from drowning, he destroys all the things she has kept in her grotto. After that, two eels named Flotsam and Jetsam tell her about a seawitch named Ursula. They tell her that Ursula can make her dreams come true. She follows them to Ursula's lair where she has magic potions. She uses her magic to turn Ariel into a human for exactly three days, in exchange for her voice. In order to stay human, she has to kiss Prince Eric, or else she will turn back into a mermaid and belong to Ursula. Eric shows her his palace and helps her adapt. On the second day, Sebastian the crab gathers the other sea animals together and they sing "Kiss the Girl", hoping to make Eric kiss Ariel. The plan almost works, but Flotsam and Jetsam cause the boat to sink. Ursula decides that enough is enough and uses Ariel's voice to turn herself into a beautiful girl named Vanessa. She casts a hypnotic spell on Eric to make him forget about Ariel. The next day, everyone finds out that Eric is getting married, and Ariel is very sad. Scuttle finds out that the girl Eric is marrying is Ursula in disguise. He tells Ariel and manages to create disruption, delaying the wedding. The seashell Ursula is wearing breaks and Ariel's voice comes back. She tries to kiss Eric, but the sun sets and she turns back into a mermaid. Ursula offers to let Ariel go if Triton takes her place. He accepts it and turns into a plant. With help from Sebastian and Flounder, Prince Eric and Ariel defeat Ursula. Ursula dies and all the plants she had turn back into mermaids. Finally King Triton gives Ariel her wish and she is allowed to marry Prince Eric.

Images for kids

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  Georges de La Tour's 1640 painting Magdalene with the Smoking Flame is shown in the film.

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  Ariel meet-and-greet character at Disneyland Paris

See also

In Spanish: La sirenita (película de 1989) para niños