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The Little Mermaid

  • 19891989
  • K-6/3K-6/3
  • 1h 23min
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
247K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,459
13
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Jodi Benson in The Little Mermaid (1989)
A mermaid princess makes a faustian bargain with an unscrupulous seahag in order to meet a human prince on land.
Play trailer1:32
16 Videos
99+ Photos
AnimationFamilyFantasy

A mermaid princess makes a Faustian bargain in an attempt to become human and win a prince's love.A mermaid princess makes a Faustian bargain in an attempt to become human and win a prince's love.A mermaid princess makes a Faustian bargain in an attempt to become human and win a prince's love.

IMDb RATING
7.6/10
247K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,459
13
  • Directors
    • Ron Clements
    • John Musker
  • Writers
    • John Musker
    • Ron Clements
    • Hans Christian Andersen(fairy tale)
  • Stars
    • Jodi Benson(voice)
    • Samuel E. Wright(voice)
    • Rene Auberjonois(voice)
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Ron Clements
    • John Musker
  • Writers
    • John Musker
    • Ron Clements
    • Hans Christian Andersen(fairy tale)
  • Stars
    • Jodi Benson(voice)
    • Samuel E. Wright(voice)
    • Rene Auberjonois(voice)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 310User reviews
    • 111Critic reviews
    • 88Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 14 wins & 8 nominations total

    Videos16

    U.S. Version
    Trailer 1:32
    U.S. Version
    What We Know About 'The Little Mermaid' ... So Far
    Clip 3:44
    What We Know About 'The Little Mermaid' ... So Far
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    Clip 2:27
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    Clip 1:29
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    Clip 1:00
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    Clip 0:54
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    Clip 2:08
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    Clip 1:08
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    Clip 1:09
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    Clip 2:02
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    Clip 1:51
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition
    Clip 1:36
    The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition

    Photos226

    Pat Carroll in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Jodi Benson, Jason Marin, and Samuel E. Wright in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Jodi Benson and Jason Marin in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Jodi Benson in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Kenneth Mars in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Pat Carroll in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Jodi Benson and Pat Carroll in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Samuel E. Wright in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Jodi Benson and Jason Marin in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Jodi Benson in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Christopher Daniel Barnes, Jodi Benson, and Jason Marin in The Little Mermaid (1989)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jodi Benson
    Jodi Benson
    • Arielas Ariel
    • (voice)
    Samuel E. Wright
    Samuel E. Wright
    • Sebastianas Sebastian
    • (voice)
    Rene Auberjonois
    Rene Auberjonois
    • Louisas Louis
    • (voice)
    Christopher Daniel Barnes
    Christopher Daniel Barnes
    • Ericas Eric
    • (voice)
    Pat Carroll
    Pat Carroll
    • Ursulaas Ursula
    • (voice)
    Paddi Edwards
    Paddi Edwards
    • Flotsamas Flotsam
    • (voice)
    • …
    Buddy Hackett
    Buddy Hackett
    • Scuttleas Scuttle
    • (voice)
    Jason Marin
    • Flounderas Flounder
    • (voice)
    Kenneth Mars
    Kenneth Mars
    • Tritonas Triton
    • (voice)
    Edie McClurg
    Edie McClurg
    • Carlottaas Carlotta
    • (voice)
    Will Ryan
    Will Ryan
    • Seahorseas Seahorse
    • (voice)
    Ben Wright
    Ben Wright
    • Grimsbyas Grimsby
    • (voice)
    Hamilton Camp
    Hamilton Camp
    • Additional Voicesas Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    Debbie Shapiro Gravitte
    • Additional Voicesas Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    • (as Debbie Shapiro)
    Robert Weil
    Robert Weil
    • Additional Voicesas Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    Ed Gilbert
    Ed Gilbert
    • Additional Voicesas Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    Charlie Adler
    Charlie Adler
    • Additional Voicesas Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    Jack Angel
    • Additional Voicesas Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    • Directors
      • Ron Clements
      • John Musker
    • Writers
      • John Musker
      • Ron Clements
      • Hans Christian Andersen(fairy tale)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In Disney's beguiling animated romp, rebellious 16-year-old mermaid Ariel is fascinated with life on land. On one of her visits to the surface, which are forbidden by her controlling father, King Triton, she falls for a human prince. Determined to be with her new love, Ariel makes a dangerous deal with the sea witch Ursula to become human for three days. But when plans go awry for the star-crossed lovers, the king must make the ultimate sacrifice for his daughter. —Jwelch5742
    mermaidfork2d animationprincessold english sheepdog395 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Sea it
    • Genres
      • Animation
      • Family
      • Fantasy
      • Musical
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • K-6/3
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Originally, Sebastian was to have an English accent. It was lyricist/producer Howard Ashman who suggested he speak with a Caribbean accent. This opened the door to calypso-style numbers like "Under the Sea," which won the Academy Award.
    • Goofs
      During "Kiss the Girl", the fish swim up from a depth, but later, when Ariel and Eric fall out of the boat, they are shown in Ursula's ball standing in shallow water.
    • Quotes

      Sebastian: Hm. Teenagers. They think they know everything. You give them an inch, they swim all over you.

    • Alternate versions
      For the re-release in 1998, some of the international versions were entirely re-dubbed. It has been claimed this was due to a bureaucratic error, but the real reason for this action was because the international companies were unhappy with the scripts on the earlier releases and wanted to be more faithful to the original dialogue. Many international fans disliked the new dubs, especially in Germany, where several petitions were set up to restore the old dub on DVD (which actually resulted in Disney including the old dub on the 2013 DVD/Blu-ray release). Other countries affected by the change were France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Poland, Thailand, Japan and Brazil.
    • Connections
      Edited from Pinocchio (1940)
    • Soundtracks
      Fathoms Below
      (1989) (uncredited)

      Music by Alan Menken

      Lyrics by Howard Ashman

      Performed by Disney Chorus (Ship's Chorus)

    User reviews310

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    This is my favourite movie of all time...
    I probably never would have seen this movie if my mother hadn't persuaded me to take my little brother to see it. I enjoyed it a lot the first time, but it was only when I saw it again a couple of years later on video I realised just how superb a movie it is. It's not a clever or complex movie, it's not the kind of film which works on an adult level as well as on a children's one. However, three aspects of it make it truly great:

    1: The music. 'Under The Sea' richly deserved its Oscar, but 'Part Of Your World' deserved it even more.

    2. The animation. Quite simply, it's absolutely gorgeous. The underwater scenes in particular take your breath away.

    3. The Story. How can you resist a love story that touching?

    I urge anyone with even a touch of sentimentality about them to set their predjudices aside and see this movie.
    helpful•172
    23
    • BigAir
    • Dec 17, 1998

    FAQ6

    • What is the reason behind King Triton's hatred towards the humans?
    • What is 'The Little Mermaid' about?
    • Is 'The Little Mermaid' based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 30, 1990 (Finland)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Pieni Merenneito
    • Filming locations
      • Walt Disney Feature Animation - 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Walt Disney Pictures
      • Silver Screen Partners IV
      • Walt Disney Animation Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $40,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $111,543,479
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,031,914
      • Nov 19, 1989
    • Gross worldwide
      • $211,343,479
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 23min
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo(original release)
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1(original and intended ratio)

    Related news

    Samuel E. Wright Dies: ‘The Little Mermaid’s Sebastian The Crab, Broadway’s Mufasa Was 74
    Samuel E. Wright Dies: ‘The Little Mermaid’s Sebastian The Crab, Broadway’s Mufasa Was 74
    May 25Deadline Film + TV
    Brandy Announces Her Version of ‘Cinderella’ is Coming to Disney+
    Brandy Announces Her Version of ‘Cinderella’ is Coming to Disney+
    Feb 4Rollingstone.com

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