Sandy Kenyon's review of 'Beauty and the Beast': irresistible take on a tale as old as time

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The live action remake of Disney's beloved classic, Beauty and the Beast proved to be an irresistible new chapter for this tale as old as time.

"This movie moved me when I was 21, and I first saw it," said Audra McDonald who appears as Madame Garderobe. "It meant a lot to my 16 year old daughter so to now be in this version is kind of a dream come true, and it feels like a legacy I can leave my kids too."

Kids will see a boorish aristocrat transform into a beast.

Dan Stevens, who took on the role as the timeless character, says, "The beast is a little scary, a little animal, but he's also sweet and silly and ultimately, you know, a big fluffy sweetheart."

Especially around this beauty, as 'Belle', Emma Watson is perfectly cast and for someone who isn't known for her singing, she acquits herself nicely.

We meet her in a small French village where she lives with her father played by Kevin Kline perused by Luke Evan as 'Gaston' whose sidekick "Le Fou" is gay, but you may not even notice that because Josh Gadd doesn't make a big deal about it.

"It's not just about my character," Gadd said. "It's about the world Bill Condon has created in this film."

An inclusive world the director has made a reality using the latest technology to re-imagine even the most iconic scenes.

"We prepped it for six months," Condon said. "We shot it for over a month."

One scene took a year-and a-half to finish.

Condon says as the filming process continued, there were moments he was worried they weren't going to get there and finish.

Ultimately they ALL got there to create a satisfying new take on a timeless classic. Gadd took his daughters who are three and six, and he told me they weren't too scared.

Dan Stevens took his four kids who are four and seven to see dad as "the beast" without problems. There are a few wolves that would have scared me as a youngster, but it's really a movie all ages can enjoy.