The Little Mermaid (1989)

Won 2 Oscars
- 16 wins & 8 nominations total

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Top cast63

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Jodi Benson

Ariel
(voice)

Samuel E. Wright

Sebastian
(voice)

Rene Auberjonois

Louis
(voice)
(as René Auberjonois)

Christopher Daniel Barnes

Eric
(voice)

Pat Carroll

Ursula
(voice)

Paddi Edwards

Flotsam
(voice)
…

Buddy Hackett

Scuttle
(voice)

Jason Marin

Flounder
(voice)

Kenneth Mars

Triton
(voice)

Edie McClurg

Carlotta
(voice)

Will Ryan

Seahorse
(voice)

Ben Wright

Grimsby
(voice)

Hamilton Camp

Additional Voices
(voice)

Debbie Shapiro Gravitte

Additional Voices
(voice)
(as Debbie Shapiro)

Robert Weil

Additional Voices
(voice)

Ed Gilbert

Additional Voices
(voice)

Charlie Adler

Additional Voices
(voice)

Jack Angel

Additional Voices
(voice)

Did you know

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Trivia
In the opening scene when King Triton arrives at the arena, Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck and Kermit the Frog can be briefly seen in the crowd of sea-people as mermen when he passes over them.

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
Ariel: [after rescuing the Prince] Is he dead?
Scuttle: It's hard to say.
[Place's his ear to Eric's foot]
Scuttle: I... I can't make out a heartbeat.
Ariel: No, look! He's breathing. He's so beautiful.
Ariel: [singing] What would i give to live where you are?/ What would I pay to stay here beside you?/ what would I do to see you smiling at me?/ Where would we walk/ where would we run/ If we could stay all day in the sun/ Just you and me/ and I could be/ part of your world
Grimsby: [Calling Out] Eric? Eric!
[the approaching Grimsby and Max's barking send a startled Ariel back into the ocean]
Grimsby: [Helping Eric to his feet] You really delight in these sadistic strains on my blood pressure, don't you?
Prince Eric: A girl rescued me. She... She was singing. She had the most beaufiful voice.
Grimsby: Eric, I think you've swallowed a bit too much seawater. Off we go. Come along, Max.
Sebastian: [after watching the unfolding events] We just gonna forget this whole thing ever happened. The sea king will never know. You won't tell him.
Flounder: [Nods in agreement]
Sebastian: I won't tell him. I will stay in one piece.
[Ariel has possitioned herself on top of a rock watching Eric longingly]
Ariel: [sung] I don't know when/ I don't know how/ But I know something's starting right now/ Watch and you'll see/ Someday I'll be/ Part of your world

Alternate versions
For the 1997-1998 re-release, the 1998/1999 home video release and the 2007 Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS release, the end credits were changed to have altered music: a shorter version of "Under the Sea" and then "Part of Your World" as sung by Ariel. The 1998 USA VHS release has credits side by side with a music video making most of the credits impossible to read and giving the general impression of a TV showing of the film. In the original 1989 theatrical release, the original 1990 home video release, and the post-2006 releases, the ending credits contain a slightly longer "Under the Sea" and a full version of Main Titles music, so the audio for the end credits is faithful to the original.

Connections
Edited from The Old Mill (1937)

Soundtracks
Fathoms Below
(1989) (uncredited)
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman
Performed by Disney Chorus (Ship's Chorus)

"The Little Mermaid" Surprised Me

It has been ten years since "The Little Mermaid" was released. Back when Disney originally released the film, I was both excited and apprehensive. Excited, because it is one of the best children's stories and one of my favorites. Apprehensive, because I knew Disney would change the ending and give it a happy ending, which is understandable but still unfortunate. When I first saw it, I liked it much more than I thought I would, and after each repeated viewing, I have liked it more and more. I am now convinced this is the second best American Animated film, after "Beauty and the Beast". The music, story, writing, and animation are superb as others have stated, but the villainess, Ursula, is also a major factor in the success of the film. She is the best written and performed of all Disney villains. She is purely evil but totally believable. Pat Carroll, who I have often noticed but never really considered, did a fabulous job with Ursula's characterization. The music and songs are consistantly very good. There is no deep thought to this one, but "The Little Mermaid" is artfully near-perfect entainment.