Overview
See production notesIn 14th-century Europe, King Stefan and Queen Leah welcome their newborn daughter, Aurora, and proclaim a holiday for their subjects to pay homage to the princess. At her christening, Aurora is betrothed to Prince Phillip, the son of Stefan's friend King Hubert, in order to unite their kingdoms. The three good fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, each bless Aurora with one gift. After Flora and Fauna give her beauty and song, the evil fairy Maleficent appears, angry at not being invited. She places a curse on the princess, predicting that before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday, Aurora will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die. Merryweather uses her gift to soften the curse so that Aurora will instead fall into a deep sleep until a true love's kiss breaks the spell. Still fearful, Stefan orders all the kingdom's spinning wheels to be burned. Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather devise a plan to hide Aurora in a secluded location and raise her themselves until her sixteenth birthday, to which Stefan and Leah reluctantly agree. The fairies move into a forest cottage, giving up magic and living like human peasants; they also rename Aurora to Briar Rose. On Aurora's sixteenth birthday, the fairies send her to gather berries so they can prepare a surprise party. In the forest, Aurora sings to her animal friends, drawing the attention of Phillip, now a handsome young man. They fall in love without revealing their names, and Aurora invites Phillip to the cottage that evening. Meanwhile, Flora and Merryweather have a duel with magic wands over the color of Aurora's birthday dress, drawing the attention of Maleficent's pet raven, Diablo. When Aurora returns and tells the fairies that she has fallen in love, they reveal her true identity (which Diablo overhears) and inform her that she must never see her beloved again. Meanwhile, Phillip tells his father about the girl he met and wants to marry, unaware that she is the princess to whom he is betrothed. Hubert fails to dissuade him, and Phillip rides off to the cottage. Shortly before sunset, the fairies bring Aurora to the castle for her birthday celebration. Maleficent appears as a glowing ball of light and hypnotically beckons Aurora to a tower room, where Aurora pricks her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel (that Maleficent conjures) and falls into a deep sleep. The fairies place the sleeping Aurora in the highest tower, and put the entire kingdom to sleep until she is awakened. While doing so, Flora overhears a conversation between Hubert and Stefan, and realizes that Phillip is the man Aurora met. The fairies rush to the cottage, only to discover that Phillip has been abducted by Maleficent. At her domain, the Forbidden Mountain, Maleficent reveals Aurora's identity to Phillip; she also tells her plans to lock Phillip away until he is an old man on the verge of death before releasing him to meet Aurora, who will not age a day. The fairies rescue Phillip and arm him with the magical Sword of Truth and the Shield of Virtue to fend off Maleficent's goons. Maleficent surrounds Stefan's castle with a forest of thorns, but Phillip breaks through it. Then, she transforms into a fire-breathing dragon, confronting Phillip personally. The fairies enchant Phillip's sword, which he throws into Maleficent's heart, killing her. Phillip finds Aurora and awakens her with a kiss, bringing the rest of the kingdom out of their slumber. The two descend to the ballroom, where Aurora reunites with her parents and happily dances with Phillip, as the good fairies look on with joy.
Plot from Sleeping Beauty (1959 film)CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quotes
See all quotesMerryweather: Sweet princess, my gift shall be -- Fauna: Why, it's Maleficent! Merryweather: What does she want here? Flora: Shh! Maleficent: Well! Quite a glittering assemblage, King Stefan. Royalty, nobility, the gentry, and- [chuckles and looks at the Good Fairies] How quaint! Even the rabble. [Merryweather charges at her, but is held back by Flora] I really felt quite distressed at not receiving an invitation. Merryweather: You weren't wanted. Maleficent: Not wa-? Oh, dear, what an awkward situation. I had hoped it was merely due to some oversight. Well, in that event, I'd best be on my way. Queen Leah: And...you're not offended, Your Excellency? Maleficent: Why, no, Your Majesty. And to show I bear no ill will, I, too, shall bestow a gift on the child. Listen well, all of you! The princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her. But...before the sun sets on her 16th birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel...and DIE! Queen
Sleeping Beauty (1959 film), CC BY-SA 4.0
The Narrator: But King Stefan, still fearful of his daughter's life, did then and there decree that every spinning wheel in the kingdom should on that very day be burned, and so 'twas done. Flora: Oh, silly fiddle-faddle! Fauna: Now, come have a nice cup of tea, dear. I'm sure it'll turn out somehow. Merryweather: Well, a bonfire won't stop Maleficent. Flora: Of course not, but what will? Fauna: Well, perhaps if we will reason with her. Flora: Reason? Merryweather: With Maleficent? Fauna: Well, she can't be all bad. Flora: Oh, yes she can! Merryweather: Ooh, I'd like to turn her into a fat old hoptoad! Fauna: Now, dear, that isn't a very nice thing to say. Flora: Besides, we can't. You know our magic doesn't work that way. Fauna: It can only do good, dear, to bring joy and happiness. Merryweather: Well, that would make me happy.
Sleeping Beauty (1959 film), CC BY-SA 4.0
Maleficent: It's incredible! Sixteen years, and not a trace of her! She couldn't have vanished into thin air! Are you sure you searched everywhere? The Minion: Yep, yep, uh, everywhere, we all did. Maleficent: And what about the town? The forests? The mountains?! The Minion: Yeah, we searched mountains, uh, uh, uh, uh forests, and, uh, houses, and uh - Let me see, uh...and all the cradles. Maleficent: Cradle? The Minion: Yep, yep. Every cradle. Maleficent: CRADLE?! [to Diablo] Did you hear that, my pet? All these years, they've been looking for a baby. [begins laughing hysterically, leading her minions to do the same, but suddenly goes into a fierce rage] Fools! IDIOTS! IMBECILES! [shoots lightning bolts at them all, sending them fleeing from the room] Ohh! Oh, they're hopeless. [sits down] A disgrace to the forces of evil. [Sighs and talks to Diablo] My pet, you are my last hope. Circle far and wide. Search for a maid of sixteen, with hair of sunshine gold and lips red as the rose. Go
Sleeping Beauty (1959 film), CC BY-SA 4.0
And so, for sixteen long years, the whereabouts of the princess remained a mystery. While deep in the forest in a woodcutter's cottage, the Good Fairies carried out their well-laid plan. Living like mortals, they had reared the child as their own and called her "Briar Rose". [The 16-year-old Aurora, under the alias of Briar Rose, appears cleaning the window and singing.] On this, her sixteenth birthday, the Good Fairies had planned a party, and something extra special for a surprise.
Sleeping Beauty (1959 film), CC BY-SA 4.0
Princess Aurora: Oh, dear. Why do they still treat me like a child? The Owl: Who? Princess Aurora: Aunt Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. They never want me to meet anyone. But you know something? I fooled them. I have met someone. The Owl: Who? Who? Who? Princess Aurora: Oh, a prince. [The birds twitter] Well, he's tall and handsome and- and so romantic. [The birds twitter] Oh, we walk together and talk together. And just before we say goodbye he takes me in his arms...and then...I wake up. [The birds sigh] Yes, it's only in my dreams. But, they say, if you dream a thing more than once it's sure to come true, and I've seen him so many times.
Sleeping Beauty (1959 film), CC BY-SA 4.0
Prince Phillip: I'm awfully sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. Princess Aurora: Oh, it, uh, wasn't that. It's just that you're a-a- Prince Phillip: A stranger? Princess Aurora: Mm-hmm. Prince Phillip: But don't you remember? We've met before. Princess Aurora: We-We have? Prince Phillip: Well, of course. You said so yourself. Once Upon a Dream.
Sleeping Beauty (1959 film), CC BY-SA 4.0
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