Beast stole my heart as easily as he did Belle’s

NOW, just to cheer you up, let me tell you about the best antidote to anxiety I’ve seen since La La Land. Beauty And The Beast, Disney’s new live-action take on their classic animation, is – well – just fabulous. Visually it’s stunning and the score sounds even better than the brilliant original.

I regret now that I’ve been a bit snippy about what I saw as Emma Watson’s rather grandiose claims about Belle’s feminist spirit.

Watson is just perfect in the part. Pretty and earnest, with a slightly furrowed brow, she’s goodness personified. Always admirable and kind, Watson also has a lovely, sweet, clear singing voice.

But the real surprise is The Beast. Played by Downton’s Dan Stevens, he makes a handsome enough prince after the enchantress removed her curse on him when he earns Belle’s love; but as The Beast, my goodness he’s sexy.

Stevens is unrecognisable under the digital fur. Toweringly tall, magnificently masculine but oddly vulnerable, I could have fallen in love with him myself. I don’t know what that says about me but old Beastiechops is a triumph of cinematic art.

In fact when he is revealed as the prince at the end, I’m afraid he’s a bit of a disappointment. Blond and good-looking, yes. But somehow he seems a bit small and fey compared to his beastly incarnation.

One of the funniest lines in the film is when Belle asks her now-human prince if he would ever consider growing a beard – an acknowledgement of how attractive she found his earlier, hairier, incarnation.

I read a snotty review somewhere that said you should only go and see B&TB if accompanied by someone under 10.

Rubbish. If you want to have a really fun and visually gorgeous evening, just go and watch it.