Beauty & The Beast is one of Disney's greatest movies, having everything that people could look for in a film. From an incredible storyline with romance and major action to fantastic songs and amazing characters, the movie really does have it all. Unlike most princess movies, this is a very different story. It's not all about a damsel in distress and instead, it features some of the smartest characters Disney has ever created, making for an engaging story that develops throughout.
The cast of varied characters is one of the main reasons that the film has been so well-received over the years. In this list, we will rank these characters in terms of their intelligence.
Chip
Chip might be incredibly cute and loveable, but he is also the least intelligent character in the entire movie. This is a tough one, as it's hard to truly rank Chip against any of the other characters in Beauty & The Beast. He is only a child and the majority of his life has been spent as a cup.
Because of the fact that he is such a young character, he hasn't quite built up the same level of intelligence as the main characters of the film. However, Chip is certainly inquisitive and asks lots of questions, meaning he would, no doubt, turn into a much smarter character when he grows up.
LeFou
LeFou is technically a villain, but that is mainly down to the fact he's incredibly gullible and easily manipulated by Gaston. The fact that he is simply dragged along to do some dastardly things is down to his low intelligence.
LeFou isn't actually a villain at heart though, and he clearly doesn't want to do the things that Gaston makes him do. However, he's just not intelligent enough to get himself out of the situation, and while he can be very funny, he certainly isn't the smartest.
Gaston
He might have the brawn, but Gaston certainly doesn't have the brains. The villain of the movie is an incredibly iconic character and one that audiences love to hate because of how much personality he has. However, he relies too heavily upon his looks and physical appearance and seriously lacks common sense.
Gaston cannot wrap his head around the fact Belle has zero interest in marrying him, and he is someone who thinks that physical force is the way to solve every problem. This ultimately ends up leading to his death, which is something the village would unlikely mourn, considering Gaston is nothing more than a bully.
The Wardrobe
When it comes to the different characters that inhabit the castle, The Wardrobe isn't one who gets tons of screentime. However, whenever she does pop up, she certainly makes her presence felt with her operatic voice.
She is shown to be a fairly smart character, though. Firstly, she has excellent knowledge when it comes to picking out clothes, which is to be expected. But she also gives excellent life advice to Belle, which shows a deep understanding of emotions.
Lumiere
Lumiere is one of the most energetic characters throughout the entire film, clearly not wanting to let his circumstance dictate his way of living. However, he often lets this excitement and energy get the best of him, sometimes making rash decisions.
But that doesn't mean that Lumiere isn't a smart character because he has plenty of intelligence, which he shows throughout the film. He certainly knows how to put on a show while he does his job, but there is no denying that he is great at it.
Mrs. Potts
Mrs. Potts is one of the wisest characters in Beauty & The Beast, which is mainly down to the fact she's also one of the oldest. Mrs. Potts has seen it all and done it all and because of this, she has plenty of knowledge to offer Belle and the Beast.
While it's unknown if she's a lover of books like the two main characters, she certainly is very smart. She offers them the best advice and clearly does that all across the castle, trying to make the tough life a little bit easier for everyone involved.
Beast
He might have the appearance of a monster, who shouldn't be particularly intelligent because of how this type of character is typically showcased in films, but this is where the Beast breaks the mold, as he is actually very smart.
This is obviously because, deep down, he is a prince, but he works hard to be intelligent. He is constantly reading to improve his knowledge and is always willing to learn, even when he is trapped in the Beast's body, which is something he showcases throughout the film.
Cogsworth
Cogsworth might be slightly annoying at times, but that is only because of how his personality is. He is someone who enjoys following the rules to the letter and that is part of why he's so intelligent. He gets everything done and he does it perfectly, every time.
He is also compassionate and kind, which is something that might get overlooked at times. He is happy to organize the castle and be in charge while the Beast struggles. But he is also the first to be ready to fight for everyone's lives when it gets invaded and is just as smart at battle planning as he is keeping things shipshape.
Belle
The prime reason that Belle is such a popular Disney princess is because of how smart she is as a character. She isn't the stereotypical princess who needs rescuing because she is smart enough to foresee different problems and she always tries to come up with a logical solution.
She's incredibly well-read and thrives on jumping into a good book. This makes her stand out in her village, but in a good way. She is also smart enough to not judge the Beast purely upon his appearance, and her kindness and compassion are other signs of her amazing intelligence.
Maurice
People in the village might think that he's a crazy man because of how Gaston portrays him, but Maurice is actually the smartest character in Beauty & The Beast. He is the person who teaches Belle as she grows up, and he is where she gets her brains from.
He isn't just clever in terms of book smarts, though. Maurice is an inventor and a tinker, constantly working on different projects to put his intelligence to good use. All of his inventions have a really practical use, and even though they might not be life-changing inventions, they certainly show his incredible intelligence.