Maurice is Belle's father, and the crazy inventor of the village, building of any contraption he think of to make his everyday tasks easier. Although appears to want to give up when his inventions fail, Belle is there to encourage him to continue what he loves doing.

On his way to the fair to present his latest invention, he got lost in the woods, and was attacked by a wolf pack. To escape the dangerous predators, he took refuge in a castle without suspecting that it was in fact inhabited by living objects and endowed with words. At first surprised, he was intrigued by these new friends, but quickly showed affection for them.

Alas, he was kidnapped by the cursed owner of the castle, the Beast. When Belle offered to take his place, he returned to the village to seek help. But everyone saw him as a madman, and he found himself alone to help his daughter.