To　improve　the　mechanical　and　antibacterial　properties　of　chitosan　(CS)　films,　a　ternary　blend　edible　film　was　prepared　by　incorporating　CS,　gelatin　(GE),　and　natural　cinnamon　essential　oil　(CEo).　Scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　Atomic　force　microscopy　(AFM),　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy,　and　X-ray　diffraction　were　performed　to　evaluate　the　films.　The　mechanical　properties,　light　transmission,　thermal　stability,　hydrophilicity,　and　antibacterial　activity　of　the　films　were　also　determined.　The　results　confirmed　all　of　the　films　exhibited　excellent　UV　protection　with　low　transparency　at　600　nm.　Compared　with　the　CS　films,　the　ternary　composite　film　(CSGEo　film,　containing　CS,　GE,　and　CEo)　had　a　higher　elongation　at　break　but　a　lower　tensile　strength.　SEM　images　revealed　that　all　films　had　smooth　surfaces,　although　some　obvious　differences　between　CS　and　CSGEo　films　were　observed　by　AFM.　Additionally,　the　incorporation　of　GE　and　CEo　to　the　films　enhanced　their　thermal　stability　and　contact　angle,　but　decreased　their　crystallinity　and　wettability.　The　antimicrobial　activity　results　showed　that　CSGEo　films　had　excellent　antimicrobial　activity　against　Escherichia　coli　and　Staphylococcus　aureus,　for　which　the　antibacterial　rate　exceeded　98%.　The　minimum　inhibitory　concentrations　of　the　CSGEo　solution　against　E.　coli　and　S.　aureus　were　both　52.06　mu　g/mL,　and　the　minimal　bactericidal　concentrations　were　104.12　and　52.06　mu　g/mL,　respectively.　These　results　suggest　that　CSGEo　films　possess　good　mechanical　and　antibacterial　properties,　and　therefore,　their　application　in　the　food　packaging　industry　is　promising.　Practical　Application　The　main　raw　materials　of　the　edible　films　developed　in　this　study　are　aquatic　by-products,　so　the　films　are　edible　and　biodegradable.　The　addition　of　gelatin　and　CEo　improved　the　UV　barrier　and　thermal　properties　but　decreased　the　crystallinity　and　hydrophilicity　of　the　films,　making　them　suitable　for　use　as　packaging　materials.　CEo-incorporated　films　exhibited　excellent　mechanical　properties　and　antibacterial　activity　and　can,　therefore,　be　used　in　the　food　packaging　industry.