#6: Beauty And The Beast (1946)

Beauty And The Beast
Jean Cocteau
France
1946
93 Minutes
Black and White
1.33:1
French

“Beauty And The Beast”, directed by Jean Cocteau, is one of those films that you have to think hard about. It is not inherently a difficult film to watch, but it has some very complicated, but ultimately moving, images.


I’m sure everybody knows what the story of “Beauty And The Beast” is. It concerns a man who looses his whole fortune. He finds a castle in the woods one day, and plucks a rose for his beautiful but gentle daughter, Belle. The Beast, who owns the castle, claims that the rose is his, and tells the man that he must send him his daughter. The two fall in love, and as they say, that’s that.

Most people, sadly, know the story of “Beauty And The Beast” primarily because of the Walt Disney animated picture. Whilst the Walt Disney film works fine, it is really not a classic and can be considered for children and adults will find no enjoyment in it. However, Jean Cocteau’s version (which predates the Disney version) is inherently a mixture of horror and fantasy.


One of the film’s most striking images are to be found in the Beast’s castle. The castle is littered with candles, all of which are held up by human hands, coming out of the walls. Whilst the idea might seem a little silly, it works to great affect and creates a dark and scary atmosphere. Additionally, some statues come alive and unnervingly watch the characters in the film.

The film could also be considered a noir film. I don’t say this because it is black and white, but rather because the lighting is so unique in the castle. The normal world is lit rather normally, but as soon as we transend into the Beast’s domain, the world erupts with evocative shadows. I am sad to say that the power of the images are a little watered down, as there is not nearly enough contrast in the print that The Criterion Collection used. However, I am sure that you will never forget the images contained in this film.

The acting, however, is another point to be made. Whilst the actors are convincing, they are a bit pretentious sometimes- particularly Avenant and the Beast, both played by Jean Marais. Marais does an excellent job as the Beast, but there are some moments that I feel are rather underperformed, particularly the scenes in which the Beast asks Belle to marry him. It does not seem to be the actor’s fault with these scenes, but rather the script’s: the lines are sometimes just too humorous, and therefore I don’t think that they can be taken seriously by the viewer. However, these small trip-ups do not delay the films pace, and they are quickly forgotten.

There is not much to be said about the music- it accompanies the film well, but there are not many moments in which the music greatly affects the viewer or the film. It works well, but the composer, I feel, did not exert himself too much whilst writing the music.

All in all, the film is one to be treasured. From the very beginning we are thrown off by Cocteau, with his images of a school chalk board, utilized for the opening credits. We are only thrown more off with the strange images he concocts in the Beast’s castle. The film is rich with atmosphere and shadows. I consider it to be one of the best tellings of Mme, Leprince de Beaumont’s classic fairytale, and soon, you will too.

Note: If a child is intending to watch this picture, I would suggest having a parent in the room, as there are some scenes in the castle which are quite frightening.

Direction: 10/10
Photography: 10/10
Acting: 9/10
Music: 8/10
Script: 7/10
Overall: 8.8/10