La belle et la bête (1946)

Director:

Jean Cocteau

Writers:

Jean Cocteau (dialogue)
Jean Cocteau (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 December 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Plot:

A half-ruined merchant lives in the country with his son Ludovic and his three daughters. Two of the daughters...

Plot Keywords:

Castle | Rose | Beast | Magic | Forest

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jean Marais	...	La Bête (The Beast) / The Prince / Avenant
Josette Day	...	Belle
Mila Parély	...	Félicie
Nane Germon	...	Adélaïde
Michel Auclair	...	Ludovic
Raoul Marco	...	The Usurer
Marcel André	...	Belle's Father
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Janice Felty	...	La Belle (1995 opera version) (singing voice)
John Kuether	...	The Father / The usurer (1995 opera version) (singing voice)
Ana María Martinez	...	Félicie (1995 opera version) (singing voice)
Hallie Neill	...	Adélaïde (1995 opera version) (singing voice)
Gregory Purnhagen	...	La Bête / Avenant / Ardent / The port official (1995 opera version) (singing voice)
Zhang Zhou	...	Ludovic (1995 opera version) (singing voice)

Also Known As:

Beauty and the Beast (International: English title) (USA)

Runtime:

96 min | USA:93 min | Germany:90 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Dolby Digital (1995 opera version)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | South Korea:All | Germany:16 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Château de Raray, Senlis, Oise, France

Company:

DisCina

Trivia:

The costumes were manufactured at the workshop of the famous Paris couture house of Jeanne Lanvin, with the men's costumes under the supervision of Lanvin designer Pierre Cardin

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: Boom visible at the top of the picture during the entire scene when Ludovic and Avenant first approach Diane's pavilion.

Movie Connections:

Remade as "Faerie Tale Theatre: Beauty and the Beast (#3.6)" (1984)

Soundtrack:

La belle et la bête

Dream-like Magical Film

I first saw this film, believe it or not, as a young boy of about four or five. The year was about 1952 or 1953, and I watched it on a typical TV set for those days - a very small screen with a very grainy picture. I remember being mesmerized by the film, particularly the ending. I must have asked my mother the name of it, for I never forgot it. I'm sure I didn't understand it much, it was just that I was swept away by the artfulness and magic of it. Its memory remained in my consciousness for about forty years, during which time I never once saw the film or even heard about it. Then I happened to run across it in a catalog. I just had to have it and ordered it immediately. It was an incredible experience to see this film again after so many decades, and to connect again with my child-self. I could see why the movie had made such an impression on me and haunted me all these years. As it turned out, the film had even more meaning for me as an adult, since the main theme had a special, personal relevance for me. Amazingly, I had also developed an obsession with roses, and tended to a garden of hundreds of rose bushes. All in all, a very beautiful film and a simple yet magical tale.