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Movie Reviews, & Film Industry Commentary
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1946 – NR – 96 min.
Director: Jean Cocteau
Primary Cast: Josette Day, Jean Marais, Mila Parely, Nane Germon, Michel Auclair, Marcel Andre
Stars ***** (of 5)
Popcorn *** (of 5)
Film Type(s): Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tales
Synopsis: A faithful retelling of the 1756 Fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont released in France as La Belle et la Bete. Beauty’s financially troubled Father (Andre) gets lost on his way home and accidentally stays at the Beasts’ castle. All goes well until he picks a rose for his daughter, when the Beast tells him that he must either die or give up one of his daughters. In spite of her father’s objections, Beauty goes to the Beast who promptly falls for her and proposes every evening at seven o’clock. She refuses, already having a handsome suitor. Soon, however, she is drawn to the gentle Beast, who allows her to leave to visit her father, but only if she will come back with a key that he gives her before the week is out and he dies of grief.
Review: Fantasy at it’s best. This 1946 French film version of the Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont fairy tale is considered by many as the best telling of a Fairy Tale on film, Disney included. Even just this version of this tale is so influential, that when Disney made their 1991 version, some of the visuals were borrowed from this version. The actors are alternately beautiful or ugly as the story calls for it, with the stunning Josette Day as Belle and Cocteau regular Jean Marais pulling double duty as both the ill-fitting suitor of Belle and the Beast himself. What makes this film sparkle though are the handsome visuals, well-executed and startling visual effects, and inspired costume and set design, all of which are a triumph giving a genuine feel for time and space. The makeup for the beast also stands out in this, allowing Marais’ Beast to convey a range of emotions without ever forgetting that he IS a Beast and not a man. The suspension of disbelief for this film is remarkable enough without factoring that it comes in the immediate aftermath of a war-torn France, in much need of such impressionistic, hopeful, and romantic films. Some French versions run 120 minutes. Also of note is the use of music score by Georges Auric, being fast paced during slow scenes and slow during quick scenes. |
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