La Belle et la Bête

Film

The 100 best romantic movies, La Belle et La Bette

User ratings:

<strong>Rating: </strong>5/5
Rate this  

Time Out says

Cocteau's fairytale set standards in fantasy which few other film-makers have reached. Despite the Vermeer-like compositions, he has some trouble capturing the right tone for the 'realistic' scenes, but the sequences in the enchanted castle - wonderfully designed by Christian Bérard complete with fantastic living statuary, and dignified by a Beast at once ferocious, erotic and genuinely tragic - are pure magic. René Clément is credited as co-director, but had very little to do with the mise en scène.

Author: TM

1

Comments

Add +

Release details

UK release:

1946

Duration:

100 mins

Cast and crew

Director:

Jean Cocteau

Cast:

Michel Auclair, Mila Parély, Marcel André, Josette Day, Jean Marais, Nane Germon

Music:

Georges Auric

Art Director:

Lucien Carré, Christian Bérard, René Moulaert

Editor:

Claude Héria

Cinematography:

Henri Alekan

Screenwriter:

Jean Cocteau

Producer:

André Paulvé

Share your thoughts
  4. * mandatory fields

Comments & ratings

Rated as: 5/5 (1 rating)

  • This film begins with a plea to the audience, asking us to retain a child-like wonder, and this is easy to do once we see the magical castle where the Beast lives. The scenes within the castle are easily the best parts of the film, and when Belle returns for a week to her family home, one wishes her to return to la Bete without further ado. Negatives - there aren't too many. I felt the editing was a little choppy when moving from scene to scene, and I would have like some more background to where Belle's mother went and why she's the only good child her father has...otherwise, nicely done.

    Leona Luk Sun Aug 5 2007
    Rated as: 5/5
    Report
  • Hotwise
  • Cool brands
  • Star