Beauty and the Beast (1946)Where are monsters to be truly found--in the bodies of beasts, or in the hearts of men? If men are monsters, what makes them so? Is it love, or is it really the absence of it? Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast is a retelling of the classic fairy tale of a beautiful woman who ends up falling in love with a monstrous-looking beast of a man, because her pure heart acknowledges his own noble stature. And though the story is familiar, it is the presentation which marks this film as a unique and lasting portrayal of the magic castle, the menacing Beast (Jean Marais), and benevolence of Belle (Josette Day) which makes her deserving of a better life.
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When Belle's father (Marcel André) loses his way in the woods after an ill-fated trip to reclaim some of his fortune from another town, he comes across the Beast's enchanted castle as refuge from the darkness. The castle itself is as enigmatic and unnerving as the Beast itself, and also feels like a character in the story. The mysterious candlesticks resemble--and move like--human arms, as do the serving devices for wine and the like--a far creepier interpretation than what would follow in the Walt Disney animated feature decades later. Living faces are a part of the fixtures, such as the fireplace, and even the smoke which should emerge outward from the candles seems to be drawn in, lending the entire backdrop to the feel of something right out of a dream or a nightmare. Belle's experiences in the castle--after she chooses to take her father's place as a hostage of the Beast--are even more disturbing. Her door and mirror talk to her, and her primary interactions are with the lurking beast, who solicits her hand in marriage without having established any kind of relationship. She refuses, but she makes it clear that it is not because he is a beast, but he is her warden all the same. The Beast stalks the halls after his periodic hunts, his claws emanating smoke; as the title preceding the film indicates, this is a sign of his mortal slaying manifest on his bloodied paws, but more than that it is a mark of his power and intensity. Belle and the Beast come to a friendly understanding--mutually beneficial, as they are more or less forced to be within each other's company--and the two partake in walks around the gardens and have genial conversations, something she only enjoyed with her father at home. Belle's home life was a tale of a downtrodden woman, laboring under the unappreciative command of her horrid sisters, her irresponsible brother, and her brother's arrogant friend, Avenant (also Jean Marais), who forces himself toward her, practically demanding her hand in marriage without regard for her feelings. But Belle's familial love for her father drives her back to him when she discovers he is terribly ill, and the Beast releases her to visit, with the promise she return, an act of trust which is the first real mark of their blossoming relationship.
Beauty and the Beast opens with a presentation of a chalk board, showing the director and star writing names, as the director even calls "action". Following this is the presentation of a title card, imploring the audience to suspend its disbelief at the portrayal of fantasy, invoking those four magic words, "once upon a time". All of this is set up for the magical story to follow, as if it were to be wholly the product of imagination. What does follow is a fantasy story, but also an examination about relationships. Belle is at that age when she would certainly be entertaining the idea of a beau, and though brusque and altogether too fervent in his professions of love, Avenant is a handsome man; Belle even confesses this, and admits being attracted to him. But Avenant really has no personality--he simply pushes and effectively demands that Belle loves him because of his merits. Compare this with her "relationship" with the Beast, who imprisons her and makes almost identical propositions to Belle for her hand. The men in Beauty and the Beast are generally portrayed as selfish or incompetent--even the valets who carry Belle's sisters' carriages--with the exception of her father, who one could surmise is still a somewhat poor businessman given the sudden economic downturn for the family. Beast is a male who traps Belle and similarly assumes affection will be granted if he asks often enough for it. He showers her with gifts, a tactic which Belle can see through, though she accepts his charity. Belle refuses to allow herself to be terrorized or have her privacy invaded by the Beast, throwing her out of "her" room in the castle, when he invites himself in after being unable to locate her following a night of the hunt. The Beast suffers from a self-esteem problem. He believes Belle cannot love him because he is a beast; she does not love him at first, because he has a tendency to respond to his stress with an indulgence in hunting. After a particularly bad bout of sorrow, the Beast returns looking terribly disheveled, covered in blood; Belle's response is to indicate that he should be ashamed, and she slams the door in his face. This episode would be a parallel with a scene of a man who had gone out drinking heavily, only to try to convince his girl he loves her, reeking of alcohol. Beast adapts to please Belle, and find it makes him a better person as a result, more compassionate; and this compassion inside is what draws Belle to him, not the angry, rage-filled facade he portrayed as a defense against the world. Belle's choice to love Beast comes because he has chosen to allow love into his life again--and that is the basis for any good relationship.
Recommended for: Fans of a classic fairy tale told with a dream-like vision of a poet (Jean Cocteau was one). The haunting castle and the tender depth of feeling which flourishes between Belle and the Beast is a romance which is classic.
Beauty and the Beast opens with a presentation of a chalk board, showing the director and star writing names, as the director even calls "action". Following this is the presentation of a title card, imploring the audience to suspend its disbelief at the portrayal of fantasy, invoking those four magic words, "once upon a time". All of this is set up for the magical story to follow, as if it were to be wholly the product of imagination. What does follow is a fantasy story, but also an examination about relationships. Belle is at that age when she would certainly be entertaining the idea of a beau, and though brusque and altogether too fervent in his professions of love, Avenant is a handsome man; Belle even confesses this, and admits being attracted to him. But Avenant really has no personality--he simply pushes and effectively demands that Belle loves him because of his merits. Compare this with her "relationship" with the Beast, who imprisons her and makes almost identical propositions to Belle for her hand. The men in Beauty and the Beast are generally portrayed as selfish or incompetent--even the valets who carry Belle's sisters' carriages--with the exception of her father, who one could surmise is still a somewhat poor businessman given the sudden economic downturn for the family. Beast is a male who traps Belle and similarly assumes affection will be granted if he asks often enough for it. He showers her with gifts, a tactic which Belle can see through, though she accepts his charity. Belle refuses to allow herself to be terrorized or have her privacy invaded by the Beast, throwing her out of "her" room in the castle, when he invites himself in after being unable to locate her following a night of the hunt. The Beast suffers from a self-esteem problem. He believes Belle cannot love him because he is a beast; she does not love him at first, because he has a tendency to respond to his stress with an indulgence in hunting. After a particularly bad bout of sorrow, the Beast returns looking terribly disheveled, covered in blood; Belle's response is to indicate that he should be ashamed, and she slams the door in his face. This episode would be a parallel with a scene of a man who had gone out drinking heavily, only to try to convince his girl he loves her, reeking of alcohol. Beast adapts to please Belle, and find it makes him a better person as a result, more compassionate; and this compassion inside is what draws Belle to him, not the angry, rage-filled facade he portrayed as a defense against the world. Belle's choice to love Beast comes because he has chosen to allow love into his life again--and that is the basis for any good relationship.
Recommended for: Fans of a classic fairy tale told with a dream-like vision of a poet (Jean Cocteau was one). The haunting castle and the tender depth of feeling which flourishes between Belle and the Beast is a romance which is classic.