La Belle Et La Bete (1946)

Review of ‘La Belle et la Bette’ by Rachael M

Like most critically acclaimed foreign language films, La Belle et la Bette (Or Beauty and the Beast) is one of those special movies that is able to stand the test of time by simply being a fantastical event that makes the Disney version weep in a corner out of pure jealousy. Directed by Jean Cocteau in 1946, the film is based on the traditional tale from France about love and loss, everything you would expect from a fairy-tale book written in 1740, but somehow the film is able to re-produce the same style and atmosphere, thanks to the plot and set designs alone, without even taking the acting into consideration.

Sadly, like most films in the early 20th century, the storyline may seem slow at times, but you can’t really expect any different, when the film relies on a very small tale to fill a ninety minute theatrical feature. The supporting cast, like Belle’s Father, played by Marcel Andre may at times drag the film down to a bit of a standstill, when required to pay attention to the peasant scenes and the streets, rather than the glorious castle that awaits in the further scenes. Unlike ruining the film in some cases, this only helps distinguish between both Belle’s home life and fantasy qualities of the Beasts. At times, the film feels so surreal that you can’t help feeling like you are experiencing a dream, influenced by an initial meaning behind a character’s death for example, or the strange symbolic features like the moving gargoyles.

Remember, this was a time before the most realistic special effects, a time where most things would look beyond tame to today’s audience. Yet again, Beauty and the Beast, pulls it off so elegantly that nothing seems forced, and quite natural in respect. At points, you may think yourself foolish for believing that the Beast was real. Such detail to scenery and artistic style hasn’t been established like this before, each scene within the Beasts company, compliments itself. Even the mistake of using different kinds of film stock works to its advantage, adding to fantasy of the film.

Each of the main cast’s presence is known, even if the acting could be seen as a little overdramatic, with both gestures and delivery, to a contemporary audience this may not be to everyone’s taste. This is typical of most black and white films, so if you can respect the conventions of that era, it is a very likeable film regardless.

Without giving too much away, the plot is not too similar to the animated Disney version, so for those who expect a light-hearted tale with one measly death, you may be surprised. There are no musical numbers, no humour in the slapstick sense, but an engaging story that will have you captivated from start to finish, as long as you don’t feel the need to compare it to other representations, and watch foreign language films for the spectacle and story alone.