BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (LA BELLE ET LA BETE) BY JEAN COCTEAU

The film Beauty and the Beast directed by French filmmaker and poet Jean Cocteau, is an adaption of two French fairy tales. The story of the film is mainly revolving around two imaginary characters - Belle and The Beast or Prince Ardent. In the film, Belle's father is lost in the forest and finds a castle. He picks up a rose from the garden and the beast who resides in the castle appears and threatens to kill Belle's father.

Belle comes to take the place of her father and faints straight away at the first sight of the beast. The beast fall in love with her and every night proposes her for marriage which Belle refuses. Then the beast gives her permission to leave for her home for a week and says her that if she does not return by then, the beast will die out of grief. Finally when Belle returns to the beast, a charming prince wakes up from the death bed who is cured from the curse of being a beast.



Key casts are Jean Marais as The Beast / Prince Avenant, Josette Day as Belle, Marcel Andre as Belle's Father and others.

Top 10 Reasons you should watch Beauty and The Beast:

1. Beauty and The Beast is an all time favorite fairy tale and among the top French films which is wonderfully framed by Director Jean Cocteau.
2. This is a fantasy which has redemption, love, purity and friendship.
3. Josette Day looked beautiful as Belle.
4. Jean Marais is equally convincing as the Beast with his terrific make up and as handsome, romantic Prince Avenant.
5. Henri Alekan's cinematography, Georges Auric's musical scores and the costumes and make ups create the magic and enchantment.
6. Beauty and The Beast has a touch of pathos as the story goes on when you will be empathetic towards the beast despite of its ugly look and will feel happy when the pretty Belle falls in love with the beast and returns to him.
7. There is very true hidden moral within the story which says there can be a very kind hearted, beautiful soul inside an ugly awful looking creature. Therefore you cannot judge by looks only.
8. The film is one the best French films ever made which is equally good for adults as it is for the children.
9. Beauty and The Beast can be ranked under top 100 foreign films for being a wonderful film based on French fairy tales.
10. Every child and all movie lovers will be delighted to watch this Jean Cocteau's creation.

I also recommend you to watch these two movies:

The Bride With White Hair - Here a beautiful woman saves a man from a pack of wolves. The bond she stitches between them holds forever. But on the opposite sides of warring clans, the lovers should re-examine their loyalties. Thrilling swordplay takes their aching romance to an uncertain ending.

Rare Exports : A Christmas Tale - on the eve of Christmas an archeological dig has unearthed a real Santa Claus.

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* Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (5 July 1889 - 11 October 1963) was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, boxing manager, playwright, artist and filmmaker.
* Cocteau was born in Maisons-Laffitte, velines, once a small village near Paris.
* His work was played out in the theatrical world of the Grands Theatres.
* In 1955 Cocteau was made a member of the Académie française and The Royal Academy of Belgium.
* During his life Cocteau was commander of the Legion of Honor, Member of the Mallarmé Academy, German Academy (Berlin), American Academy, Mark Twain (U.S.A) Academy, Honorary President of the Cannes film festival, Honorary President of the France-Hungary Association and President of the jazz Academy and of the Academy of the Disc.

* Le sang d'un poète (The Blood of a Poet) (1930)
* L'Eternel Retour (The Eternal Return) (1943)
* La belle et la bête (Beauty and the Beast) (1946)
* L'aigle à deux têtes (The Eagle Has Two Heads) (1947)
* Les parents terribles (The Storm Within) (1948)
* Coriolan (1950) never released
* Orphée (Orpheus) (1950)
* La villa Santo-Sospir (1952)
* 8 x 8: A Chess Sonata in 8 Movements (1957) co-director, experimental film
* Le testament d'Orphée (The Testament of Orpheus) (1960)

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Director: Jean Cocteau, Cast: Jean Marais, Josette Day


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