Beauty and the Beast

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Beauty and the Beast

Released Jan 1, 1947

1h 35m

Fantasy

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Popcornmeter

96%

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67 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

The story of a gentle-hearted beast in love with a simple and beautiful girl. She is drawn to the repellent but strangely fascinating Beast, who tests her fidelity by giving her a key, telling her that if she doesn't return it to him by a specific time, he will die of grief. She is unable to return the key on time, but it is revealed that the Beast is the genuinely handsome one. A simple tale of tragic love that turns into a surreal vision of death, desire, and beauty.

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Critics Consensus

With its magical optical effects and enchanting performances, Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast remains the most surreal -- and soulful -- of the fairy tale's film adaptations.

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

What's mesmerising about Cocteau's film is the seriousness with which it regards the fairytale material, combined with an eerie, dreamlike production design that's more effective precisely because it's more real.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 6, 2018

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Kristin M. Jones

Wall Street Journal

"Beauty and the Beast" remains a profound exploration of the human and animal worlds, light and darkness, and love and art.

Feb 14, 2018

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Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

metro.co.uk

More exquisite than ever thanks to a 4K restoration, Jean Cocteau's dreamy 1946 black-and-white retelling of Beauty And The Beast is a real spellbinder.

Sep 6, 2017

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

The B&W photography by Henri Alekan shimmers, and the eerie imagery (created entirely in camera) creates a texture of visual poetry and cinema magic never been equaled in the years of fairy tale cinema since.

Oct 28, 2023

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Michael J. Casey

Michael J. Cinema

The characters are familiar, and the story is typical, but unless you have seen Cocteau's 1946 version of the story, you really haven't seen the magic and wonder of a fairy tale on the screen

Rated: 4/5

Sep 19, 2021

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Allen Almachar

The MacGuffin

It's a mesmerizing experience of the highest order, hitting on every emotional beat and nailing every visual trick.

Jul 25, 2020

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Scott B

I have seen this movie probably ten times in my life. Because it is my all time favorite. It came out one year before I was born. Spectacular effects, many of them never tried before...like playing the film backwards for having Beauty crawl off a wall and the very ending when she and Avenant spring up and fly off together. Cocteau was a pure genius.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/21/25

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Rami A

Long before the 1991 Disney adaptation, there have been many versions of "Beauty and the Beast." Some of these adaptations are good, some are bad, and some are just mediocre. However, Jean Cocteau's version of the story is truly magical. I don't believe I've ever seen an American film that captures the magic represented in this particular adaptation.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/25

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William B

Masterpiece, recommended for anyone.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/11/24

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Richard S

Most touching is the expression of The Beast of his love for Beauty and his willingness to sacrifice for her. Never has true but unrequited love been shown so poignantly on screen. Intensely beautiful and unforgettable movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/28/24

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Teddy B

Jean Cocteau adds a considerable level of brevity to the hodgepodge of ideas that is the original fairytale. His dreamy, almost subconsciously dark, visuals and a slew of absolutely fantastic performances does make this the best adaptation. Disney may have been the most concise and iconic, but Cocteau's version has an undeniable mood that lingers with you after watching...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/03/24

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Luca D

Surrealism meets a fairytale what could be better, well honestly my only problem with the movie was one that many old films suffer from. Sometimes the music can be too climactic at scenes where nothing is happening, and then the movie will be silent while something climactic in the story is happening. That's the only problem I could find. Otherwise its a wonderful movie and I would definitely watch it again

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/28/24

Full Review

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Jean Cocteau

Director

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Synopsis

The story of a gentle-hearted beast in love with a simple and beautiful girl. She is drawn to the repellent but strangely fascinating Beast, who tests her fidelity by giving her a key, telling her that if she doesn't return it to him by a specific time, he will die of grief. She is unable to return the key on time, but it is revealed that the Beast is the genuinely handsome one. A simple tale of tragic love that turns into a surreal vision of death, desire, and beauty.

Director: Jean Cocteau
Screenwriter: Jean Cocteau, Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, Jean Cocteau
Production Co: Les Films André Paulvé
Genre: Fantasy
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 1, 1947, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jun 21, 2002
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 14, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $138.2K
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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