In Awe of this French Film!

I am still in awe of this film the day after I watched it.  First of all, I like foreign films but don't make a habit of watching them.  Guess I will admit oftentimes I am too lazy to read the English subtitles...lol  But for years I have been wanting to watch the 1946 French film, "La Belle et la Bete" which featured lovely French actress Josette Day and Jean Marais as the Beast/Prince.
First of all, I was stunned, in awe, and bewildered by the special FX this black & white 1946 film had!  I never in a million years thought that films of that era could even do HALF of the effects this film had.  I underestimated European film and I NEVER thought I would do that...haha

"La Belle et la Bete" was a film directed by French poet and filmmaker, Jean Cocteau.  It was released in 1946 and was based off the fairy tale written in the 1700's by French author and governess, Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont.  When the film released in New York City in 1947, it was met with rave reviews.  One critic, Bosley Crowther stated, "...a priceless fabric of subtle images...a fabric of gorgeous visual metaphors, of undulating movements and rhythmic pace, of hypnotic sounds and music, of casually congealing ideas."

I don't want to give the entire story away, although many know the general story of, "Beauty and the Beast", however there are a few scenes that I had never seen in any other version of this story before. Obviously you have the beautiful and loving, Belle, whom her father loves very much.  Their family is hurting financially and he gets an opportunity to make a small fortune.  He has to set out on his horse for a long, grueling trip.  Before he leaves, he asks his daughters what they want him to bring back.  The sisters are greedy and want jewels and other finery.  However, Belle just asks him for a simple rose because roses do not grow where they live.  Their father sets out on his quest and ends up falling into financial failure, having to return home penniless.  He becomes lost in the dense woods on his way home and finds this mystical castle literally in the middle of the woods.  He takes solace there and eats food and drink that are laid out on the table, as if someone or something was waiting for him.  He falls asleep by the crackling fire and wakes up the next day to a defoning roar.  He leaves the castle immediately and on his way to his horse, he spots a rose bush.  He picks one rose for his beloved daughter Belle, but as soon as he does, the Beast shows himself and tells him that of all things, his roses are not to be touched- and that punishment will be the man's death.  The man begs for his life and states that the only reason he picked the flower was for his daughter.  The beast seems intrigued and tells the man that he can either choose death now, or send one of his daughters to take his place.  The man bows before the Beast and says he will come back, and will not go back in his word to produce one of his daughters.

You probably know where it goes from here.  Belle feels guilty that her father will have to sacrifice his own life just because she wanted him to bring her back a rose.  So she goes to the Beast's castle and offers to stay with him if he lets her father live.  They spend more and more time together, and, well Belle becomes fond of the Beast.  Obviously it's a fairy tale with a happy ending.  Belle breaks the magical curse that has been plaguing the Beast for years, but he's not really a beast- he is a handsome prince who has been cursed to live the life of a beast-man. The only way he can become human again is to have true love from a maiden who can see past his ugliness.  And of course, the lovely Belle is just that girl!

I love princess fairy tales- always have.  I also like the little "moral of the story" and this tale is most definitely that one should look beyond a mere physical appearance and seek to find the person's soul. Beauty isn't everything and vanity does pose a price.  In the Disney version, the Prince is arrogant and vain.  When a witch disguises herself as an old ugly hag, the Prince turns her out in the cold.  Only then does the witch turn back into her beautiful self and teach the Prince a fatal lesson: do not always judge a book by its cover.  He learns his lesson and is then able to find his one true love and live happily ever after......

"Love can also make an ugly man beautiful"- "La Belle et la Bete" 

Watch this trailer~

And here is an original trailer~

Josette Day as the lovely, yet determined heroine, Belle~

Jean Marais as first "The Beast"- who is misunderstood and is at war within himself- half human and half beast in his mind~

And then Marais as Belle's suitor back home, "Avenant"~

And finally, Marais as the handsome, dashing Prince~

~Believe me, this film will leave you entranced and believing yet again in the happily ever after.~

**Please see my other blog for my review/thoughts on this spectacular film!