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Beauty and the Beast

Play trailer Poster for Beauty and the Beast 1947 1h 35m Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
95% Tomatometer 66 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
The story of a gentlehearted 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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Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast

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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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Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) Aug 6, 2018
5/5
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. Go to Full Review Kristin M. Jones Wall Street Journal Feb 14, 2018
"Beauty and the Beast" remains a profound exploration of the human and animal worlds, light and darkness, and love and art. Go to Full Review Larushka Ivan-Zadeh metro.co.uk Sep 6, 2017
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. Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand Oct 28, 2023
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. Go to Full Review Michael J. Casey Michael J. Cinema Sep 19, 2021
4/5
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 Go to Full Review Allen Almachar The MacGuffin Jul 25, 2020
It's a mesmerizing experience of the highest order, hitting on every emotional beat and nailing every visual trick. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Robert P @Superbad Sep 17, 2026 Beauty and the Beast = a *5* star Movie! See more G L. @RT09869090 Jun 15, 2026 The third film adaptation from the book that I've seen & while this one is good, the animated Disney version is still the best. See more Kyle M @RT77296778 May 31, 2026 A French classic indeed and feels closer to its source material that deepens and captures the humanistic essence as evidently written with elegant performances and surprising special effects, particularly the beastly design. But the additional surrealistic layer to the already fantasy storytelling is brow-raising to the fault which dampens this earlier adaptation to be deemed inferior to Disney’s more wondrous imagination and not by the accustomary. (B) See more Tom F @RT55173143 Apr 16, 2026 The imagery and story are interesting to watch unfold, though it is hard to imagine in 2026 how this must have looked to audiences in 1946. See more Tim M @tgmacman Mar 31, 2026 A hauntingly effective adaptation of the classic fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast captures the magic through pathos and striking lighting. See more sean O. @seandaddy0 Jan 24, 2026 The special effects for the time period were superb. See more Read all reviews
Beauty and the Beast

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Cast & Crew

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Jean Cocteau

Director

Jean Marais

Avenant

Josette Day

Beauty

Mila Parély

Félicie

Nane Germon

Adelaide

Michel Auclair

Ludovic

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Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast (1946) Scene from the film BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Beauty and the Beast (1946) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The story of a gentlehearted 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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