Beauty and the Beast

Play trailer

Beauty and the Beast

1947

1h 35m

Fantasy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

67 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.

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

08/06/2018

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

02/14/2018

"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

09/06/2017

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

10/28/2023

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

09/19/2021

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

07/25/2020

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

Tom F

@RT55173143 Apr 16

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

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

The special effects for the time period were superb.

See more

Simon T

@Bucksplit Nov 10

Echoes of several fairy tales and myths, particularly Phantom of the Opera and Cinderella. But Jean Cocteau's version is mind-numbingly tedious and incredibly slow. It's also woodenly acted and strangely uninvolving. Its reputation is baffling. If I heard the Beast preface another utterance with 'Belle, Belle...' I'd have screamed. But what do I know: I'm someone who also loathes Les Enfants du Paradis.

See more

Lluvia A

@RT77312457 Jul 8

A beautiful adaptation of Beauty and the Beast.

See more

john h

@RT11274104 Jun 6

The most magical and accurate adaptation of Beauty and the Beast.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Jean Cocteau

Director

Jean Marais

Avenant

Josette Day

Beauty

Mila Parély

Félicie

Nane Germon

Adelaide

Michel Auclair

Ludovic

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

100%

88%

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

Watchlist

The Queen of Spades

96%

69%

The Queen of Spades

Watchlist

I Married a Witch

95%

72%

I Married a Witch

Watchlist

Mighty Joe Young

91%

64%

Mighty Joe Young

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

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)