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Beauty and the Beast (1946)

Once upon a time…

DramaFantasyRomance

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.

Release Date
October 29, 1946
Runtime
1h 36m
Rating
7.5/10 (664 votes)

Director: Jean Cocteau

Cast: Jean Marais, Josette Day, Marcel André, Mila Parély, Nane Germon, Michel Auclair, Raoul Marco, Jean Cocteau

Production: Andre Paulve Film
underdogdaughtermonsterbeautyroseblack and whiteromantic
IMDb
Full Cast (11 people)

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Reviews

CinemaSerf - 7/10

Cocteau’s adaptation of this timeless fairy tale spends a little more on the characterisations than many as it regales us with the misfortunes of a merchant (John Kuether) and his four children. All are used to the finer things in life, but when rough seas rob him of his merchandise and two of his daughters continue to spend as if there were no tomorrow, he is reduced to near bankruptcy and forced...

December 6, 2025

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast

Once upon a time…

Once upon a time…

7.5
96 min

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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Production Info
StatusReleased
Original LanguageFrench
Release Date10/29/1946
Director & Writers

Directed by

Written by

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Spoken Languages

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Cast

Jean Marais

as La Bête / Le Prince / Avenant

Josette Day

as Belle

Marcel André

as Belle's Father

Mila Parély

as Félicie

Nane Germon

as Adélaïde

Michel Auclair

as Ludovic

Raoul Marco

as The Insurer

Jean Cocteau

as The Voice of Magic (uncredited)

More from Jean Cocteau

Images

Beauty and the Beast poster
Poster
Beauty and the Beast backdrop
Backdrop

Videos

La Belle et la bête (1946) - Trailer

Trailer

Criterion Trailer 6: Beauty and the Beast

Trailer

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Beauty and the Beast about?

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 tha…

How long is Beauty and the Beast?

1h 36m

When was Beauty and the Beast released?

October 29, 1946

Who directed Beauty and the Beast?

Jean Cocteau

Who stars in Beauty and the Beast?

Jean Marais, Josette Day, Marcel André

What genre is Beauty and the Beast?

Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Is Beauty and the Beast available to stream?

Yes, on HBO Max and HBO Max Amazon Channel