Es war einmal - La Belle et la Bete [Beauty and the Beast] [La belle et la bete]

Jean Cocteau (director, screenwriter)
Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont (screenwriter)
Jean Marais, Josette Day, Mila Parely (starring)

Munich: P.R. Wilk / Neue Filmkunst / Walter Kirchner, circa 1961. Original early 1960s German A1 poster for the 1946 French film, illustrated by Isolde Baumgart.

From the collection of noted film historian Amos Vogel. Full provenance available.

A classic 1946 French romantic fantasy film adaptation of the traditional fairy tale of the same name written by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont and published in 1757 as part of a fairy tale anthology ("Le Magasin des Enfants, ou Dialogues entre une sage gouvernante et ses eleves," London, 1757). Directed by French poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau, and starring Josette Day as Belle and Jean Marais and the Beast.

The plot of Cocteau's film revolves around Belle's father who is sentenced to death for picking a rose from Beast's garden. Belle offers to go back to the Beast in her father's place. The Beast then falls in love with Belle and proposes marriage on a nightly basis, though she refuses. Belle eventually becomes more drawn to Beast, who tests her by letting her return home to her family and telling her that if she doesn't return to him within a week, he will die of grief.

23 x 33 inches, non-archivally mounted on board. Light rubbing and soil, Very Good plus overall.

Shipping billed at cost. Item can only be shipped within the US.

Criterion Collection 6.


[Book #132225]