Space Oddities Film Reviews - La Belle et la Bete

Fig. 1. 'La Belle et la Bête' Poster. 

'La Belle et la Bête' is a 1946 French film directed by Jean Cocteau. The film creates a visual spectacle that remains beautifully twisted to this day. The premise of the film is based from the well-known tale of Beauty and the Beast but manages to warp the narrative that modern audiences know so well. The film is close to the original fairy tale written by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villuneuve (written in 1740), however, over the years some characters have been cut and the overall story simplified to suit a younger audience. 'La Belle et la Bête' mainly focuses on the design, costume and overall look of the film. 

'La Belle et la Bête' was part of the early users of sound in cinema, before this, films were accompanied by music usually played by a live orchestra with no speech. The film had a sound score that added to the confusion and mystery of the picture. The characters style of clothing seems to indicate that the film is set in the 16/18th century France (a nod to the original narrative). In the opening scene, Belle (Josette Day) wears a simple outfit, which is then swapped for an elaborate detailed dress when she is with the ‘Beast’. The styling of the costumes also emphasised different features for each character. Belle’s upper body is fitted throughout the film with a corset, from the waist down the costumes are loose and her hair is pulled back to create this ghostly and ethereal silhouette, as well as drawing focus to her face. Belle’s sisters (Félicie and Adélaïde) contrast her style, the pair wear stiff clothing with harsh outlines that reach past their face to suggest that they wear these clothes so that they can feel as beautiful as belle. It is also apparent that the protagonists are dressed in ruffles, jewels and detailed embroidery. The carefully considered lighting also interacts with the jewels sewn into their costumes to create this hazy/ dreamlike glow. Cocteau uses the elements of costume to recreate the beauty of the French aristocracy’s clothing in the 16/18^th century, as Geoffrey Macnab explains, “The costumes and some of the settings are ornate, but Cocteau is capable of suggesting luxury and splendour simply through the use of sheets and mirrors.” (Macnab, 2014). Cocteau uses a mixture of costuming and set design to create this dreamlike world that would have created a break from reality for its audience, of which were experiencing the aftermath of World War II.

Fig.2. Still from  'La Belle et la Bête'.

Fig. 3.Still from  'La Belle et la Bête'.

The set design is unbelievably detailed, stylised and thought out. There is a strong sense of world building, from the moving statues, to the hands that hold the candles throughout the castle. During a slow-motion scene in which Belle walks down a long corridor, the flowing curtains create movement that adds to the illusory scene. The extensive set design creates a visually appealing film on a cinematography level, something that many films today have tried to create through CGI but seldom seem to achieve. The lighting, or lack thereof, creates this emptiness within the castle, as if is abandoned and derelict. However, the use of the moving arms and statues seem to breathe this eerie sense of life into each scene. When Belle is reunited with her family and tries to give a necklace from the Beast to her sister, it turns into rags, reiterating the idea that Belle’s time in the castle was all a dream and anything from there ceases to exist. Peter Bradshaw recalls this idea of a dreamlike state in his review, “Its special effects are prehistoric compared to those of our digital 21st century, and yet they are deeply disturbing. When bodies appear through walls or fly up into the air, it is almost as if Cocteau's camera has miraculously recorded a dream.” (Bradshaw, 2014). As well as the set design, the special effects makeup (although outdated to a modern audience), would have created a fully realistic ‘Beast’ for its audience at the time.

Fig. 4.Still from  'La Belle et la Bête'.

Fig. 5. Still from  'La Belle et la Bête'.

The story line is close to the original fairy-tale, still presenting the dark underlying tones that seem to escape the more modern adaptations of this narrative. Belle sacrifices her own freedom to live with the Beast, even though she rejects his offers of marriage she still grows to like him, essentially an example of Stockholm syndrome. Although it was a part of the original fairy-tale, it could be argued as relatable for the French audience of the time as they would have had a similar experience with the German control of their land during the war. For some it may seem odd that Belle falls for the Beast as he threatened to kill her father. Even though it is noticeable that Belle grows to like the Beast, she suddenly falls in love with him once he turns human. Belle is presented as this character who is pure of heart but seems to like the idea of fearing the Beast. Although this is all speculative, Freudian principals can be seen creeping into to this film. Whatever the audience takes away from the picture, Cocteau was trying to present a message of sorts, something Roger Ebert explores, “Cocteau wanted to make a poem, wanted to appeal through images rather than words, and although the story takes the form of the familiar fable, its surface seems to be masking deeper and more disturbing currents. It is not a "children's film." (Ebert, 1999). Ebert suggest that Cocteau was trying to give his audience a deeper meaning through a straight forward narrative.

Illustration List:

-Cocteau, J. (1946). Figure 1. 'La Belle et la Bête' Poster. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/143411569355028882/. (Accessed 20/11/19)

-Cocteau, J. (1946). Figure 2. Still from  'La Belle et la Bête' https://mediartinnovation.com/2014/08/11/jean-cocteau-mythopoeic-movies-la-belle-et-la-bete-1946/.  (Accessed 20/11/19)

-Cocteau, J. (1946). Figure 3. Still from  'La Belle et la Bête'. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/380554237248428205/?lp=true. (Accessed 20/11/19)

-Cocteau, J. (1946). Figure 4. Still from  'La Belle et la Bête'. http://www.thehunchblog.com/tag/la-belle-et-la-bete/. (Accessed 20/11/19)

-Cocteau, J. (1946). Figure 5. Still from  'La Belle et la Bête'. https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/la-belle-et-la-b%C3%AAte. (Accessed 20/11/19)

Bibliography

-Bradshaw, P. (2014). theguardian.com. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jan/02/belle-et-bete-review. (Accessed 20/11/2019). In text citation: (Bradshaw, 2014).

-Ebert, R. (1999). rogerebert.com. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-beauty-and-the-beast-1946. (Accessed 20/11/19). In text citation: (Ebert, 1999).

-Macnab, G. (2014). independent,co.uk. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/la-belle-et-la-bete-film-review-cocteaus-forties-fantasy-is-still-a-thing-of-real-beauty-9035506.html. (Accessed 20/11/2019). In text citation: (Macnab, 2014)