Jean Cocteau's first full-length movie (he wrote and directed it) is perhaps the most sensuously elegant of all filmed fairy tales. As a child escapes from everyday family life to the magic of a storybook, so, in the film, Beauty's farm, with its Vermeer simplicity, fades in intensity as we are caught up in the Gustave Doré extravagance of the Beast's enchanted landscape. In Christian Bérard's makeup, Jean Marais is a magnificent Beast; Beauty's self-sacrifice to him holds no more horror than a satisfying romantic fantasy should have. The transformation of the Beast into Prince Charming is ambiguous—what we have gained cannot quite take the place of what we have lost. (When shown the film, Greta Garbo is reported to have said at the end, "Give me back my Beast.") The delicate Josette Day is, quite properly, Beauty.

Direction: Jean Cocteau.

Screenplay: Jean Cocteau, based on the classical tale by Mme. Leprince de Beaumont.

Photography: Henri Alékan.

Effects: Christian Bérard.

Editing: Claude Iberia.

Decor: René Moulaert, Carré.

Costumes: Escoffier, Castillo.

Music: Georges Auric.

Make-up: Arakelian.

Jean Marais...................The Beast / Avenant / The Prince

Josette Day..........................................................Beauty

Marcel André...................................................The father

Mila Parély.........................................................Adélaide

Nane Germon........................................................Félicie

Michel Auclair......................................................Ludovic

Raoul Marco.........................................................Usurer