MovieChat Forums > La Belle et la Bête (1947) Discussion > No one here praised Jean Marais' hauntin...

No one here praised Jean Marais' haunting performance?

posted 10 years ago by armanmarok
5 replies | jump to latest

His performance is, legit, the best makeup heavy performance of all time. This movie wouldn't be half of what it is for me without what he brought to the inner side of The Beast.

This movie, in a sense, had a similar fate IMO to Children of Paradise (where the majestic story and set design made the movie a classic, but Jean-Louis Barrault as Baptiste immortalized it). The set design, cinematography, and undertones made it a great film, but it was Marais whom elevated it into the status of a classic.

Thoughts?

----

My Top 100 Favorite Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls071561044/

[–] PreachCaleb 10 years ago

I was blown away by Marais' performance. I loved that you could still feel the prince underneath the beast.

He was beastial. He was regal. Haunting is the perfect word for it.

Can't stop the signal.

[–] armanmarok 10 years ago

Marais was all sorts of greatness in this movie.

----

My Top 100 Favorite Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls071561044/

[–] Weber4278 10 years ago

Absolutely makes you fall in love with him.

As the Beast he was so sweet and gentle with Belle that you can totally understand how her heart would be touched by him.

And when he emerges as the 'Prince' in the end I can't help but smile.

He also did a great job playing the jerk Avenant.

Love him.

[–] armanmarok 10 years ago

I knew how the movie would end since I watched the disney version first, but I couldn't help feeling the same thing as Greta Garbo did.

----

My Top 100 Favorite Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls071561044/

[–] HarlowMGM 9 years ago

He is wonderful as the Beast but I thought he was a little over the top as Avenant and particularly didn't care for his brief appearance as the transformed monster, no wonder Garbo said "Give me back my beast!" as opposed to this painted, effete prince . I do love Jean Marais as an actor though, he is particularly superb in Cocteau's Orpehus (1949).