MovieChat Forums > La Belle et la Bête (1947) Discussion > Solid film

Solid film

posted 15 years ago by Gotensive
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Although I wouldn't call this film a "masterpiece", I did find it enjoyable despite some problems I had with it. The visuals were excellent, as were the costumes. It really had down the look of a dream/fantasy world perfectly. That said, I did find the acting a bit too over melodramatic, and I wasn't convinced that Belle loved the beast as she confessed at the end of the film. Which brings me to the ending, which I thought was lame. She claims throughout the entire time she spent with The Beast that she never loved him, but once he becomes a handsome prince, she suddenly did love him? Also, I don't buy The Beast being a sympathic character. He treated the old man like trash in the beginning, despite him telling The Beast he was getting a rose for his daughter.

Any way, besides those quibbles, I thought the film was solid. Far from great, but certainly worth a watch, 7/10.

Formally known as Coilector

[–] Golem36 15 years ago

"Although I wouldn't call this film a "masterpiece", I did find it enjoyable despite problems I had with it."

I would call it a masterpiece... 10/10.

"That said, I did find the acting a bit too over melodramatic, and I wasn't convinced that Belle loved the beast as she confessed at the end of the film."

I thought that the stagy and stylized performances worked very well in the film. The film is like a moving painting (notice how much Josette Day posed throughout the film?). That helped achieve its painterly effects. By the end of the film Belle realized that she loved the beast ("my Beast!"). Being away from the Beast made Belle realize that he was good at heart (he did, after all, put trust in her for his life and let her go see her dying father). She did love the Beast, but she was somewhat rewarded for loving him despite his appearance... She gets a handsome prince...

"Also, I didn't buy that the beast was a sympathic character."

I'm sure that the Beast was bitter all those years, and Belle's father was trespassing and he also picked one of the Beasts beloved roses. But as soon as the Beast saw Belle he fell in love with her. That helped bring out the good from within. It made him forget his ferocious exterior (he's really good inside).

[–] mac_alain 15 years ago

That said, I did find the acting a bit too over melodramatic...

On the BFI DVD there is a commentary option (by cultural historian Christopher Frayling) that goes into explaining the reason for this approach.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/FILM/dvdcompare/beautybeast.htm