La Belle et la Bete

La Belle et la Bête is a 1946 French romantic fantasy film adaptation of two french fairy tales. The first fairy tale, from which the film took both its title and most of its content, was written by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont and published 1757 as part of a fairy tale-anthology (French: Le Magasin des Enfants, ou Dialogues entre une sage gouvernante et ses élèves, London 1757).

From the second fairy tale, (French: La Chatte Blanche) by Marie-Cathérine d'Aulnoy, published almost sixty years previously in one of the earliest fairy tale anthologies of France, (French: Les Contes des Fées, Paris 1697-1698), only a single but very evocative narrative motive was taken: servants, previously magically reduced to their arms and hands, with these still performing all servants' chores.

Directed by French poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau, the film stars Josette Day as Belle and Jean Marais as Avenant and The Beast and Prince Ardent.

This French translation of the childhood classic ‘Beauty and the Beast’ holds onto similar qualities to those in the plot of the Lady and the Lion. 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. (Similar to this, in the Lady and the Lion – the father goes into the Lion’s forest, picks a rose and is terrified by the entrance of the Lion, projective of his rose bush the Lion asks for the Father’s daughter in return). The Beast falls in love with her (like the Lion falls in love with the Princess) and proposes marriage on a nightly basis which she refuses. Belle eventually becomes more drawn to Beast, who tests her by letting her return home to her family (Likewise in the Lion’s case) telling her that if she doesn't return to him within a week, he will die of grief.

Similar to the Lady and the Lion’s plot – the Lion cannot be seen into the light as he shall be turned into a dove by magic. In ‘Belle et la Bête the beast says to Belle ‘it is night for me, yet morning for you’. This echoes the feelings felt by the mirrored characters in Lady and the Lion.
The essence of ‘magic’ is a key feature in both instances – seeing the transformation of pearls turning to rotting rope and the lion turning into a dove and beasts turning to princes.

When watching Belle et la Bête I was able to engage with the director’s very surreal approach. Take for example candelabra’s were made of arms and hands making them seem more human like. Also interactive head’s on the busts in the dining room – making the setting ‘magically’ come to life.

Medieval Gothic interiors are present in the castle and surrounding places.

Also similarities in character translation can be seen in both plays. In the Lady and the Lion, the Lady meets some surprisingly colorful characters along her journey through the world (a talking moon, wind and sun). And in Belle et la Bête /Beauty and the Beast talking furniture and interiors are a key aspect involved in the play’s production.

Costume interpretation


One final thought must go to that of the Beast's costume. The way the designer has used a human like essence to translate this great animal is wonderful. The combination of hair and fur, hands and claws, wealthy dress with lived in qualities is if one can use the word 'spellbinding' to describe in my eyes how this character's costume comes across to myself as an audience member.I feel this would be a great way to translate the Lion's character dress in my design for the Lady and the Lion, combining traditional Prince like qualities with those of a wild animal.

Costume Interpretation

Left: Goat Professor Dr Dillmond (Wicked: The Musical) Centre:Beast (Belle et la Bete) Right: My interpretation of the Lion (Lady and the Lion)
In all cases the head symbolises the animal's origin and the costume dress translates the attributes of that particular character.
For my design translation I kept with the tonality of the Lion throughout, the below the knee garters and high collar tunic with puff sleeves and a structured bodice reflects a wealthy status of medieval time. Perhaps by changing the colour of the Lion's garment would be more concise in a particular genre - say for horror I could created a red bodice to symbolise danger and fear instead of the colour to reflect just the essence of the natural Lion.