What is the title of the 1946 French Beauty and the Beast film?

The 1946 French Beauty and the Beast film is titled La Belle et la Bête.

Directed by Jean Cocteau, La Belle et la Bête is one of the most influential screen adaptations of the fairy tale. It stars Jean Marais as both the Beast and Avenant, while Josette Day plays Belle. The film is known for its dreamlike atmosphere, theatrical sets, practical effects, and poetic visual style.

The French title literally means “The Beauty and the Beast.” Cocteau’s film draws on the literary tradition associated with Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve and Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, but it is not a filmed version of Disney’s later animated production.

The 1946 film is often confused with later adaptations because the same basic characters and transformation appear across versions. Its black-and-white imagery and surreal castle design make it especially distinctive in film history.