Beauty and The Beast - Le Belle et la Bête (2014)

As a Beauty and The Beast lover for many years (probably since I saw the Disney film), I was excited to see an actual French production of the original tale. Well, this version certainly didn't disappoint! From the stunning sets, gorgeous costumes and solid backstories, this film does absolute justice to the original storyline while also creating their own fantasy narrative as well. The movie is filmed in French and the English version has dubbed American actors.

Faithfully adhering to the original telling, Belle is the youngest of six children (Maxime, Anne, Clothilde, Jean-Baptiste and Tristan) and her father is a widowed merchant who has fallen on hard times. While her sisters' sulk in their modest country home, Belle finds comfort and solitude working out on the gardens. Her father receives news that their fortune could change and leaves for town, but when he returns, it is not with happy news.

He tells his children of a beast in a run-down, but enchanted castle who has threatened his life for trying to steal a single rose. A rose he had promised to bring back to Belle. He must return or the beast will find and kill him. Guilt ridden that her gift has caused such grief, Belle runs away and heads straight to the castle. There she meets the beast, must adhere to his strange requests and navigate her way through the secrets and mysteries of the castle.

Who is this beast? Who was this beast? Was he once a man? How has no one ever seen this castle? How is it enchanted? What are these crazy little dogs? Every night when Belle sleeps, she enters a dream world of the past where beast's former life is slowly explained. and as she discovers who this man really was Belle may hope of finding him again within his beast like form.

Watching this film is like watching actual artwork come to life. There's actually very little dialogue in many of the scenes. The costumes and sets really tell the story on their own. Belle almost always has a different dress on every time we see her! And they are a sight to behold!

Lea Seydoux was a wonderful Belle. She was witty and charming and knew how to hold her own while she was held captive. Very early on Belle learns how to stand up to the beast (he's never given a name) and let him know she's not a frail, frightened little girl. Something that he himself wasn't expecting. Vincent Cassell as the beast was excellent, enigmatic and frightening. The backstory of his life was strong and well written, and you could really see how the beast lives every day in grief for his lost life as a human.

This movie got poor reviews because the people thought the fantasy aspect was either boring or too over the top. Or people didn't understand the feelings between Belle and the Beast. Honestly, it's a fantasy maybe it's not supposed to make sense. It's one of the most loved classic fairytales of all time and this take was as classic as it gets. It told the story of good v evil, how our decisions have consequences not just for ourselves but for everyone around us, how loving someone and falling in love with someone are two separate ideas and that Happily Ever After can be found in provincial living and not always in a palace.