BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

US, 1976, 76 minutes, Colour.
George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Virginia Mc Kenna, Bernard Lee, Patricia Quinn.
Directed by Fielder Cook.

Beauty and the Beast is a small telemovie from the 1970s, the early days of telemovies. It was a star vehicle for George C. Scott and his then wife Trish Van Devere who had appeared in a number of films including The Last Run. George C. Scott is, of course, strong as the beast, Trish Van Devere charming as Belle.

At this stage of its history, everybody is familiar with the story of Beauty and the Beast. It has been filmed many times and in many countries including Jean Cocteau’s French version and the popular version by Disney, the Oscar-nominated animated film of 1991.

Fielder Cook directed many telemovies and this is a competent version of the story for a family audience.

1. Why such a fairy story made for the cinema public of the seventies? The appeal of the fairy story, content and style? The place of fairy stories throughout the centuries to delight, to instruct, fables, myths? The psychological truth of fairy stories?

2. The appeal of this film for children? For adults? For the masculine sensibility. the feminine sensibility? The scope of audience interest? Identification with the principal characters and situations? Realism, fantasy? How enjoyable a film for these audiences, how much to learn?

3. The perennial popularity of Beauty and the Beast stories? The French origins of this story, the cinema tradition, the fairy-tale tradition? The basic focus of the man who in predominantly human but with strong beast and animal characteristics? The woman who is beautiful? The interaction between beauty and beastliness? The mutual attraction, the saving power of each? How satisfying a cinema version of this perennial story?

4. The impact of the visuals: the 18th century atmosphere, the forest both friendly and sinister, the castle itself with its ruins and exteriors, gardens and mazes, the interiors and the decor and wealth? The visual presentation of the Beast - so human, yet the porcine face, Belle and the presentation of her Beauty? The atmosphere of magic (and the effects of trick photography?), the sumptuous atmosphere compared with the poor people's house? The film as a pageant? The contribution of the musical score with its various themes for the personalities and for the atmosphere?

5. How credible was the film? The father and his narrative, moving through the forest, the story of his bankruptcy, the indication of his three daughters. the horse bolting and his being lost? An atmosphere of realism? The meal, the abandoned castle, the message? The gifts for his daughter? The importance of the rose and the confrontation with the Beast? The father as a murderer of roses - and his decision later about Belle? The consequences of his taking the rose and the Beast's demands and contracts with him? The move from realism to fairy-tale?

6. The portrait of the father, as an old man. his career, his desire to have gifts for his children - and their destructive power? The confrontation with the Beast and his promise and his breaking his promises? His fear and allowing Belle to go to the Beast? His presence with his daughters and his sorrow in his own home, his delight with Belle's return, his trying to persuade her not to go? How did he operate as a father figure in the story especially with his influence on Belle?

7. The portrait of the sisters - the overtones of ugly sisters, their faces in the portraits. in reality? Their snobbery, bitterness, greed, harshness? The elder sister Lucy and. her broken marriage and her bitterness? Susan and her love for her husband? Their treatment of their father, their brother? Their wealthy days and the contrast with country poverty? Their squabbling? Their greed and the stealing of Belle's ring? Susan's husband, his participation in this?

8. The contrast with Nicholas, the younger brother cared for by Belle, her saviour especially with the ring?

9. George C. Scott's performance as the Beast? The presuppositions of our knowledge of the story of the nature of the Beast and how when the spell was broken the story would end? The initial impact of the confrontation with the father? His elegance in dress, courteous manner? The strange beastliness within such an elegant gentleman? His being a king and his emphasis on this? The elegance of the castle an corresponding to his personality? The confrontation with Belle and his frightening her? His providing meals. the room, the magic with the dresses and other things that she wanted? His plan for the marriage? His ferociousness towards Belle and her fear, his apologizing? The flare-ups of anger? His personality and courtesy? His helping Belle to learn, sharing the games of hide and seek, the swings? Sharing her meals? His gradually changing her and his being changed by the beautiful feminine influence? Humanizing him? (how much was Belle attracted by the beast in him?) The discovery of him eating an an animal and her revulsion (and her later defence of this to her family?), her delight to return home and the Beast's permitting this, the promise? His disappointment at her not returning and his death wish? A skilled portrait for this kind of fairy-tale? The complexities of the arrogant human being who is put under a spell in order to learn and to be freed?

10. Audience attraction towards Belle? Seeing her portrait, seeing her at home and her devotion to her father, the younger attractive daughter, her being immune to the destructive gifts, her going with her father and the participation In the journey? Did the audience share her initial reaction to the Beast? Her room, the grounds, her statements about being imprisoned? Her loathing for the Beast, his communicating with her and her talking, learning, the discussions about Aristotle? Her delight with her dresses, with the food? The magic. the games and her teaching him especially the hide-and-seek and the Beast's shrewdness (and using her scent?), the pathos of the situation and her mellowing? Her resistance to marrying him? Her revulsion at his eating?

11. The significance of her return, her sharing life with the family. her disillusionment with them? The fishing, attending the roses, the talk with Nicholas? The stealing of the ring and her bitterness, her anxiety in returning? The significance of her return and bringing the Beast back to life, breaking the spell of the death wish, the promise to marry? The discovery of his reality and her statement that she would try to love him?

12. The theme of spells and the ability to be broken, the influence of beauty, death to life?

13. The theme of Beast: human/inhuman? The shadow figure of the human, the need for the beautiful feminine experience? The Beast's experience and his punishment, the pledges? His learning to love? Being fully humanized?

14. Belle and the feminine principle, her humanity, her over-elitism, her needs, her experiencing the shadow and animal side of her nature and accepting this for completion and compassion?

15. How well did the film illustrate the psychological truth in fairytales?