Beauty and the Beast (1946)

"Unduly slow pace and repetitious use of trick sets hurts chances of this film."

"By using the tangible magic of hands through walls, moving statues, steamy paws and the rest, Cocteau makes rapt believers of us all - adults and children alike."

"Cocteau's fairytale set standards in fantasy which few other film-makers have reached."

"Studied or not for philosophy, this is a sensuously fascinating film, a fanciful poem in movement given full articulation on the screen."

"When bodies appear through walls or fly up into the air, it is almost as if Cocteau's camera has miraculously recorded a dream."

"One of the most magical of all films."

"Brilliant fairytale fantasy, well ahead of its time."