Beauty and the Beast

The 1946 French surrealist romantic fantasy film "Beauty and the Beast" tells the story of a gentle-hearted beast in love with a simple and beautiful girl, Belle, who is drawn to the repellent but strangely fascinating Beast, played by Jean Marais as La Bête / Le Prince / Avenant. She is tasked with retrieving a key from her family's estate within a week or else the Beast will die of grief. When she returns to the castle, Belle finds the Beast in a state of distress and ultimately helps him overcome his sorrow, leading to their unexpected romance and happily ever after.