DRAMA . 1950 . 1h 36m . 7.2/10

Beauty and the Devil_

"Rene Clair - whose genius has created masterpieces...now brings his magic touch to the screen in a new achievement!"

Henri Faust, retiring after 50 years as a professor in a circa-1700 French university, despairs at the ravages of old age ... whereupon Mephistopheles, agent of Lucifer, appears as a virile, handsome young man and exchanges bodies with him to induce Faust to sign a pact to exchange his soul for renewed youth, riches and power. But though the "new" Faust is attracted by the material improvements in his life, he remains wary of signing, while Mephistopheles, now posing as the aged professor whose body he inhabits, must find a way to trick him into signing the pact - and dissuade him from the love of a gypsy girl who prays for his soul - or find himself damned by his own Master...

Starring Michel Simon, Gérard Philipe, Nicole Besnard
7.2/10
Rating
1h 36m
Runtime
1950
Year
Updated Feb 16, 2026
Beauty and the Devil poster
Rene Clair - whose genius has created masterpieces...now brings his magic touch to the screen in a new achievement!

Henri Faust, retiring after 50 years as a professor in a circa-1700 French university, despairs at the ravages of old age ... whereupon Mephistopheles, agent of Lucifer, appears as a virile, handsome young man and exchanges bodies with him to induce Faust to sign a pact to exchange his soul for renewed youth, riches and power. But though the "new" Faust is attracted by the material improvements in his life, he remains wary of signing, while Mephistopheles, now posing as the aged professor whose body he inhabits, must find a way to trick him into signing the pact - and dissuade him from the love of a gypsy girl who prays for his soul - or find himself damned by his own Master...

WHERE TO WATCH

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YouTube Y YouTube 1 country
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Cast
Michel Simon stars as Mephistopheles / Old Prof. Henri Faust in Beauty and the Devil.
Michel Simon →
Year context
Beauty and the Devil was released 76 years ago in 1950.
Overview
Henri Faust, retiring after 50 years as a professor in a circa-1700 French university, despairs at the ravages of old age ... whereupon Mephistopheles, agent...
Beauty and the Devil is a Drama, Fantasy, Comedy film with a runtime of 1h 36m.

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
96 min (1h 36m)
Country
Rating
7.2/10 (62 votes)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Beauty and the Devil about?
Henri Faust, retiring after 50 years as a professor in a circa-1700 French university, despairs at the ravages of old age ... whereupon Mephistopheles, agent of Lucifer, appears as a virile, handsome young man and exchanges bodies with him to induce Faust to sign a pact to exchange his soul for renewed youth, riches and power. But though the "new" Faust is attracted by the material improvements in his life, he remains wary of signing, while Mephistopheles, now posing as the aged professor whose body he inhabits, must find a way to trick him into signing the pact - and dissuade him from the love of a gypsy girl who prays for his soul - or find himself damned by his own Master...
How long is Beauty and the Devil?
Beauty and the Devil has a runtime of 96 minutes (1h 36m).
Who stars in Beauty and the Devil?
The cast of Beauty and the Devil includes Michel Simon, Gérard Philipe, Nicole Besnard, Simone Valère, Carlo Ninchi.
What is the rating of Beauty and the Devil?
Beauty and the Devil has a rating of 7.2 out of 10 based on 62 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (3)

Drama Fantasy Comedy
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