Cocteau presents a poetic and personal journey of making his fantasy set in reality with Beauty and the Beast. Each entry shows how the director and artist put themselves into the film, even if they are not presented in the finished picture, through his ailments and dedication to producing cinematic perfection and magic. There are some profound reflections on cinema and the process of making within this new-ish and experimental medium.

This edition is translated by Nicholas Elliott and also includes the story of Beauty and the Beast by Mme. Leprince de Beaumont. This translation attempted to revive the peaks and valleys of emotion and experience that might not translate so poetically. This diary supposedly inspired the filmmakers and theorists of Cahiers du Cinéma, like Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut.