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Au hasard Balthazar (1966)
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Overview
Release Date:
25 May 1966 (France) morePlot:
The story of a mistreated donkey and the people around him. A study on saintliness and a sister piece to Bresson's Mouchette. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
2 wins moreUser Comments:
Les mémoires d'un âne moreCast
(Credited cast)| Anne Wiazemsky | ... | Marie | |
| François Lafarge | ... | Gerard | |
| Philippe Asselin | ... | Marie's father | |
| Nathalie Joyaut | ... | Marie's mother | |
| Walter Green | ... | Jacques | |
| Jean-Claude Guilbert | ... | Arnold | |
| Pierre Klossowski | ... | Merchant | |
| François Sullerot | ... | Baker | |
| Marie-Claire Fremont | ... | Baker's wife (as M.C. Fremont) | |
| Jean Rémignard | ... | Notary | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Jean-Joël Barbier | ... | The Priest | |
| René Bazart | |||
| Guy Brejac | |||
| Isabelle de Winter | |||
| Roger Fjellstrom | |||
| Henri Fraisse | |||
| Sven Frostenson | |||
| Dominique Mounc | |||
| Tord Paag | ... | Louis | |
| José Ruiz Pernias | |||
| Isabelle Petit | |||
| Guy Renault | |||
| Gilles Sandier | |||
| Pascale Savornin | |||
| Jacques Sorbets | ... | Police Officer | |
| Mylène Weyergans | |||
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
95 minLanguage:
FrenchColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoFilming Locations:
Guyancourt, Yvelines, FranceMOVIEmeter: 
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Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The soundtrack for the DVD release was copied at 24-bit from the original 35mm optical soundtrack print. moreQuotes:
Marie's mother: He is in despair. Comfort him.[Marie's father turns away]
Priest: You must forgive. Everyone. Much will be forgiven you. You have suffered.
Marie's father: I may suffer less than you think.
Priest: [Reading] God does not foresake forever. He may punish, yet he will have compassion. H does not willingly afflict the children of men.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Chacun son cinéma ou Ce petit coup au coeur quand la lumière s'éteint et que le film commence (2007) moreSoundtrack:
Piano Sonata No.20 moreFAQ
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During the nineteenth century ,the comtesse de Segur wrote a novel for the children called "memoirs of a donkey" .A very pious writer,she chose the donkey as a symbol of humility...as Robert Bresson did I suppose.The very first pictures of the movie,with the children,"christening" the donkey ,might be a nod to the writer whom the young Bresson,like all his generation must have read when he was a young boy."Au hasard Balthazar " is an updated version of "les memoires d'un ane" ,but a very austere story:although Bresson's work enjoys a very high rating on the site,I must say that it's not for all tastes.I cannot imagine,say, a "matrix" fan getting enthusiastic about it.
Bresson's actors are non -professionals -with the exception of Anne Wiazemski,but it was her debut;then she became the par excellence intellectual actress,for the likes of Godard,Tanner and Garrel,all directors that easily make me yawn my head off-,but do not expect a "natural "performance.I hope the non-French speaking who wrote a comment saw the movie in French with English subtitles.Dubbed in another language ,Bresson's works lose a lot of their originality.Because the actors speak in a distant voice,in a neutral style as if they were reciting Descartes's "the Discourse on Method".They never show any emotion,even through their darkest hour (not even after the heroine's rape).
Bresson films his human characters as if they were Martians ,and his sympathy for the donkey is the only pity he has to give us.This beast of burden seems to carry on its back all the sins of the world,and his route is a calvary.A woman says "this donkey is a saint" .
Bresson showed us the Beast in Man and the Man in Beast.