Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) Au hasard Balthazar (original title)

Director:

Robert Bresson

Writer:

Robert Bresson

Release Date:

25 May 1966 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

The story of a mistreated donkey and the people around him. A study on saintliness and a sister piece to Bresson's Mouchette.

Plot Keywords:

Donkey | Burden | Beast Of Burden | Fate | Saint

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Anne Wiazemsky	...	Marie
Walter Green	...	Jacques
François Lafarge	...	Gérard
Jean-Claude Guilbert	...	Arnold
Philippe Asselin	...	Marie's father
Pierre Klossowski	...	Merchant
Nathalie Joyaut	...	Marie's mother
Marie-Claire Fremont	...	Baker's wife
Jean-Joël Barbier	...	The Priest
Guy Renault
Jean Rémignard	...	Notary
Guy Brejac
Mylène Weyergans
Jacques Sorbets	...	Police Officer
François Sullerot	...	Baker
Henri Fraisse
Gilles Sandier
Dominique Moune
Tord Pååg	...	Louis (as Tord Paag)
René Bazart
Pascale Savornin
Isabelle Petit
Roger Fjellstrom
Isabelle de Winter
Sven Frostenson
José Ruiz Pernias

Directed by
Robert Bresson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robert Bresson

Produced by
Mag Bodard	....	producer

Original Music by
Jean Wiener

Cinematography by
Ghislain Cloquet

Film Editing by
Raymond Lamy

Production Design by
Pierre Charbonnier

Production Management
Michel Choquet	....	assistant production manager
Philippe Dussart	....	production manager
René Pascal	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sven Frostenson	....	assistant director
Jacques Kébadian	....	assistant director
Claude Miller	....	assistant director

Art Department
Jean Catala	....	props
Dominique Ribeyrolles	....	set dresser
René Ferracci	....	poster designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Antoine Archimbaud	....	sound
Jean-Joël Barbier	....	sound recordist: piano
Jacques Carrère	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean Chiabaut	....	camera operator
Emmanuel Machuel	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Geneviève Billo	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jean Drejac	....	music editor

Other crew
Geneviève Cortier	....	script girl
Maurice Jumeau	....	location manager
Guy Renault	....	animal trainer

Production Companies

• Argos Films
• Athos Films
• Parc Film
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)

Distributors

• Neue Filmkunst Walter Kirchner (1967) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Cinema Ventures (1970) (USA) (subtitled)
• Criterion Collection, The (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2012) (Spain) (DVD)
• Rialto Pictures (2003) (USA)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Au hasard Balthazar" - France (original title)
"Balthazar" - USA

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

France | Sweden

Language:

French | Latin

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Iceland:L | Sweden:11 | Singapore:PG | UK:PG | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Guyancourt, Yvelines, France

Company:

Argos Films

Trivia:

Balthazar was an untrained donkey during most of the filming, which made Bressons's work a real challenge. The only scene for which the donkey was trained was the circus math trick.

Goofs:

Continuity: The "for Sale" sign that is on the fence when Balthazar runs through the gate is different to the one seen in close-up. Also, when he runs through the gate, the sign is in shadow but in close-up it is in full sun.

Quotes:

Marie:Don't you believe in anything?
Merchant:I believe in what I own. I love money. I hate death.
Marie:You'll die like everyone else.
Merchant:I will bury them all.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Road to Bresson (1984)

Soundtrack:

Piano Sonata No.20

Essential

Its restraint is its strength- beautiful monotone images, silences, gestures all laced with a a simple piano sonata that underscores the mood of the film perfectly. Trancendental and sometimes joyful, the film (in typical Bressonian style) eventually gives way to an unbearably sad vision of 'life'. As always, this film's style and content are a product of Bressons Catholic beliefs (As a hardy atheist- Bressons films are about as trancendental as my life gets...) But thats enough about style.

The content matches the style in its ingenuity and simplicity. Godard called this film 'life in 90 minutes' and it does seem to be complete in the sense that this is not 'about' anything specific- but the journey of life- which applies to us all without exception. It is this simplicity of focus on life that makes 'Balthazar' stand out as a work of cinematic art, and enables me to label it above all other films that I have seen as: my favourite. As a subjective (this must be noted) and highly moving interpretation and meditation on life, Bresson's vision is essential to anyone with a pulse.