Au Hasard Balthazar (1966)

Featured Audience Ratings

• danny d

  
  like de sicas "the bicylce thieves", bressons character study is more about the human condition than about the plot itself. too much polish would have distracted us from the simplicity of the story, but realism provides it with a profound texture that i fear most common… More
  like de sicas "the bicylce thieves", bressons character study is more about the human condition than about the plot itself. too much polish would have distracted us from the simplicity of the story, but realism provides it with a profound texture that i fear most common movie fans would miss entirely. who knew that a 90 minute movie about a donkey would have so much to say about humans?

• Randy T

  
  To paraphrase Bresson, <i>Au Hasard Balthazar</i> presents a progression of life. From tender childhood to laborious adulthood to a "time of talent & genius" to mysticism and, finally, to the inevitable demise that awaits us all. The approach is artistic… More
  To paraphrase Bresson, <i>Au Hasard Balthazar</i> presents a progression of life. From tender childhood to laborious adulthood to a "time of talent & genius" to mysticism and, finally, to the inevitable demise that awaits us all. The approach is artistic and abstract with few empathetic characters. I appreciate this film but, because of it's dark tone, I can't say that I enjoyed it.

• Stella D

  
  it's an oddly appropriate christmas film but i wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's not already a fan of bresson. it's hard to see animals treated badly and, like mouchette, it's horribly depressing. still a beautifully made film that makes it's point

• Anthony L

  
  Jean-Luc Godard said Au Hasard Balthazar was "the world in an hour and a half" and he was right. Through watching the life of a donkey we witness all the good and the bad things that make us human. Love, Cruelty, regret, despair and hope. I know the film is about saintliness… More
  Jean-Luc Godard said Au Hasard Balthazar was "the world in an hour and a half" and he was right. Through watching the life of a donkey we witness all the good and the bad things that make us human. Love, Cruelty, regret, despair and hope. I know the film is about saintliness and many people find it spiritual but the realism for me is enough for me to be uplifted and heartbroken by this film every time i watch it, which i make sure is quite regularly!

• Arash X

  
  I gave this 4 stars based on my own interpretation of the movie because it seems that everyone has a different one & I'm not sure about what the movie is trying to say, I really liked its portrayal of life & its realistic depressing tone but religious allegory? spiritual… More
  I gave this 4 stars based on my own interpretation of the movie because it seems that everyone has a different one & I'm not sure about what the movie is trying to say, I really liked its portrayal of life & its realistic depressing tone but religious allegory? spiritual experience? No thanks

• Kalel J

  
  Bresson's cinematic entry into the immoralities of man succeeds greatly in its qualities of filmmaking, but falls far in its quest for delivering a film of truth and power. Following the life of a mistreated animal, we bare the labours of a donkey through its traversing of the… More
  Bresson's cinematic entry into the immoralities of man succeeds greatly in its qualities of filmmaking, but falls far in its quest for delivering a film of truth and power. Following the life of a mistreated animal, we bare the labours of a donkey through its traversing of the French countryside. But through this harsh treatment, the animalistic nature of the townsfolk is deepened - not only to the laboured steed, but to the intermingling of the people. The film pushes hard to unearth the depths of man and our ability to degrade those around us, but the emotion that the film tries to illicit simply doesn't come through, mainly due to Bresson's over exaggeration of these people (it seems every man and his dog bares no moral fibre) and his constant contradictions in society through his wayward storytelling (longtime care suddenly turning to soured resentment). At a base level, Au Hasard Balthazar is audacious, strong filmmaking with much to be learnt from. But its persistance becomes overbearing and its bleak qualities turn blank, overturning a film that overstays its course. But with that notion in mind, the films final shot is almost worth baring the drabness of before it.

• Dillon L

  
  A masterpiece for so many reasons. This complex film is about so much more than Balthazar the donkey, it is about the human experience, about life itself. Balthazar is not a cartoon animal, he is not person with four legs, he is a real donkey. The audience is not meant to know his… More
  A masterpiece for so many reasons. This complex film is about so much more than Balthazar the donkey, it is about the human experience, about life itself. Balthazar is not a cartoon animal, he is not person with four legs, he is a real donkey. The audience is not meant to know his thoughts or feelings. The things that happen to him are beyond his control or understanding - he accepts the things that happen to him because he must. The only difference between us and poor Balthazar is that we comprehend what is happening to us, but we do not necessarily control our course. A great French film.

• Eric B

  
  This was my second Robert Bresson film, and I sense that his style may be too gentle and pious to ever call him one of my pet directors. Still, "Au Hasard Balthazar" has a poetic eloquence that can't be denied. Balthazar is a donkey who begins life as a cuddly foal,… More
  This was my second Robert Bresson film, and I sense that his style may be too gentle and pious to ever call him one of my pet directors. Still, "Au Hasard Balthazar" has a poetic eloquence that can't be denied. Balthazar is a donkey who begins life as a cuddly foal, frolicking with children in the farmhouse straw. But he soon becomes harnessed as a mundane work animal, quietly enduring a procession of brutish owners and harsh duties. Yet he always retains a certain serene acceptance in his eyes -- an expression remarkably implied via editing alone. A scene where he exchanges "empathetic" looks with caged circus animals is especially poignant. One of those initial children, Marie, is his most loving caretaker through the years, and she experiences a parallel fall from innocence and surrender to degradation. There are also suggestions that the nobly suffering Balthazar is a Christ figure, but overemphasizing this symbolism may be a mistake. The film's main flaw is that its episodic structure means the characterizations are somewhat thin. In particular, a vicious youth named G&eacute;rard torments both Marie and Balthazar, but never makes his motivations understood. The nefarious Arnold is almost as inscrutable -- yes, he is a drunk, but does this fully explain his erratic abusiveness? Meanwhile, first-time actress Anna Wiazemsky (soon to become Mrs. Jean-Luc Godard) struggles to bring morose Marie to life, and spends much of the film woodenly standing like someone huddled at a graveside. Strangely, we identify more with the donkey than any of his human companions. Unnecessary insertions of a Mercedes Benz and a transistor radio (playing contemporary French pop) serve to break the spell of what otherwise could have been a timeless story.

• Eduardo T

  
  Without a doubt the best film of all time. I know I haven't seen much films but this one just surpasses all of them. It's pure genius. The acting is dull but there is a reason for that. So the viewer can interpret the actors for themselves. It's one of those types of… More
  Without a doubt the best film of all time. I know I haven't seen much films but this one just surpasses all of them. It's pure genius. The acting is dull but there is a reason for that. So the viewer can interpret the actors for themselves. It's one of those types of films that don't give away everything. You as the viewer have to do some thinking for yourself. If you don't want to do some thinking then go watch something else. But the truth is you don't need to do some thinking. You could just watch the film then read an analyses online when it's over. That's what I did. The story of this film is of a donkey that goes from owner to owner. The film is literally your whole life in one hour and thirty minutes. Everything in life is expressed threw this film. The hard part is picking up what those morals and dismorals are. Everything else from the direction to the writing is superb. The pacing was well thought out and made for people with large attention spans. Great film to satisfy my large attention span. I could sit still for hours. The production values of Art House films shine threw this piece of art, even thought they have low budgets. Another thing I enjoyed was reading the dialogue. For some strange reason reading a movie sounds much more intelligent. For those educated and prestigious minds out there I would recommend Au Hasard Balthazar. You won't be disappointed.

• Linda K

  
  The film is amazingly slow and flat. There is no sense of emotion in order to let the audience relate to the characters, except the donkey. But if we consider the Bressonian style, the film is much more appreciated. However, i do not recommend this film to everyone.

• Jared H

  
  I think I'm too stupid to understand the statements that this supposed masterpiece is trying to make. Maybe I was distracted by the notion this movie implies that French people are depressed all the time. Anyway...this is an artist's movie with many layers, revolving around… More
  I think I'm too stupid to understand the statements that this supposed masterpiece is trying to make. Maybe I was distracted by the notion this movie implies that French people are depressed all the time. Anyway...this is an artist's movie with many layers, revolving around donkey that is passed from owner to owner. Take that for what it's worth. If you hate this movie and think it's boring and pretentious, I can see why. If you love this movie and think that it's an ingenious depictiion of morality and the human condition...then you're smarter and deeper than me. More power to ya.

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