Au hasard Balthazar

Name: Au hasard Balthazar
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: September 16, 1966
Duration: 95 min
Rating: 98
Cast: Anne Wiazemsky, François Lafarge, Guy Renault, Jean-Claude Guilbert, Jean-Joël Barbier

1966

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 20 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 127 Ratings

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7.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 127 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Cinema Ventures | Release Date: September 16, 1966 | Not Rated

Starring: Anne Wiazemsky, François Lafarge, Guy Renault, Jean-Claude Guilbert, Jean-Joël Barbier, Marie-Claire Fremont, Nathalie Joyaut, Philippe Asselin, Pierre Klossowski, Walter Green

Summary: Robert Bresson's 1966 film focuses on the story of the donkey Balthazar and the people around him.

Director: Robert Bresson

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 95 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Dave Kehr

Perhaps the greatest and most revolutionary of Bresson's films, Balthazar is a difficult but transcendently rewarding experience, never to be missed. Read full review

100

Ty Burr

To see Au Hasard Balthazar is to understand the limits of religious literalism in movies -- the limits, even, of movies themselves. Bresson pares everything away until all that's left are the things we do and the hole left by the things we could have done but didn't. Read full review

100

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

If one were looking for a perfectly realized film, Au Hasard Balthazar would be as likely a candidate as any. For every convention of film grammar and narrative that this 50-year-old masterpiece utilizes, it uses strictly on its own terms, discarding many more. Read full review

100

Michael Wilmington

1966 French masterpiece -- the finest, most deeply personal work of a filmmaker who has been compared, justifiably, to both Dostoyevsky and Bach. Read full review

100

Empire David Parkinson

If you can see past the heavy-handed religious overtones you will encounter an inspired and deeply intelligent Bresson classic. Read full review

100

Eric Henderson

Au Hasard Balthazar possesses a strictly balanced, bemused-unto-neigh-indifferent attitude toward delineating between the wry and the glum, the sacred and the profane. Read full review

Pauline Kael

It's a meditation on sin and saintliness. Considered a masterpiece by some, but others may find it painstakingly tedious and offensively holy.

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User Reviews

Sep 30, 2010

A film that a sum of people would be turned off by, Balthazar touches the heart instantly after the 3 minute mark as it tells a tale about the life of a donkey suffering a powerful experience you don't want to miss.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

joomjim4

Jun 18, 2012

There is no hope in this movie, the only thing Bresson offered to us is the truth of life by providing the devastating reality in the most honest way. There was not a single existence of any form of "babblings" in this film but only the "picture" to express one significant message of howThere is no hope in this movie, the only thing Bresson offered to us is the truth of life by providing the devastating reality in the most honest way. There was not a single existence of any form of "babblings" in this film but only the "picture" to express one significant message of how uncontrollable life could possibly be--in the end nothing can stop that process and -the world will treat us whatever it treats, undeniably. It's a revolutionary film that is highly capable of allowing the viewers to experience another whole different aspect or sense of "life" that they might never experience before. The Finest French Phenomenon Film.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

IraM

Feb 12, 2007

I just purchased this movie. I have seen it twice now. Religous allegory and painful realism in one movie. Not quite as surreal as Bunuel or Fellini, more subtle. What stikes me as strange are the events that never take place on screen. On the first viewing, I thought that maybe I I just purchased this movie. I have seen it twice now. Religous allegory and painful realism in one movie. Not quite as surreal as Bunuel or Fellini, more subtle. What stikes me as strange are the events that never take place on screen. On the first viewing, I thought that maybe I wasn't paying attention close enough. I guess that is a part of the mystery, though. I loved the party scene with the fireworks. This is a subtle, sad masterpiece.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful

EpicLadySponge

Apr 18, 2016

Balthazar is another one of those movies users can't get it right and I've seen a lot of movies that users can't get it right. I love every single detail and that's how you know a movie will be amazing.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ancientscream

Aug 6, 2013

Critics sometimes with a zeal bind together in pact of unquestioned praise toward a film, Au Hasard Balthazar is a very good film, but just because its of a certain age, shot in black & white and made by a french director does not make it a 10. 8 to 8.5 would be more accurate. The filmCritics sometimes with a zeal bind together in pact of unquestioned praise toward a film, Au Hasard Balthazar is a very good film, but just because its of a certain age, shot in black & white and made by a french director does not make it a 10. 8 to 8.5 would be more accurate. The film scenes are often very compact yet still somehow not taught, the pausing shots and the pointed lingering gazes the characters endlessly offer up, seem in this day and age a little heavy handed and serve to irritate more than they succeed in forcing contemplation, also I think some of the actors used though good, seem not of the first order of the best of french acting in this era, some characters seem a little stilted and artificially shallow in presentation Marie endlessly abused, Gerard consistently mean and sadist, the father soppy stern and prideful etc etc. its as though all seems to have been extracted from the general play of realistic dialog, except for the miserable moments.

But still make no mistake this a great film, I just think is been fatly fed of the gilding of ego'd critics, to keen to demonstrate their intellect through protestation-al love of french art house cinema, for viewing i would advise being ready to match pace with the film to get the best out of it and not desire any jollity or resolution from the viewing. If the purpose of the cinema is to unrealistically depress then I would say it succeeds. some elements of plot movement and dialog are stilted or often merely implied, leading the viewer to interpret what has occurred in the gaps, this can be viewed as just plain awkward or a way of attempting to encapsulate through implication more than the film actually contains.

Though this film uses the donkey centrally to link its characters, its a rather vile portrayal of the intrigue of drab french rural life in a small village, and how the unredeeming characters attempt to use each other, just as the donkey is used, maries sad path in this film has been deliberately calibrated to irritate the decency inherent in the viewer, in a way that seems contrived and very depressing with implied, if off camera rape, it seems as if all the characters have been engineered to agrravate as there is too much shade and not enough light, given that none of the characters seem to get or give a break to each other, in the relentless sadness of it all, but the general jist is that for all that we think we might gain for ourselves there is a lacking in life, that leads us in the end even with free will, often to be no happier in life than the seemingly martyred silent donkey in the field.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Dickydan

Dec 2, 2014

I read the critics reviews and couldn't wait to see this film. I cannot believe that I was watching the same film that had been so loved by all the critics.... 100/100??

This is a drab and rather boring film, the acting is poor throughout, the story-line is broken and disjointed and II read the critics reviews and couldn't wait to see this film. I cannot believe that I was watching the same film that had been so loved by all the critics.... 100/100??

This is a drab and rather boring film, the acting is poor throughout, the story-line is broken and disjointed and I really found it difficult to persevere to the end of this film without falling asleep. I can only imagine that the critics are rating this movie based upon the genre as an art-house movie, art but with few other redeeming qualities. There are some decent elements to this, but I really struggle to give it better than an average rating.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Darkstarshades

Oct 3, 2011

Simply disliked it, however, everyone say itervs just awesome, My wife and I don't think so, I felt asleep, however, I must say that the acting and the effects are... good... I think so... or maybe bad.

0 of 13 users found this helpful013

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