Au Hasard Balthazar Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Au Hasard Balthazar
Year: 1966
 Director: Au Hasard Balthazar
Country: France
Language: French

Before I had seen Au Hasard Balthazar I already had a high opinion of the film's Director Robert Bresson. Born in France on September 25, 1901 Bresson is regarded as one of the greatest French filmmaker's to have ever lived. Personally I've been entranced by every single one of his pictures. They are usually about salvation, redemption and metaphysical transendence. Though there is a hint of Catholicism in every film, Bresson is in no way a preacher. 

Au Hasard Balthazar is the story of a mistreated donkey and the people around him. His life is paralleled with that of the girl who named him, and as she is humiliated by her sadistic lover/ A study on saintliness and a sister piece to Bresson's Mouchette.

Balthazar's tale is not for the lighthearted; he is not a cartoon animal who can talk and sing like Donkey from Shrek, rather he is a beast of burden, completely aware that he's living a life that he cannot control. On the surface he is a dumb beast, but noble and seemingly intelligent, though Bresson gives no effort to display Balthazar's reactions to the world around him. The donkey has no way of exposing his inner thoughts, instead we supply them for him. 

Bresson's cinema is one of empathy; we arrive at conclusions about the character on our own. Yes, Balthazar is full of sorrow, but it is also full of hope. Interestingly enough Bresson suggests that we are all Balthazar. We can hope, dream and wish, but the world will do with us what it can. Intelligence gives us the power to comprehend our fate, but not the power to control it. It's a very mature picture which may take more than one viewing to digest. 

In conclusion, the shining light of Bresson's masterpiece is the suggestion that we are not completely alone in the world. If we are able to empathize then we can find relations in the shared human experiences. This picture is an absolute must see for anybody who already hasn't experienced it. Personally, I regard Au Hasard Balthazar as one of the greatest films of all time, it has certainly made my top five. Praise it! 5/5