Overview
“Au hasard Balthazar,” directed by Robert Bresson, is a poignant French tragedy film that follows the life of a donkey named Balthazar as he endures a series of hardships and mistreatment at the hands of various owners. The narrative serves as an allegory for human suffering and moral decay.
Plot Summary
The story begins in the French countryside near the Pyrenees, where a baby donkey is adopted by children Jacques and his sisters, who name him Balthazar. As they grow up, circumstances change when one of Jacques’ sisters dies, prompting their family to leave the farm. Marie, Jacques’ childhood sweetheart, becomes the new owner of Balthazar after her family takes over the farm.
As time passes, Balthazar is given away to local farmhands who work him hard. After an accident, he finds his way back to Marie, now a teenager. However, due to legal issues involving their families and Marie’s father’s disputes with Jacques’ family, Balthazar is sold to a bakery for delivery work.
At the bakery, Gérard—a cruel young man—takes charge of Balthazar and mistreats him out of jealousy for Marie’s affection towards the donkey. Marie eventually enters into an abusive relationship with Gérard while dealing with her own trauma.
Balthazar’s journey continues as he changes hands multiple times: from being rescued by Arnold, an alcoholic who uses him for guiding tourists, to joining a circus before being sold again to a miller who exploits him for labor. Throughout these experiences, Balthazar remains a silent witness to human cruelty and suffering.
In a tragic conclusion, after being used for smuggling contraband by Gérard and his gang—who ultimately abandon him—Balthazar suffers a gunshot wound during an encounter with customs guards. In his final moments, surrounded by sheep in a pastoral setting, he lies down and dies.
The film encapsulates themes of innocence lost amid human brutality and serves as a reflection on virtue and purity in the face of adversity.
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