Pickpocket [DVD] [1959]

Bresson is definitely an uneasy director, but only if you have conventional, common expectations and a positive, carefree vision of life.But sorry, no: he is an existentialist director, a spirit struggling between christianity and atheism. And in his stories you feel the dramatic emptiness of mankind not seeing any sense in life and finding a redemption only once they've been through their dramas and realized how incomplete and limited they are.Here it comes for a fascinating yet solitary and enigmatic thief, who is also an artisti and a bohemian, and this particular subject shows Bresson greatness and complexity: a cold and essential cinema that is yet so extraordinary spiritual, with a solemn and ellyptical style and narration that is also free and unpredictable (see the famous and incredible scene of the pickpocketing, who inspired many crime films so apparently distant from this one).In Bresson you can never tell in advance if a shot will last a second or half a minute, because he does not stick to a style (although he is always referred to as a slow and still director): all it matters to him and his decision if sticking on a scene of cutting away is to show and convey us a situation, a invisible state of mind, something going on underneath action.He is like the protagonist of this film: he guides our eyes to apparently meaningless details while he is working secretely to prepare us to the right moment to reveal the sense of what is going on.THe blu ray is stunning in his black and white

When i first saw his films Mouchette, A Hasard Balthazar & A Man Escaped i immediately came to the conclusion that Bresson is unique so there is no one else in the French cinema or to the best of my knowledge world cinema ( correct me if i am wrong please and do not just click not helpful but leave your full comment ) who we can compare to. Pickpocket is a blast. A rush. Again Bresson works with non professional actors but the result is stunning. The pickpocketeer leads a lonesome life, neglects his mother and also the only woman who has interest in him. He has nearly no friends and the police is suspecting him of being a pickpocket however each time he gets away with it. When the soil gets too hot under his feet he starts travelling throughout Europe but he ends up in Paris after all. Inspired apparantly by Crime & Punishment by Dostojevski Pickpocket is an essential must have in a Bresson collection. The 2nd disc contains lots of extra's like a rare and beautiful interview with Bresson & also interviews with 3 actors. Highest possible recommendation.

Looking like a French movie but sounding like Russian literature with all the furniture cataloguing removed, Pickpocket is from the days when Bresson still drew more naturalistic performances from his non-professional casts rather than turning them into stilted and self-conscious mannequins (although Marika Green falls into the latter category, always looking at her feet as if her lines were written on her shoes in classic Bresson automaton mode), and combines the sleek look of a studio policier with a pared down moral debate from Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, with theft replacing murder.Unlike Bresson's more obviously spiritual films (A Man Escaped, Au Hasard Balthazar, Diary of a Country Priest), there's no religious quest here: instead, there's a determinedly atheistic one, with Martin LaSalle's would-be Prince of Pickpockets pursuing an ideal of intellectual elitism as justification for crime against society's morality, failing to realise that he's just another of the thousands of petty egotist in the criminal little leagues. He simply has the ability to articulate his own notions of superiority, completely unaware that he probably works harder at his criminal skills than he would ever do at a proper job.It's also possibly Bresson's most overtly cinematic work despite the underplaying of the dialog scenes. The fluidity of the railway station sequence, with its extraordinary display of tricks of the trade that seem more magic act than crime (the DVD also includes an extract from sleight-of-hand advisor and supporting player Kassogi's cabaret act) and the stylised nature of the sound that always keeps LaSalle at a slight remove from the world around him are much more exhilarating displays of technique than you usually associate with Bresson's more controlled and understated approach in his other films, as even he gets caught up in the LaSalle's addiction to the perfect high that only crime can give him. In that respect, it's the Bresson film you can safely recommend to people who hate Bresson fans without losing points with the faithful.The UK DVD is a good one, boasting an excellent transfer of the film on disc one with several interviews - including a virtual interrogation of a faltering Bresson on French TV and a trio of interviews with LaSalle, Green and the articulate and intelligent Pierre Leymarie that are all to often broken up by the interviewer's self-indulgent naval-gazing - as well as TV footage of Kassogi's cabararet act. The R1 Criterion disc also has an audio commentary and an introduction by Paul Schrader which didn't make it to this version.

Some slick slight-of-hand movements in this film, and some equally improbable relays of hot property - but that's about it.The lines are stunted for effect and the film pretty empty - as seems the life of the main character.Even though it is a 'classic', I'd still watch something else if I had the opportunity.

Great film, gripping, worth every penny.

Perfect.

Quite absorbing character study focusing on one man's addiction to petty crime.The film follows him from his early forays into pickpocketing to a level of skill that consumes him completely in the pursuit of illicit gain.But then he becomes noticed...Based on Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, Bresson's minimalist style compliments (as it has to ) the limitations of his non-professional cast. He believed that trained actors brought false emotions whereas non actors came with a heightened sense of realism and emotional honesty.This theory works far better here than in say L'Argent but it is an acquired taste.Striking location work adds immensely to the film's appeal.

Very slow. Was a little disappointed. Not as noirish as I expected. Still worth watching, nevertheless.

Robert Bresson hat in seiner langen Karriere beim Film zwar nur 13 Spielfilme gedreht, dennoch gehört er zu den einflussreichsten Regisseuren Frankreichs und seine Filme werden auf der ganzen Welt sehr geschätzt und geliebt.Hierzulande gibt es allerdings nur die wenigsten seiner Filme auf DVD, viele seine Meisterwerke wie "Zum Beispiel Bathasar", "Ein zum Tode Verurteilter ist entflohen" oder "Tagebuch eines Landpfarrers" sucht man vergebens.Einer seiner bekanntesten Filme ist sicherlich der 1959 gedrehte "Pickpocket" - die Geschichte eines Taschendiebs, wie immer holte er sich nichtprofessionelle Gesichter für die Verkörperung der Figuren. Ein echter Taschendieb-Profi war auch im Team: Kassagi, ein Pariser Meister des Diebstahls, der den Akteuren die Bewegungen und Tricks seiner Zunft beibrachte und den genialen Raubzug in der Gare de Lyon cheoreografierte. Bresson ist wie der Russe Tarkowski ein sehr religiöser und christlicher Filmemacher. Sein Stil ist minimalistisch und aksetisch. In allen seinen Filmen geht es um die Selbstverwirklichung des Menschen aus dem Glauben und um die Bewahrung bzw. Gewinnung seiner Freiheit. Seine Filmbilder sind streng durchkalkuliert, aber nüchtern - so wirkt die Geschichte vor allem durch die Bezüge von Bildern. Er wählt diese Einfachheit, um jegliche Manipulation des Zuschauers zu vermeiden. Der muss sich selbst bemühen zu deuten."Pickpocket" erzählt die Geschichte des jungen Intellektuellen Michel (Martin Lasalle), der keiner geregelten Arbeit nachgeht, obwohl sich sein bester Freund Jacques (Pierre Leymarie) immer wieder bemüht, dass er einen Job bekommt. Doch das Nichtstun ist ihm lieber, da er die Freiheit schätzt und die These vertrtt, dass bestimmte Menschen das Recht haben sich über die Gesetze hinwegzusetzen. Dies bringt ihn auch auf die Idee sein Glück als Taschendieb zu versuchen. Seine bettlägerige Mutter (Dolly Scal) besucht er auch seit längerer Zeit nicht mehr. Bei einem Pferderennen stiehlt er einem Zuschauer etwas Geld. Als er die Rennstrecke verlässt, wird er von einem Kriminalkommissar (Jean Pelegri) verhaftet. Doch er wird wieder frei gelassen, da die Beweise gegen ihn nicht ausreichend sind. Mit dem gestohlenen Geld will er zu seiner Mutter, um ihr einen Teil davon zu geben. Doch im Treppenhaus lernt er Jeanne (Marika Green), die neue Nachbarin der Mutter kennen. Diese bittet ihn darum, dass er doch öfters die Mutter besuchen soll - doch er scheut sich nun die Mutter sehen zu wollen und gibt Jeanne das Geld mit der Bitte den Betrag der Mutter zu übergeben.Immerhin verabredet er sich in der Folgezeit mit Jeanne, auch sein Freund Jacques ist dabei. Dieser verliebt sich in Jeanne. Michel lernt auf seinen Beutezügen einen anderen Taschendieb (Kassagi) kennen, bald arbeitet er mit einem weiteren Komplizen (Pierre Etaix) im Trio. Dabei wird die Bande immer versierter und aus dem Zweck für den Lebensunterhalt zu sorgen wird eine echte Besessenheit. Doch der Kommissar taucht immer mal wieder auf....Regisseur Paul Schrader bekannte "Bresson zeigte mir, dass man einen Film machen kann, wo die Hauptfiguren ein Mann und sein Zimmer sind" - tatsächlich lebt der hochmütige Michel trotz erfolgreicher Diebestouren in einem Loch von Zimmer. Seine Beute hat er im Zimmer versteckt, er benutzt nicht viel zum Ausgeben. Keine Statussymbole, noch will er das Mädchen Jeanne damit beeindrucken. Das Diebstahl-Handwerk inszenierte Bresson immer wieder als ein Ballet geschmeidiger Finger. Der Dieb hat für einen Moment das Gefühl einer Besitzergreifung des Anderen, ohne das dieser etwas von der Macht bemerkt. Dabei ist die Hauptfigur immer auf der Suche nach der Freiheit - aber interessanterweise findet er diese dann erst am Ende als Gefangener in einer Gefängniszelle. Von großer Suggestivkraft ist die Handlung des Taschendiebs, er wandelt durch die Straßen von Paris wie ein Somnambuler, der sich in einem tiefen Schlaf befindet. Am Ende steht die Liebe und der Satz aus dem Off "Was für einen merkwürdigen Weg musste ich gehen, um zu dir zu kommen".

The protagonist in this strange film, an alienated young man in post-war Paris, reminded me of the protagonist in Camu's The Outsider (L'etranger). It will not interest anyone looking for action or excitement. It's a study in character and obsession, and a simple portrait of a time and place. It begs for at least a second viewing, which is usually an indication that it's a great movie. Recommended to those interested in this kind of motion picture.

Bresson é sicuramente un regista ostico, ma solo se gli si chiede di essere convenzionali e regalarci una soluzione o una visione positiva della vita.No, lui é un esistenzialista, uno spirito combattuto tra cristianesimo e ateismo, e nelle sue storie il riscatto arriva solo quando c'e consapevolezza di come il proprio io sia incompleto.Qui il ritratto di questo ladro,artista, bohemiene, diventa l'occasione per ribadire la grandezza del suo cinema spesso freddo e asciutto eppure straordinariamente spirituale, di una messa in scena libera, raccontata spesso per dettagli o ellissi, e nel suo assoluto controllo della situazione e del ritmo. In bresson non sappiamo mai se l'inquadratura durerà mezzo secondo o mezzo minuto: é lui che decide se distogliere la nostra vista e portarla da qualche parte o se farci entrare in una situazione e lasciare che questa si riveli davanti a noi.Qui la freddezza è maggiore che in altri film, ma é riscattata dal fascino del protagonista e del suo enigmatico modo di vedere e vivere le cose, che si trsduce in un gioco con la vita basato sull'inganno, sul furto, sull'illusione, sull'imprevedibilità, sulla sorpresa.In fondo, un po come fa il regista con noi in questo magnifico film: illudendoci e confondendoci (memorabile la scena dove viene mostrata la tecnica del borseggiamento).

Uno dei film più belli di Bresson. Le scene con la descrizione del borseggio sono da manuale. In questa edizione i dialoghi sono originali in francese (con eventuali sottotitoli italiani).

ce film nous raconte l'histoire simple d'une jeune homme -écrivain en devenir, impécunieux et fier- qui se demande si on ne devrait pas autoriser et pardonner à certains grands esprits -en devenir- d'outrepasser les lois, Et qui va se prendre au jeu de voler -avec une habileté grandissante- les bourgeois par le pickpocket, afin de se nourrir et de survivre d'abord, avant de se rendre compte de l'émotion forte que la transgression et le risque lui apporte. Élocution détachée des dialogues ciselés -que l'on retrouvera par la suite chez Rohmer-, fluidité des scènes qui se suivent sans accrocs, beauté du noir et blanc qui met en valeur l'actrice sauvage et mystérieuse comme tombée de nul part, de la pudeur, un propos certainement scandaleux en 1960, finesse et détachement, sans oublier un amour qui ne s'avoue que tardivement.

Film extraordinaire de un grand réalisateur, mais faites attention ! il y a seulement les sous-titres en hollandais.Évidemment il est un dvd hollandais, mais il y a écrit dans la photo du rétro du Dvd "Sous-titres français".

M'a femme me l'a piqué lorsqu'elle est partie

Le DVD est un peu franco-néerlandais, sur la jaquette les commentaires sont en français et en neerlandais, et les sous titres en neerlandais ! On peut se passer des sous-titres te le DVD est correct.

Le film de Robert Bresson est l'un de ses meilleurs et la copie est très bonne.La chute est une des plus belles paroles du cinéma.

attention ! L'image de la jaquette montrée sur le site est celle de l'édition avec bonus qui n'est pas l'édition vendue ici..

E' un po' troppo datato. Non riesce a coinvolgere lo spettatore. Non lo consiglio a meno che si cerchi un film come testimonianza di quel periodo. Ma ce ne sono dei migliori

Je déteste les voleurs. La théorie d'hommes privilégiés s'octroyant de droit de voler des aussi pauvres qu'eux foireuse. Les décors naturels de l'l'époque ont attisé ma nostalgie.J'aurais aimé une aventure avec marika green bien que je n'n'eût point reconnu la copine de "emmanuelle" (Sylvie kristel).

Robert Bresson's genius rests in his awareness that actions often reflect on reality, as the action is something that physically affects its surroundings. By stripping the scenes from emotions and only displaying the actions with complete strangers, the audience gets a sense of genuine presence through the character's actions. To further the meaning of the action, Bresson displays a minimal amount of reactions to the acts taken by the characters such as facial expression or body language. It leaves the viewer with the cold atmosphere where the interactions bring out a true sense of what is taking place on the screen with a clear impression without misunderstandings. Thus, the deeds committed within the film tell the truth without the combination of acting and pointless gibberish of words that often blurs the situation through truths, half-truths, and lies.Interestingly, Bresson opens the film with a shot of a hand writing down the beginning of self-confessional statement, which belongs to the main character. The initial statement remains enigmatic, as the film lyrically transitions the film into progression where the audience will learn what the main character has to confess. Through superimposing, the first scene with a pair of gloved rich female hands and a wad of money it allows the viewer to learn the truth of the confession. The gloved hands transfer the money to suited man who enters a line for on-site racetrack betting. Throughout the sequence, the hands are fiddling with the cash between the fingers, as the protagonist and antihero Michel's (Martin LaSalle) ogles the wealth switching hands while being within his reach. Bresson triggers a similar reaction that Pavol's dogs experienced when they salivated to the stimuli of the bell, as the fingers are fondling the money. It helps the audience to identify with Michel on various levels such as thinking about what the money could help provide. In this opening the audience learns the hands significance, as hands are what nurtures the protagonist's actions, which will inevitably lead to trouble.At first, it seems that the internal desire is driven by greed, but shortly after Michel's first pick pocketing the emotional high of the possibility of apprehension due to the illegal act seems to be one of the motivating factors. Michel's voice-over statement strengthens this notion when he states, "I was walking on air, with the world at my feet." Clearly, he senses an emotional high, which also displays emotional arrogance nourished by his recent success. However, to Michel's dismay, he goes down in flames, as the police arrest him fleeing the scene, but they are forced to release him due to lack of evidence. In addition, his home seems to support the idea that wealth does not have a significant meaning to him, as he leaves all his doors unlocked for anyone to enter at any time.Some of the motivating forces within Michel appear to be shame, guilt, and paranoia. These emotions seem to emerge through the Oedipus complex that he possesses in relation to his internal desire to pick pockets. He knows it is wrong, yet the desire overcomes his awareness of its immorality, which feeds his feelings of guilt, shame, and paranoia. At the same time, the exhilarating stimuli of succeeding, as he puts it "I was walking on air, with the world at my feet" is worth the risk of shame. These feelings remain throughout the film, but as Michel becomes a student of a master pickpocket he also begins to defeat his feelings with confidence. Nonetheless, the police remain in a not too far distance to remind him of his illegal activities, which allows for shame, guilt, and paranoia to linger throughout the film.Pickpocket provides a fascinating tale of a man and his vocation, as it allows for the audience to drift into a deeply personal perspective on the motivations that drive a man to do what he does. With the help of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment Bresson brings out the psychological and moral aspects of the story. However, he is far subtler, as he does not deal with the axing of a human. Together with the music and the scene framing the acts of the characters deliver several absorbing ideas in regards to how and why Michel acts in the way he does. The minimalism that Bresson is known for also helps highlight many of these vital aspects of the film, as it does draws attention to what truly is important - the acts of human beings.

What can a person possibly say about this film in terms of an objective review?? One has to "know" this character to understand him, at least in my humble opinion. For many, they are happy in just enjoying the movie for the director's technical mastery, or the plot, or perhaps for other reason unknown to me. This is a deceptively simple film but one that tugs on your reasoning's sleeve, it questions and makes statements about law and punishment, love, self interest and individualism, conformity, intimacy, the inner turmoil that exists in all of us. Interesting enough, the ending leaves me wondering does love really conquer all? But that's all always the question left at the end of the day and we hope it does, in fact we need it to, which is why we plunge into it despite our reservation and warnings. The movie doesn't suggest a "happily ever after" rather, love is a pause from our selfishness, self destruction isolation and loneness. There is at least hope in love, I cant say that for work, or any other social institution.I wont make remarks about the filmmaker Bresson, even though I have seen several of his films, its just that I don't feel as if I understand his "methods and mentality" enough to criticism him. He has to be as complicated as his movies. And to really review this movie properly would require at least 500 words, but why bother? The beauty of this movie is its so simple but yet every time you watch it something new happens. Just watch this and marvel at what Bresson's subtle but intense story telling style.And yes, this movie reeks of existentialism.

Wonderfully claustrophobic and neurotic. The main character's face is set in stone as he learns his trade, tries out his skills, gets busted, and interacts with his mother. Highly recommended.