Through a sequence soundtracked by classical music reminiscent of Pasolini’s work, in grand detail we witness the choreographed beauty of his tricks as hands unassumingly glide in and out of jackets, sleeves, pockets and handbags. The continual question is: could it be too late? Eventually, his two friends who are taking care of his dying mother instil a sense of decency and morality, leading him to abandon his callous ways and forcing him to open up to the people around him. Something else drives him, a desire for the thrill, a replacement for love or sex. What slowly emerges is that theft is more than just a way to survive. While financial gain isn’t his main aim, he has no other source of income. Pickpocket tells the story of a young man who resolves to petty theft, betrays his friends and lives in a small shack without a proper lock. A Gentle Woman doesn’t explain or explore but it reveals a neglected personality like a festering wound ready to explode. The struggle between a dominant man and woman mirror that of a wounded animal, neglected and left to die. The woman is painted as a timeless creature, she is a universal being removed from any possible restrictions of her time. Although he does not mean any harm, his uncompromising and oppressive nature leaves him unable to notice her suffering. Elle’s reasons for her unhappiness seem obscure, drifting between resignation and bursts of anger while her husband is equally opaque in his actions. A Gentle Woman is the personification of internalised emotions, guided by a man who incessantly courts her until they finally marry in spite of their differences. The plot then unfolds in a series of flashbacks told via her husband’s memories as he tries to make sense of what happened. Similar to François Ozon’s 5×2, the film begins with its tragic climax – Elle’s suicide. Based on Dostoyevsky’s A Gentle Creature, Bresson’s first film in colour is an enigma.
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