Arquivo / 49ª mostra

Michel is a youth who begins as a pickpocket for the sheer delight and thrill of stealing. But, the habit soon becomes a compulsion. He is arrested and pauses to reflect on his actions when he becomes aware of the shock he has inflicted on his mother and friends. Even so, on being released, he goes back to a life of crime in the company of a seasoned thief. Once more, his conscience is to weigh, now, because he has fallen in love with Jeanne. To make the film realistic where this character is concerned, director Robert Bresson sought advice from a pro pickpocket. The story is also inspired in the novel Crime and Punishment, by Fiodor Dostoievski. A special tribute to actress Marika Green, at the 29ª Mostra.