PICKPOCKET (1959)

Cast

Plot

Inspired by Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment', Robert Bresson's 'Pickpocket' tells the story of Michel (Martin Lasalle), a solitary young man who embarks upon a life of petty theft. Plying his trade on the city streets, racetracks and Metro system of Paris, Michel hones his sleight-of-hand skills to perfection and becomes consumed by his escalating addiction. However his activities alienate him from his few friends, while attracting the attention of a police inspector and a professional criminal (Kassagi), who recruits him into his band of thieves. Bresson's use of non-professional actors, pared-down cinematic style and meticulously choreographed scenes of audacious robberies lend the film a remarkable and thrilling sense of authenticity. Emotionally restrained yet ultimately spiritually moving, many critics consider 'Pickpocket' to be Bresson's masterpiece.