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I managed to see Robert Bresson's "Pickpocket" after a couple of false starts in previous years. Each time I watch Bresson's films, I have to brace myself to accept his acrid version of expiating sin. It was the same with "Mouchette" and "Au Hazard Balthazar."
In "Pickpocket", a lazy man full of self-entitlement falls into pickpocketing pedestrian Parisians. He is noticed by a policeman, who keeps an eye on him, as a well as a group of professional pickpockets who put him in their group. He is not as clever as he thinks, and soon gets caught.
His only redemption comes from a young woman who used to take care of his mother. She transfers her care over to him after his mother's death, even when he goes to prison.
Bresson's main characters are always extremely difficult to like. Martin (the pickpocket) is no exception. My big question is that after Martin has gone to prison, and the only one who has faith in him is the young woman, will he really change his ways?
His reaction to the young woman's love is akin to his previous self-centered focus on himself. He will accept her love, but will he love her back? And most of all, will he find it in him to live an honest life, or will he return to thievery and deceit, which for him has always been easy to do?
Bresson seems to say that the young man lacked love, and that was why he behaved the way he did. But Martin had his mother's love before Jeanne came along, and his friend Jacques was as loyal as any friend can be. Even the policeman was trying to help him.
These irritating, self-centered characters make up much of the Bresson cinematic landscape. I am obliged to watch them if only to record my misgivings about Bresson.