Mouchette Bd

Based on the novel by George Bernanos, Robert Bresson's MOUCHETTE tells the tragic story of a young girl whose existence is so empty that death seems preferable to her life. Mouchette (Nadine Nortier) lives in an isolated rural village with her alcoholic father and sick mother, where she is forced to do all the housework and take care of her infant brother. At school, the situation is just as horrendous, since Mouchette is mocked and ignored by her fellow students as well as her teacher. One night, after becoming lost in the woods during a rainstorm, she is discovered by Mr. Arsene (Jean-Claude Guilbert), an alcoholic, epileptic game poacher. Confused as to whether or not he has just murdered a man, Arsene convinces Mouchette to stay with him, giving him an alibi for the night. But when she tries to leave, he throws her to the floor and rapes her. As tragedies continue to pile up, she decides to take her life into her own hands. Bresson's spare dialogue and visual style, coupled with the naturalistic performances of his nonprofessional cast, make MOUCHETTE a subtle tour-de-force of the highest order.