Au Hasard Balthazar 1966 Online Full Movie

Au hasard Balthazar Online Full Movie: A Heartbreaking Tale of a Donkey

Set in the picturesque French countryside near the Pyrenees, the story of Au hasard Balthazar Online Full Movie begins with a baby donkey adopted by young children, Jacques and his sisters, who live on a farm. They lovingly name the donkey Balthazar, alongside Marie, Jacques’s childhood sweetheart, whose father is the local schoolteacher.

The Early Years of Balthazar

Tragedy strikes when one of Jacques’ sisters dies, prompting his family to leave the farm. Marie’s family takes over the farm in a loose arrangement, and Balthazar is given away to local farmhands who work him tirelessly. As the years pass, Balthazar faces hardship and is eventually involved in an accident, leading him to escape and find his way back to Marie, now a teenager.

Legal Struggles and Cruelty

As Marie’s father becomes embroiled in legal disputes over the farm with Jacques’s father, Balthazar is given away again, this time to a local bakery for delivery work. Gérard, the leader of a young criminal gang and the bakery’s delivery boy, becomes envious of Balthazar because of Marie’s affection for the donkey. Gérard’s jealousy leads him to mistreat Balthazar, showcasing the cruelty that the donkey endures.

One day, while driving her 2CV, Marie spots Balthazar by the roadside and stops to greet him. However, Gérard, who had been sleeping nearby, forces his way into her car and refuses to leave. This encounter implies a dark turn in Marie’s life, as she becomes trapped in an abusive relationship with Gérard, ultimately leaving her parents behind.

Violence and Redemption

Gérard is later summoned to the local police station regarding a murder investigation, alongside Arnold, an alcoholic who is also a suspect. Neither is arrested, but tensions rise as Gérard and his gang assault Arnold, accusing him of being a murderer. Meanwhile, Balthazar falls ill and is nearly euthanized, but Arnold intervenes and takes the donkey away from the cruel circumstances.

After recovering, Balthazar is used by Arnold to guide tourists around the scenic Pyrenees. However, when the tourist season ends, Balthazar escapes and joins a circus. The donkey’s fate takes another turn when he sees Arnold in the audience and becomes agitated, leading Arnold to retrieve him once more.

Tragedy Strikes Again

As Arnold inherits a fortune after his uncle’s death, he throws a wild party at a bar. During this time, Marie and her mother have a conversation, and Marie is invited to return home, but she refuses. Gérard, in a drunken state, forces Arnold to ride Balthazar home, but the situation ends tragically when Arnold falls off and dies from his injuries.

Following Arnold’s death, the police send Balthazar to market, where a greedy local miller purchases him. The miller exploits Balthazar for labor, using him to pump water and mill grain. One rainy night, Marie, soaked and desperate, seeks shelter from the miller, having escaped from Gérard. The miller offers to help her, but the next morning, he betrays her trust by offering Balthazar to her parents, implying that Marie will return home.

Confrontation and Escape

Marie returns to her parents, but her life remains tumultuous. Jacques visits her, expressing his desire to marry her, but Marie reveals the abuse she has suffered, leaving Jacques conflicted. He insists that his father does not want the court-ordered compensation from Marie’s family, adding to her emotional turmoil.

Determined to confront Gérard, Marie visits a barn where they used to meet. Unfortunately, Gérard and his gang are there, and they strip and beat her before locking her inside. Her father and Jacques eventually find her and rescue her, bringing her home in a cart pulled by Balthazar.

The Final Days of Balthazar

Tragedy continues to unfold as Marie’s father dies shortly after, leaving her mother in mourning. Gérard, undeterred by the family’s grief, arrives with his gang, demanding to borrow Balthazar for their illicit activities. Marie’s mother refuses, stating that Balthazar is to carry her husband’s ashes in the funeral procession.

In a desperate act, Gérard abducts Balthazar to transport contraband across the Spanish border. When their meeting with a contact goes awry, Gérard and his accomplice flee, leaving Balthazar behind.