Babette's Feast
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DVD details
Actor: Birgitte Federspiel, Bodil Kjer, Jarl Kulle, Jean-Philippe Lafont, Stéphane AudranBrand: AVEL,GABRIEL
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 1.0; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Danish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 1.0; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Letterboxed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 102 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-01-23
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
DVD Reviews of Babette's Feast
DVD Review: No Artist is Poor
Summary: 5 Stars
"Babette's Feast" is definitely one of the best movies I have seen. It combines excellent characterization, cerebral dialogue, and beautiful cinematography to create a masterpiece. All of the subplots come together at the end for a satisfying conclusion.
The movie opens with a voice-over narrator telling about Martina and Phillipa (named after Martin Luther and Philip Melancthon), the daughters of a deceased Protestant minister. They live in a small community on the Danish coast of Jutland in the 1830s. The late minister founded a sect of his own, and his daughters continue his work after he has been deceased. The remaining followers meet in the sisters' home, singing hymns and discussing scripture. The sisters' French servant, Babette, makes an appearance, and the narrator promises to tell how they got a French servant.
At this point, the story goes back in time, to where the minister is still alive and the sisters are young. We see the minister and his congregation meeting in a classic church and singing hymns that most American protestants could probably sing along to (if they weren't in Danish), and get a taste of Danish pietist culture. In the meantime, the sisters, being so attractive, attract various suitors. Their father turns them away, however, saying that his daughters is all he has. Soon, an officer of the Danish army, Lorens Lowenhaim, arrives in the village as punishment for dishonorable conduct. Lowenhaim is struck by Martina's beauty, and through the influence of his pious aunt, is able to get inside the minister's house. At that point, however, the officer realizes that he cannot stay there and marry Martina; life is too harsh and simple for one thing, and he wants to move up in his career. For another, he knows, even without Martina saying anything, that she would never leave the town. So Lowenhaim marries a lady of Queen Sophia's court, wooing her with piety, which was popular at the time.
Shortly thereafter, the French opera singer Achille Papin arrives from Paris, seeking some relaxation. He goes into the church and Philippa's singing impresses him greatly. He has dreams of her coming back to Paris and becoming an opera star. Papin asks for the minister's permission to give his daughter voice lessons, and even though he's a "papist," the minister agrees. Philippa picks up very quickly and displays remarkable talent. Unfortunately, when Papin falls in love with her and tells her that she will make a great opera star, she relays to her father that she wants to stop the lessons, and the minister gives a letter to the opera singer to that effect. Broken-hearted, Papin returns to Paris on a boat.
Many years later, a young woman arrives on the sisters' doorstep during a storm. She carries a letter from Papin, urging them to take in the woman, Babette, as she is a refugee from the civil strife involving the 1871 Paris Commune. They agree to do so, and Babette becomes their servant (though unpaid). Babette's only connection to Paris is a lottery ticket which a friend renews for her every year. After working at the sisters' house for 14 years, Babette finally wins the lottery, and it appears that she will go back to Paris.
Meanwhile, Martina and Philippa are preparing a celebration of the deceased minister's 100th birthday. The congregation has grown quarrelsome, with constant mutual recriminations, and the hymns no longer bring the joy and unity they once did. They can only hope that celebrating the minister's birthday will bring unity to the group again. To their surprise, Babette wants to prepare a French dinner for the celebration, and they reluctantly agree. Martina and Philippa get even more apprehensive when they see all the ingredients that have arrived by overseas shipment, such as quails, turtles, and fine wine; they fear that they have invited witchcraft into their home, and the sisters and congregation agree not to discuss the food and drink during the meal. Another guest that shows up is the now-General Lowenhaim, Martina's old would-be suitor, and his aunt.
The feast is the most sumptuous that can be imagined. It includes real turtle soup, Blini Demidoff au Caviar (buckwheat cake with caviar), and Caille en Sarcophage- Quail in Puff Pastry Shell with Foie Gras and Truffle Sauce. Lowenhaim is the only one who comments on the food and wine. He relates that the feast reminds him of one that he had in Paris at a place called Cafe Anglais. The chef there, a woman, supposedly could turn a feast into a love affair, and blend bodily and spiritual appetites. The rest stubbornly maintain their vows not to talk about the feast. Despite their intransigence toward the food, the people in the congregation become more amiable to each other, and the peace and unity that the sisters tried to achieve has come back. The general at that point makes a speech, which is the highpoint of the movie. He talks about mercy, and about how in the end, everyone gets back what they rejected. When he leaves, he tells Martina that he will be with her every night in spirit. As for Babette, she does not go back to Paris after all, as she has spent all of her 10,000 francs on the feast. It turns out that she was the chef at Cafe Anglais, and is not worried about having no more money, because "no artist is poor."
It's wonderful how everything comes together in the end. The minister, Lowenhaim, Papin, the sisters,the congregation, and of course Babette have all contributed to what happens in the end. One comforting message of "Babette's Feast" is that earthly enjoyments can be a foretaste of the divine. Martina and Philippa had practiced a religion of denial, and were used to modest suppers of bread and baked cod, which is why they suspected witchcraft when they saw all the ingredients for Babette's feast. In the end, however, the feast becomes the means that the community is reconciled- it's a source of grace. I highly recommend this movie.
Description of Babette's Feast
A French chef who lives and works in a small Danish religious community spends her prize winnings on an incredible meal for the entire village.Genre: Foreign Film - French
Rating: G
Release Date: 7-SEP-2004
Media Type: DVD
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