Denmark, 1870s. Two deeply religious elderly sisters living in an isolated village take in a French refugee from the Franco-Prussian war, Babette. She becomes their housekeeper and is happy to work for no pay. 14 years later, Babette wins a large amount of money in a lottery. The event coincides with the 100th anniversary of the birth of the sisters' father, a devout Christian minister who had a great following in the village. Babette decides to throw a great dinner for the the remaining followers to honour the occasion. One thing: the dinner will be French and once the ingredients start to arrive, the unsophisticated villagers suspect that something unholy is about to take place.Based on a short story by Karen Blixen (of Out Of Africa fame), this is an engaging, though not overly profound, movie. Starts slowly, showing the sisters' back story and building to the present day. The back story seems unnecessary initially, especially as it seems to wander and add nothing to the overall plot. However, the past, especially the characters therein, will have an important impact on the present.The movie hits its stride in the second half, especially once Babette wins the lottery. A few themes start to emerge and the story becomes more engaging. An important shift takes place, in that the focus moves from the sisters to Babette, and this makes things much more interesting.Unfortunately, the themes that emerge don't lead to anything too profound. I had visions of a powerful examination of how people's prejudices prevent them from enjoying life's simple pleasures, or how great art/food is lost on simple folk, but nothing really came of those.Ultimately, an interesting story, lacking a powerful conclusion. Will make you very hungry though - the food looks fantastic!Won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1988.

Gabriel Axel's Babette's Feast, adapted from Karen Blixen's short story of the same name (written under the pen name Isak Dinesen) and winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, is about both the richness of true artistry and the spiritual necessity of sampling what few pleasures life has to offer during our short time on Earth. Like an exquisite, expensive meal, it moves at a slow pace and requires you to savour the delicate starters before the wholly satisfying climax arrives like a rich dessert and fine malt whiskey, resulting in the most romantic film about living a quiet, pious life ever made.Two elderly sisters, Martine (Birgitte Federspiel) and Filippa (Bodil Kjer), have lived in a windy, remote hamlet in Jutland, Denmark their entire life. Years ago, their father (Pouel Kern) was a highly respected pastor, and with his two young and beautiful daughters (played in flashback by Vibeke Hastrup and Hanne Stensgaard), ran a small conventicle, who still meet up occasionally to converse. The sisters are courted in their youth by two men - cavalry officer Lorens Lowenhielm (Jarl Kulle), who falls in love with Martine, and opera singer Achille Papin (Jean-Philippe Lafont), who happens to hear Filippa's flawless singing voice and longs to make her a star. Both reject their suitors advances out of loyalty to their marriage- spurning father, and remain alone together for the remainder of their lives.One day, a French refugee named Babette (Stephane Audran) arrives having being sent by the ageing Papin to escape the bloody Paris Commune. The sisters have no money to pay her, but take her in when Babette offers to work for food and shelter. Her swaggering nature makes her hit in the small coastal town, and she stays with Martine and Filippa for years. When she receives a letter from Paris informing her that she has won 10,000 francs in the lottery, she begs the sisters to put aside their rigorous routine and allow her to cook them and their white-haired conventicle a fine French feast. They reluctantly agree but soon become concerned at the exotic ingredients arriving at their doorstep (including a live turtle), but Babette's feast with be spiritually enlightening for everyone involved.Babette's Feast manages to gaze warmly on a life that may seem harsh and miserable to many, and the early scenes of the sisters turning their backs on a life of true love and fame is difficult to watch. But Martine and Filippa remain without any bitterness; their only concern being the dwindling resources due to a lack of new members to their flock. In their old age, the rest of the group have become quarrelsome, but as each beautiful course is served, the petty issues are mended as they all experience the earthly miracle being set out in front of them. We taste every bite and get light-headed as the wine is supped, and it's a truly sincere experience. It also retains a tenderness and a grace usually lost in movies designed to pull on the heart-strings, and this is embodied by Audran who is outstanding as the eponymous artist.

Babette's Feast (1987)This movie made my eyes damp a few times.It takes place in a small village on the west coast of Denmark, where two spinster sisters carry on their deceased father's spiritual work.Babette comes to the village after her family is killed in a French revolt.She cooks for the sisters, mainly fish soup and bread mixed with ale.The after 14 years, Babette receives a letter saying she was won the French lottery -$10,000 francs.The two sisters had planned a dinner party to honor what would have been their father's 100th birthday.Babette decides to spend her lottery money by cooking a real French dinner with many courses for the occasion.She sends for what she needs, which includes a large live turtle, a dozen live baby quails, the finest wines and champagne, truffles and much other stuff.When the sisters see the big turtle on the kitchen counter they react as if it were the devil's food, and pre-warn their guests not to mention the food at the party.The day arrives, and shows Babette cooking each dish and desert, and has a neighbor boy serve the table. Before the third course is served the guests are melted in culinary ecstasy.Alas, the movie is sub titled.Garry

This may be one of my top ten films; at least it's close. I think the beauty of it is that the setup is so low key; the events so inconsequential. Yet those events leading to the final feast are so incredibly well introduced and the characters so incredibly interesting. It also gives us that theme of redemption. This is a chance for a person who has gone through life unnoticed to push her gifts to the maximum and have that one great moment. We get to watch as things unfold. We get to absorb the history that leads to this moment. Of course, without wonderful performances it wouldn't work. When it's over, we feel fulfilled. The world isn't much different than when we entered; but then we all are here for a short time. The mark of a good movie for me is that I occasionally think back on scenes and events long after seeing the film. This is one of them. It's more than worth every moment.