Cast: Stephane' Audran (Babette Harsant), Birgitte Federspiel (Old Martina), Bodil Kjer (Old Philippa), Jarl Kulle' (Old Lorenz Lowenhielm)
Director: Gabriel Axel
Genre: Foreign/ Comedy/ Drama
A film about an elaborate and exquisite meal might be enough to attract an audience but still may sound boring nonetheless. This film made a very creative storyline out of one hell of a meal. Set in 19th century Denmark, two adult sisters within a religious community of Puritans, have an opportunity to leave their village but decide to stay with their religious father so that they can assist him and be with their church. After many years, a French woman, escaping the rebellion in France, arrives at their doorstep seeking shelter and hospitality. The two sisters take in Babette Hersant (Stephane Audran), the French refugee, and she in turn commits herself to their service as a house servant. When their father dies, the sisters plan to host a dinner for their village to honor their father’s 100th birthday. Being Puritans, the sisters plan to hold a very simple and meager meal. Babette convinces them to hold a much more exquisite meal which she alone will prepare. She thinks their father deserves such an honor. The two sisters, apprehensive because of Babette’s Catholic faith and their fear of what she might do, agree to Babette’s request despite their doubts. On the father’s 100th birthday, she serves them a meal that neither they nor anyone else from the village have ever seen the likes of. The sisters and all dinner guests initially chose to eat but not enjoy the meal. As the meal progresses, they all make up excuses to eat and drink more without giving away the fact that they’re completely enjoying the feast. I found that the meal aspect of the film was enticing enough. It was also a hilarious twist to see the difference between Catholic ideas of celebrating as opposed to Puritanical ideas. The story line was very clever and the movie was enjoyable. It never had a dull moment. The humor was more from the differences between Catholics and Puritans. Nothing was overdone so the humor came naturally from the situation. The acting was great despite the fact that I watch a dubbed English version of the film. All the cooking done in the film was real. It was very enticing and looked so easy. The best part came at seeing drunk Puritans at the end of the meal. The shots of Denmark were fantastic. Various shots of such a beautiful country were enough to want to watch more. This is definitely a film for anyone, especially for the cooking enthusiast. Surely, this was another clean-cut movie that I wouldn’t mind watching again.
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