Babette's Feast (a guest review by Number Three)

I’m a sucker for a good foreign film. And one such reason is because a surprising number of foreign films serve as the primary influence for several Hollywood offerings. It’s always a surprise though when I accidentally discover a hidden movie that just so happens to be a great influence on some popular American movie that we’ve all seen.

So here’s what Babette’s Feast is about. Let’s play a little game and see if you can guess what popular movie was influenced by it.

An unlikely person stumbles upon a happy, if overly dispassionate town and changes their pattern of thought to accept and enjoy the pleasures of this world instead of denying them through the use of food.

Have you figured it out yet? You’re right, it’s Chocolat. Now let me just say that I liked Chocolat and I don’t mind that it ripped off Babette’s Feast. They are both good movies and they are both set in very different times and places, but boy are they alike when you consider the basic aspects of the story and message.

The only problem with foreign films, though, is that they often feel a bit foreign. That is to say, I am a product of Hollywood, and so while I greatly appreciate foreign films, there will always be some element of the culture that just doesn’t fully translate into my full and utter enjoyment. Thus, Chocolat is a bit easier to watch for an American I think, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Babette’s Feast anyway, because it will serve as an intriguing education on film influence and it will also delight you and make you very hungry for a good French restaurant afterwards.

Here’s the basic storyline: There is a somewhat remote and fairly provincial Danish village on the seacoast that is quite happy. They are all very good and very dedicated Papists…and that’s important. Two nice young ladies live a life of service beside their pastor father and give up the prospect of marriage so that they might dedicate themselves to the service of the village. They find contentment and joy in their service, but there is probably a tinge of regret too. Fast forward many, many years. Papa is dead and the village tarries on, doing their best to live up to the pastor’s preaching and exhortations about living the good Christian life. Along comes Babette, a French woman who has some connection to an earlier and rather amusing character. She has been forced to flee France over the turmoil of the times and finds a home with the now two old ladies who never married.

She serves humbly for over a decade and one day learns that she has won 10,000 francs from a lottery ticket that a friend back home had renewed for her every year. To show her appreciation she makes a feast for the village, who because of their philosophy, somehow think it would be un-Christian to enjoy it. Oh but the food is good! Babette teaches them a little something about enjoying the things of this earth through her food. Here the viewer can probably fine-tune the message to their tastes, pun intended. I would say, excess is not good, but neither is trying not to find joy in the things that are meant to bring us joy. Well, the movie is a joy to watch, especially with a fine Bordeaux and a lovely meal in hand.

Number Three’s Score:
Mouthspeak (impact of dialog): +10
Watchfeel (impact of visuals): +16
Mouthfeel (overall watchability): +14

Number Three