The Oscar winning “Best Foreign Language Film” from Denmark, “Babette’s Feast”, is set in a fishing village in remote Jutland, mainly in the 1870s and 1880s.
The people have learned to survive in a harsh and long winter climate. In their poverty their repast is simple but sustaining. Their main dishes are salted flounder and gruel.
Their protestant revivalist religion is similar-simple, down to earth and sustaining, in song and worship. The movie is based on a long-story by the famous Danish writer Isak Dinesen (1885-1962) from her collection “Anecdotes of Destiny” (1958).
Dinesen’s “Out of Africa” (1937) was made into a movie by Sydney Pollock and starred Meryl Streep and Robert Redford (1985) and also won “Best Picture”. Dinesen, who is famous for her “Gothic Tales”, had a life-long fascination with unrequited love.
Danish writer-director Gabriel Axel has transposed to the screen Dinesen’s tale of narrow piety against a summative feast to match a bacchanalian delight anywhere in the world. The story begins 35 years before the extraordinary banquet. A puritan leader, a widower, has a small but loyal flock. His two attractive daughters, Filippa (Hanne Stensgard) and Martine (Vibeke Hastrup), in their early 20s, assist him in his ministry and acts of charity.
Fate, at different times, brings to their village on the North Sea, two young men. Lorenz Lowenhielm (Gudmar Wivesson) is an officer cadet who has a vision of an angel at his side, but instead he learns that life is hard and cruel, that many things desired in this life are impossible.
Because of his decadent ways he is sent for three months to live with his Aunt near the fishing village, and while there attends her reformist church services administered by the pastor and his daughters.
He falls in love with Martine who in response decides to commit herself to her father and his mission. Lorenz must leave, but he never forgets. He has learned that “we must carry out the Lord’s tasks with love”.
The second suitor is Achille Papin (Jean-Philippe Lafont) an opera singer sent to the fishing village to regain his health. He hears the singing in the church and is immediately taken by Fiilippa’s voice - “She is a Diva”.
He seeks permission to give her signing lessons and falls in love. They sing a duet from Figaro, “A voice within me is calling ... hand and heart uniting”. He proposes, but she too remains committed to her father, so he returns to Paris and his career.
In 1871, fleeing a revolution that has killed her husband and son, Babette (Stephane Audran) arrives in Jutland with a note from Papin.
She asks to be given sanctuary and expects no rewards. She works for the two sisters, Martine (acted in her old age by Birgitte Federspiel) and Filippa (acted in her old age by Bodil Kjer) for fourteen years without compensation.
Papin has sent her a ticket for the French Lottery each year, and she finally wins. On 15 December the congregation will be celebrating the 100th birthday of their founder. Babette requests to be allowed to prepare the meal. The sisters acquiesce to her plea, but the parishioners agree on the condition that, “Not one comment will pass our lips”.
The 12th guest at the feast is General Lorenz Lowenhielm (acted in old-age by Jarl Kulle) who wonders if the choice he made in his life was correct.
He also has dined in Paris in his youth and is able to recognize the beautiful and exquisite dishes and wines laid before them, while for the others, “All is vanity”.
“Babette’s Feast” is one hour and 38 minutes long. It is suitable for all ages. It is in Danish with English subtitles. The cinematographer is Henning Kristiansen. The editor is Finn Henriksen. The most fitting music is by Per Norgard.
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