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June 26, 2008
Babette's Feast (1987)
Should I see it?
Yes.


Short Review: A quiet film with great power and meaning.



This should be a boring film. The greatest events in the film are internalized, the characters only speak when needed and the whole piece is symbolic. The story revolves around the lives of two deeply religious sisters who restrict their lives to serving their fellow man in the name of God. The two sisters and the denizens of their small, isolated Danish village sustain themselves on a pale diet of boiled fish and bread. They also survive on the memory of the sister’s dead father, a charismatic pastor who bonded the citizens of the village with teachings of Christian piety and sacrifice. When a French woman named Babette arrives as a refugee from the French Revolution, the two sisters must adjust to the new addition in their lives. When Babette wins the French lottery and demands to spend her winnings serving a real French feast to the aging members of the community the world is turned upside down. The introduction of pleasure into the village has some amazing results. With this timid plot in addition to the fact that this is a “foreign film”, meaning that it is a non-English language piece, most Americans will look at this thing and simply move on.

Don’t move on.

This is a beautiful film and is another perfect example of how film is actually an art form to be used to move emotions and ignite the mind. It also proves that a story does not need insane plot twists, nudity or violence to be interesting. If a filmmaker takes care to develop characters with firmly set internal conflicts as director Gabriel Axel does in this story, the tale will excite the audience and speak to world.

This film handles Christian belief and theology seriously and with concern. The sacrifice of Christ informs each character in this piece and raises each from their base selves. It is obvious when someone acts in a negative way in this film that they have taken a step away from Jesus. The handling of Christianity is rarely as endearing as in this film.

Beyond the direct Christian elements, there are the scenes of Earthly pleasure. The massive feast Babette sets for the townsfolk is stunning. You can't watch the consumption of this meal without wanting to partake yourself. The presentation of the feast is perfectly handled and defines indulgence. Earlier in the film there is also a scene of seduction that may be the most erotic scene of a man and woman fully dressed and just singing to one another. It is remarkable how much eroticism is produced by this scene by playing off a character’s desire NOT to be seduced and commitment to Christ. These moments of pleasure are so effective because the characters are so restricted in their lives. By playing off of the conflict inside the characters Axel is able to create such scenes of unforgettable excess using such simple visual tools.

If you haven’t seen this film, you must. Despite the subtitles, despite the quiet tone, this is a great film that inspires the audience into thought and filmmakers to produce higher quality works.


Related Reviews:
Christian films
Thr3e (2006)
The Second Chance (2006)


Other Critic's Reviews:
Christian Spotlight on the Movies
DVD Savant


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posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 9:00 AM




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