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Babette's Feast (1987)
"Babettes gæstebud" (original title)

 -  Drama | Music | Romance  -  4 March 1988 (USA)
7.7
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Ratings: 7.7/10 from 9,504 users  
Reviews: 90 user | 57 critic

In 19th century Denmark, two adult sisters live in an isolated village with their father, who is the honored pastor of a small Protestant church that is almost a sect unto itself. Although ... See full summary »

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Title: Babette's Feast (1987)

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Won 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 8 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Babette Hersant (as Stephane Audran)
Bodil Kjer ...
Birgitte Federspiel ...
...
...
Achille Papin (as Jean Philippe Lafont)
...
Svensk hofdame
Ghita Nørby ...
Narrator
Asta Esper Hagen Andersen ...
Anna (as Asta Esper Andersen)
Thomas Antoni ...
Svensk Lieutenant
Gert Bastian ...
Poor Man
Viggo Bentzon ...
Fisherman in Rowboat
...
Therese Hojgaard Christensen ...
Martha
Pouel Kern ...
The Minister
Cay Kristiansen ...
Poul
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Storyline

In 19th century Denmark, two adult sisters live in an isolated village with their father, who is the honored pastor of a small Protestant church that is almost a sect unto itself. Although they each are presented with a real opportunity to leave the village, the sisters choose to stay with their father, to serve to him and their church. After some years, a French woman refugee, Babette, arrives at their door, begs them to take her in, and commits herself to work for them as maid/housekeeper/cook. Sometime after their father dies, the sisters decide to hold a dinner to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth. Babette experiences unexpected good fortune and implores the sisters to allow her to take charge of the preparation of the meal. Although they are secretly concerned about what Babette, a Catholic and a foreigner, might do, the sisters allow her to go ahead. Babette then prepares the feast of a lifetime for the members of the tiny church and an important gentleman related ... Written by Ed Cannon <ecannon@mail.utexas.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

Certificate:

G | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

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Release Date:

4 March 1988 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Babette's Feast  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Gross:

$4,398,938 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

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Color:

(Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1
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Did You Know?


Quotes

[first lines]
[in Danish, using English subtitles]
Narrator: In this remote spot there once lived two sisters who were both past the first flush of youth. They had been christened Martina and Philippa after Martin Luther and his friend Philipp Melanchton. They spent all their time and almost all their small income on good works.
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Connections

Referenced in Nurse Jackie: Pill-O-Matix (2009) See more »

Soundtracks

"Don Giovanni"
Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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User Reviews

 
A feast of cinema
29 April 1999 | by (London, England) – See all my reviews

Stephane Audran is the eponymous heroine of this beautifully measured study of a small Danish community towards the end of the last century. Two beautiful and musically talented sisters give-up their own prospects of happiness and marriage in order to look-after their ageing father. One day, a French woman, Babette, comes to work for them. After some years she wins the lottery and is determined to do something for the sisters who have taken her in. Her solution is to prepare an exquisite and sumptuous feast, which changes the lives of all those invited. This is a film about human and cultural interaction, reflected in the changing language of the dialogue from Danish to French, and especially between the dutiful sobriety of Protestant northern Europe and the sensuousness of the Catholic south. It is also about human needs, and how warmth and kindness can be expressed and stimulated through the cultivation of the senses. A profoundly uplifting film.


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